red90 driver

Ok, before engine out tomorrow, I'll take off the timing cover and have a look. That is really the only thing left to check!! Then I'm lost..... Top tip for a friday: Stuck rings on a piston? Boil gently for 2-3 hours in a pan of engine oil on the stove. Top, top tip: Don't do this in the house as it tends to stink!! (Ask me how I know, and why I'm writing this outside......)

Ok chaps.... Definately not the engine. There are now no pistons in the engine, and I still can only turn the crank about 10-15 degrees before it gets too hard to turn. I am seriously thinking we've knacked something on the auto box. Someone has suggested that because I have had no oil in the box, and I have cranked the engine over then the brake band in the box has locked, or the torque converter has become mechanically challenged. I did try putting the transfer box into difflock, auto box into Neutral and then rotating one of the output flanges with a bar to see if I can turn the back half of the gearbox over, which was OK. I am going to split the engine from the box tomorrow, and then drop the box out as well. So, any ideas what I can do?

After now removing one cylinder head, and number 8 piston (which was not actually stuck), the problem still exists. I fear it is now autobox out time! Whats going to have failed in a ZF 4 speed to cause non rotation of the spinny thing that makes the up and downy things go up and down? Bear in mind that said auto box was working fine, but has not had any oil in it... Number 8 piston has had water sat in the bore, and the rings are stuck in the piston, so it's a good job I've pulled it out for inspection as it looks like a ring set is needed. Anyone tell me what the ring gap should be on a std 3.9?

I'll see if anything has loosened when I get home tonight..... I see a trip to Halfrauds tonight to get plusgas....

Had a 3.9 V8 sat in the challenge truck for nearly 12 months now, and 2 months ago, filled the engine with oil and cranked her over until I got oil pressure. Today was a good day, until I tried to set the crank at TDC so that I could set the timing for the VR pickup for the megasquirt. Tried to put a ratchet onto the crank pulley bolt but no movement. Put the cracker bar on, and still no joy. The starter failed to turn the engine over, and after checking the flex plate had not shattered in the auto box, decided to whip the sump off and inspect. 7 of the bores look well lubricated, and I have managed to remove the big ends on 4 of the conrods 1,2,5 and 8. Of those, 3 pistons move in the bores. Number 8 won't, but as it is sat at the highest point in the stroke, I don't know if it should. The bore of number 8 is extremely dry under the piston skirt, and there is a rust mark on one point of the piston skirt, so I am wondering if it has seized in the bore? Although I can rotate the crank back and forth by hand (cracker bar on crank pulley bolt) by about 5 degrees, all it does is rotate 7 & 8 around slightly around their TDC point. Number 8 bore is extremely dry under the piston skirt, so I am assuming that it has seized in the bore.... I have managed to squirt some WD4 onto the piston crown in the hope that some will permeate down the side of the piston, I can't get much in there because it just drain out of the plug hole again! Do I: wait and see if the WD un-seizes the piston? Take the cylinder head off and try to 'send' the piston and conrod out through the top of the block? Any other suggestions?

Use the caves as a special stage, 2 man, on foot, punch hunt!

I think you should paint it that nice shade of orange with he green tinting in. definately need an ash pan... got some some nice stainless rod for making a grate. Not from work at all..... also some (whatever size you require) galv sheet for the pan itself (could even provide stainless sheet up to 10mm.

David Llama is your salvation. He has made up autobox to cooler hoses V8 serpentine to remote oil filter to TDi rad hoses Power steering hoses.. He was not cheap, but we got what we paid for, good quality hoses, with a sensible approach to fittings. He came out to us and measured up as they were all specials (Whitbread buggy, engine moved back 14.5") with a 200TDi rad. Have a look at the Llama 4x4 site to get his number and then give him a ring....

Cheers for that Zim, much appreciated. Actually got the pipes the right way round !!! 50/50 chance, i know, but it's nice to have it right.

Can anyone tell me on a 3.9 V8 sepentine engine, what the oil flow direction is for the oil cooler? Reason I'm asking is that we have had to fit a remote oil filter which is directional flow, and I have no idea which of the 2 pipes to the oil cooler is flow, and which is return.... one pipe comes from the bottom of the timing cover plate and the other pipe comes from the side above the original oil filter location. Any ideas chaps?

Matt - when are the photo's available to view?

Well, after breaking a propshaft 2 hrs in on the first day, snapping front rope twice, overheating 2 flat tyres cause they keep burping air, and then having to wedge a twig between the spring and brush on the front winch motor to allow us to descend back to terra firma 70ft below us to arrive back at the finish with less than 1 minute remaining, I am now thoroughly knackered with some massive blisters on my feet and a well deserved beer buzz going on!! Great event, good use of the land at a site that evokes looks of horror on some drivers (especially winchmens) faces.... Thanks to Matt and crew (espcially crew, you know who you are!) for all their hard work on a blisteringly hot weekend. Cheers - Nick

I've made a small mistake on the directions from Manchester! Sent everyone the long way round!! If you take the A494 you will still get there, but..... Instead: Take the A55 North Wales road until Junction 35. Take the 3rd exit to Wrexham A550(Past the Esso garage) At the 3rd roundabout, take the 3rd exit A5104 At the junction turn left, then take the first right 50 meters still on the A5104.(There is a BP station on the right, this is the last chance to fill up!!) Follow the A5104, straight through 2 sets of traffic lights (2nd set has the Crown pub opposite) At the next roundabout, you will see the B.A.D. signs, take the 2nd exit, still on the A5104. Just before Corwen turn right onto A494 to Rhuthin (B.A.D sign here)(If you get to the traffic lights and the A5, you have gone too far!). Turn right again after 100 yards still on A494 (B.A.D. sign here also) You will travel through the village of Gwyddelwern After the village (approx 1mile), take the left turn onto a farm drive (Wern Ddu) just before the layby on the left.

Why is it that the pictures very rarely do the terrain justice? That gully was goddarnit steep! Theres about 3 photos of Simon and Mike that give some indication of just how steep some of it was! Glad theres some pictures of us, though it still looks like I'm just standing around with nothing to do. Roll on the next one at Mow Cop, that place totally knackered me last year. Who's going to Corwen for the 2 day event?

The nearest pub is: turn right out of the site, and at least a mile walk, or 3 mile wobble back!!, so a compass will not be needed for that!! Hope the headings and step counts are better than the last Wormhough navigation exercise we tried, Barney!

Many thanks to Matt and team for putting on a good event at a site that has not seen a winch since 2006.... Nice to drive on terrain that has not been played to death, and will not be touched again until next year. Big site, and I don't expect to drive on any of the areas used today next time!! And thanks also to Baggy & crew for the BBQ.

I suggest that suitable foorwear would be something like: or: Hat, coat, barndoor......

Matt: yes they do. The quick way will be tricky to say the least with a trailer. Have been clearing the access to the camping this evening with Daf, Ian and incredibly excited 5 year year old running around waving my folding saw at all the trees that he wants to cut down. (the 5 year old that is...) It's going to require another visit at least, especially to clear the camp site itself!!! Man, it's a jungle in there......

Take the M56 to Chester. At Junction 15, follow the M53 / A55 signs At junction 36 on the A55, turn left onto the A483 Take the A483 to Wrexham (now in Wales, caution: sheep!) Turn right at junction 4 onto the A525 to Rhuthin. (If you get to the big coal tip on the left, you've gone too far!!) Follow this road all the way up the hill, into the 30 limit (CAUTION: Speed Camera), go all the way through Coedpoeth village, bear left after the Village Bakery (just in the 60 limit), follow this road (B5430) until the crossroads (pub on left - Moors Inn). Go straight over, and take the second right (signposted: Nant Y Ffrith) (If you get to a crossroads with traffic lights, turn around) Follow this little tiny road, taking NO turnings, and then you will find the entry gate at a signposted dead end. This is the entry to Nant Y Ffrith forest.

By the way, don't use the postcode, it will take you several miles away.....

nantyffrith

I volunteer Mr John Sales for gate duty, as he would'nt want to watch... Barney: if you need anything from Gwyn, we're going in 2 weeks ish, and could bring any stuff for you....

Matt / Barney: Please let me know when you need me for tree trimming and setup assistance.

ning - ning - NYNNNNNNIIIINNNNGGGG!! 'I love the smell of 2 stroke in the mornings' No problem Matt. How tall do you want the stumps? Sufficient to stop Saley and Glynn? (and everybody else for that matter)

Can someone tell me how I ended up filthier than anyone else? Did I do the same challenge as everyone else? The washing machine is still recovering from the deryshire mud overload when shorts, teeshirt, socks and boots were carefully inserted yesterday by 'er indoors.... When we finished and handed in the punch cards, I could see no-one who had more mud and clag on them than me! I'm gonna blame Daf for finding the muddiest, wettest and most boglike punches on which to finish me off! Very nice to finish where we did, complete surprise to both of us! thanks to Matt and his team of helpers for a very enjoyable event. The next one won't have anywhere near the 'texture' of this one!! Unless they send us into......no, they can't, can they? Anyway - for those camping at Nant-y-ffrith, for some good food and proper ale, go to the Tyn-y-capel pub in Minera (LL113DA) which is about 2 mile away, or for more ordinary watering holes there is the Kings Head pub (LL115UT) just (sort of) within staggering distance....