Build diary for my first kit car: an Aries Locoblade (http://www.ariesmotorsport.com/) that I will be building in Portugal for the next months (or years).
(long overdue post, this work was done almost a month ago, I haven't been able to work on the car lately; hope next week...)
Today I was committed to finish the nosecone. First I had to drill the sides for the bolts that connect with the chassis near the hood. These are doomed bolts that have a square section at the rear. Since I don't have a Watts drill to make square holes, did it the hard way. First drilled a round hole. Then, with a small file, squared the hole until it was a snug fit.
Then it was time to drill for the indicators. First I remeasured the drilling spots, using a level to be sure the nose was sraight before measuring. Placed again paper stalks just to get an idea. Then I drilled the big hole for the indicador hollow bolt through which the wire goes and a smaller one for some sort of guide that helps ensure the indicator is in the right position. Indicators bolted and job done!
Since I had the driller around, drilled the two holes on the lip almost where the rear of the nose goes down (over the area where the light stalks are), where other bolts will go through and attach to the chassis. The only thing missing is to drill the two holes on the chassis. The kid has been asking me to come help, so I'll probably let him drill those holes.
After some time away due to vacations, I was back for a bit. I've also been procrastinating a bit since I'm uncomfortable with drilling the fiberglass.
First small task was to unpack the indicators that go on the nosecone. They came with two extra bulbs and an indication from Steve from Aries about changing them. I did it and it seems the reason is down to light power. The bike indicators had 10W lamps and the replacements where 23W.
I had information from Steve on where to drill for the indicators. Also, to measure very well and many times because it will look odd if the indicators are not exactly at the same height when looking from the front. Besides this I also had instructions shared by my fellow builder Iain on how to hold the nosecone to the chassis.
Holding to this information, I spend lots (really, lots) of time covering the sides of the nose with tape and then measuring, remeasuring, creating paper indicators and gluing them to the spots and then putting the nose on the car to test it out.
In the end, I think it is right but I haven't drilled yet. And I'll probably remeasure and look at it again before drilling.
With the cooling circuit fixed, I had to stress test the circuit! And confirm that there were no other leaks. So, the wife and kid came to "help".
First drove the kid around the garage, 3 laps, one going up just one floor and the other two going up two floors. This all went a lot better than when I drove the car up to have my spot washed. The following video shows me pulling off, pursuing a neighbour on his BMW, while the kid screams with joy.
These 3 laps had as top speed 22Km/h (if the sensor is correctly set, can't confirm without going to a track), 7500rpm (going up the slope, afraid I would stall) and cooling temperature rose up to 70C. Then the fan light turned on to warn me and I switched on the fan, keeping the temperature around 65C.
Then the kid went home and I drove the wife around, 2 laps, one up one floor and the second up two floors. She filmed so I even have inboard footage. I stall the car a couple of times and the lights are draining my battery, so I end up going for a bit without lights. It's not as dark as it seems on the video.
Notes from the driving... The "clank" noise I heard two weeks ago is still there, although not always. It only shows when I'm driving really slow and the car is almost stalling, otherwise no noise. It still seems to come from the tunnel and probably is nothing to worry about.
The panels that are just rivnutted (tunnel) vibrate a bit when on low revs and make a bit of a noise. I'll probably have to put some isolation tape under them to make the noise go away.
Comparing with last year, the wheels make a lot less noise while driving, setting up the camber and toe did pay off. One of the front wheels still wobbles slightly, I have to tighten it better. One of those times I wish I had a power tool to do it...
The battery charges if I have the lights off, with the Digidash saying 13,5 to 14v. If I turn the lights on, it drops to around 12v and it effectively drains the battery. With me constantly stalling the car, makes the charger I bought well worth it's cost. I probably have a bad earth or some other connector messing it up. After all, most of my light wiring is still lose around the car. That's what I'm going to work on next, along with panels.
It was wonderful to drive the car and I'll probably be doing it once in a while. Maybe I should service the engine, new oil and spark plugs, since what the engine has is what was on the bike the engine came from, 3 years ago... And I have to properly bleed the brakes!
This was a short morning in terms of what was done on the car because I started with some cleaning. I still had a box with parts inside the house (semi-hidden in our sleeping room). It was only half-full and I now have space for those parts on the underground storage room. So, I moved the box down and sorted the bits into smaller boxes, getting it all organized. Anyway, those parts are some of the ones I'll soon need (bodywork fixings, lights, ...).
During the week I went to a hardware store and bought a replacement T piece. Got a brass one, that should not rust and be sturdy. After lots of fighting it (it was a snug fit on the pipes), I got the cooling system re-established.
While doing this, took the cap of the expansion tank and looked inside. It seemed to have some dirt on the bottom. Since it was mostly empty, I unbolted it and emptied it. It actually was some aluminium swarf and either dirt or rust. Probably garbage that was inside the pipes... I forgot to wash them before fitting them. After the tank was "clean", added more fluid. Turned the car on and let it idle for a while while checking the liquid level and adding a bit more. After turning the car off, checked for leaks and stains on the floor and all looked dry and clean! It's time to drive the car again...
Today went to the car to fix the leak, the "clang" noise and get it ready to drive around the garage with the kid, the wife, show it off to my parents, get some footage and pictures... But it did not go well.
Was looking into the leak when I noticed the "T" piece where the leak was coming from had a dark vein. Fiddle with it a bit more, turns out it was a crack and, suddenly, it just snaps. With pliers, tried taking the bits out, to no avail. Had to cut 2cm off each pipe. Now I need a new "T" piece, preferably in (non-rusting) metal. Let's see how lucky I get during the week...
Jacked the rear up and took a part of the tunnel cover out to trace the "clang". Spinning the rear wheels by hand, to get the prop turning, it was not obvious what hit; nothing was hitting, no noise. Probably it's something that only happens when there is some tension, that I could not recreate. Hunch was that a grease nipple was scratching the prop catcher. Filed a bit of the prop catcher away, just in case. But proper solution will have to be found out later.
Finished off earlier because I was sad and mad with the broken "T" and the fact that my plans for the afternoon were shot.
So, garage washing this time was floor 0 on Monday, floor -1 and -2 on Tuesday. My spot is on -2 and I got a borrowed one on 0.
On Monday went to the car after dinner. Wired the battery in and sat on the driver's seat. On Sunday I had noticed that, now that the tunnel has the aluminium panels in, my right foot would hit the brake when pressing the throttle. I was wearing my large basket boots so this time I took my Brazilian "Havaianas" (olá, Glauco!). Even with them, the foot hit both peddles. So, the front of the side panel was removed (fortunately, at the time I had to cut it to get it in without taking out the peddle box, and fortunately it was rivnuted into place).
With the car on, I drove it off. It was doing an odd "clang" noise from the tunnel, repeatedly, as if something on the transmission was hitting something. My fear was the UJ on the front half of the transmission hitting the prop-catcher. Slowly, did the 50m from my spot to the start of the spiral that goes from floor -2 to floor 0. Stalled the car two or five times just in that bit. Then, going up the slope, some 5 times more. Since the brakes are still not great, relied on the handbrake to hold me each time I stalled. In the beginning had the lights on but turned them off to save battery. On the 2nd section of the spiral, stalled some more and when I was almost at the top, the battery was drained to the point where the car would not start. Had to call the caretaker, that has his watching post at the top of the spiral, to help me push the car into place. After parking it there, had a look around for leaks, took out the battery and went home. The car in his borrowed space:
Tuesday after dinner went down (with the charged battery) again. This time it was easier. After wiring it all up, it was just a matter of reversing out of the spot and then moving away. From 0 to -2 is downhill so no stalling. Still the odd "clang". With the car back on his spot confirmed that there was a leak on the cooling circuit near the "T" that splits header-pump-radiator (where it leaked last year too).
Not as nice as I expected, but it was fun anyway. The best part is that last year, after parking it, I knew I had to undo a lot of things to get them properly done. This time I have it mostly final and from now on is just fixing the noise and the leak and put the bodywork.
I needed to confirm that the car would run, to know if I could move it Monday night. First task was to really get it running. Placed the full battery and connected it. Bolted down the driver's seat (which was a pain, now that I have the external panels getting in the way). Sat down and cranked the engine. First attempt, failed. Rested a bit, second attempt. Hand on the exhaust, I could feel some blobs of air coming out. It was trying... Rested some more, third attempt and it started running!
Left it idling and took a walk around the car looking for leaks and other problems. There was some smoke coming from where the headers bolted to the engine, I wondered if it was the exhaust paste cooking or some leaks. In the end, it was just the paste. The idle was a bit high, at 4.000 rpm, so I got it down to 1.900rpm. Checked the cooling level and all was good.
Turned the engine off, bolted the passenger's seat down and then the headlights. I don't have bullet wire terminals, so butchered a temporary job just to get them working. Tested standing, dip and main and all worked, although probably not pointing exactly in the right directions... The car was ready!
