Last time I was working on the car all seemed sort of OK and it was starting except, one final time and when I pulled the lugs I found the spark was awful, even straight out of the coil.

With some help (remotely) from Matt I've reviewed, cleaned replaced bits and now the spark at the plugs seems better. Today, the car started almost as soon as the starter moved. Hopefully that's the last pulling the dissy etc for a while. I hope this also solves the problem of difficulty getting HC and CO parts of the exhaust emissions both down.

Door lock (glued back together) is back on the car but the little blue piece of plastic fell when it was in the door and I cannot see it, so will have to obtain a new one. So, door trim back on as well.

I also fitted one of the pair of new rear dampers, I am to do the other tomorrow. The old dampers were advised from the MOT test to be watched and with only 40 miles after the test it was obvious the light oil trace the tester had seen was coming fro the damper and wasn't the WD40 we both hoped / thought it was. I had wondered if the shock could be re-sealed but then I noticed why the seals had failed, the plating on the shaft had failed so it would have to be re-chrome shaft and then re-seal or what will actually happen- dump them.

I had to make my mind up about the seals change in place, seals change on the bench or LSD. LSD won.

I didn't start early on the job (read that as nearly midday) the exhaust and chassis strengthening bracket came off quite well. Most of the nuts were OK to undo, some a little bit tight. The only two that were pigs were the ones that secure from the top rear diff carrier to the subframe, they came off with the help of a power saw.

It was a bit of a shock when the diff came out with nothing underneath it to support it, I had tied a rope round it so it didn't drop straight to the floor. It swung towards me at an alarming rate. New diff was going in quite well until i couldn't find one of the bolts. I searched the floor where I knew I'd laid them I even looked at the side bolt holes of the diff to check I'd not put them in there. I carried on convinced the bolt would turn up and would be easy to fit as it was needed for one that is accessible even when fully fitted. I struggled to get one side of the carrier to line up, eventually I spotted the "missing" bolt in one of the holes that secure it to the diff carrier, I'd wound it ion to check the thread on the replacement diff was clear.

It's back in with the diff secured to the main carrier, the harmonic weight back in pace, the rear carrier secured to the subframe. I still need to put the bolts in that secure the front diff carrier to the subframe, I remember that can be a pain to achieve.

Then it's back on with the driveshafts, prop shaft and other bits.
Still waiting for the rear dampers I ordered on 23rd Feb.

This weekend I spent the first half of Saturday helping Owen with his oil pipe, this time the correct one was supplied.
Sunday I helped Simon with his TE engine, it is back together (despite me forgetting to take a clutch alignment tool so had to do it by eye) and back in the car although it's just placed in there and everything that connects it to the car is not yet in place.

So, what did I do on the E906?
I pulled the ignition system apart and found a couple of issues that may have contributed to the poor emissions results. The vacuum capsule was only held to the steel pate by one of the three spot welds, and the dissy cap had a chunk missing, where the lower cap clip rests.

The former issue gave me some options, replace dissy (2nd hand), replace capsule (new from SJ would be approx the same cost as the whole dissy from Mike), weld the capsule or something else.
I went for something else and used epoxy adhesive to glue it back in place. Time will tell as to whether this is a suitable alternative.

The latter issue was simple, new cap care of Matt Debbage. Just timed it back up and it's running fine. I did notice some marks from arcing on two of the posts in the old cap (which was newish when I purchased the car), these may have been due toe the poor resting position and movement of the cap.

Still waiting for bolts for front ball joints, still waiting for rear dampers. Must get diff seals done / diff replaced.

Yesterday I helped Owen change an oil cooler pipe on his GT3, not an absolute success (pipe was too short despite coming from a Lotus specialist).

Today I fitted the refurbished pump that I've got back having forgotten I'd left it with Terry, and after much wasted time I accepted I had to secure the PAS bracket to the pump before securing both to the car.

Anyway, back on, need to re-time the ignition and set belt tension but the rain meant I didn't want to take the dissy cap off and get more water in the electrics.

I had to get my hair cut this morning so it delayed the start a bit, with breakfast it was effectively 10:00.

I started trying to remove the water pump with the bonnet on but very soon decided I'd need if off as it would save time overall. I gave up and removed the timing belt as well. I decided given the choice, struggle with two suborn bolts into cast ali that secure the steering pump bracket to the water pump or remove one bolt from the sump and do those two bolts using the bench vice, the one sump bolt was soon out.

I spent ages looking for,
1) refurbished water pump I lent Terry (I may have not collected it back from him)
2) water pump refurbishment kit. I know I have one somewhere.
3) Brand new water pump.

After a couple of hours I found no3. Great? No. I now recall it's the sort with no boss at the bottom for the pump etc. It's destined for the Turbo Esprit as I plan to move from mechanical pump to electric vac pump. Pump bearing pressed out and it's easy to see where the old coolant had crept past the seal.

So I cleaned the old ali water pump body and prepared to paint it in ali engine lacquer. Oh well, that tin of paint is empty and what little had been left was dried as the lid must have leaked slightly. I'll have to get some during the week.

Ah well, onto the dampers.

Old one off on the passenger side and it's easy to see why two things happen. 1) it bounces a bit on the front end, 2) it passed the MOT test as there was no oil leaking form it.
This was because the oil must have left many years ago and as the car had been standing unused by the previous owner the oil on the outside must have slowly drained off the metal.
2nd hand AVO now fitted to that side.

While I had that wheel off I removed the track rod end, freed off the locking nut (2 big hammers) and replaced the steering rack gaiter. The other side had been done before the MOT test but this was seen as a "nice to do" although once off I found a small hole in the old one. I also set the TRE in by half a turn to straighten up the steering wheel, I'll have to adjust the other one out half a turn to equal it out.


So, abit more progress but not all that I wanted to do was achieved mainly due to wasted time looking in that really untidy garage.

Last night (having picked the car up from the tyres being fitted to the refurbished wheels) it was missing on one cylinder, I initially thought it must be incorrect choke, pulled in after 1/2 mile and found no 4 plug lead not on fully, put it on and set off again. No difference but I thought the plug could be so soaked with fuel it will not spark, maybe the warmth of the engine will dry it out and it will start to fire correctly.
Nearly home and while decelerating for a roundabout I get a couple of exhaust pops and then the exhaust note gets very loud.
Today I tried to resolve the misfire but haven't as yet (see technical section for odd misfire symptoms) but found the exhaust issue.
The exhaust explosions had finished off the exhaust down pipe but not where I expected. Rather than the one remaining wall of the twin wall pipes it had blown the conical joint off the pipe where it enters the centre box. I had a down pipe but found it was too short so put a new flexible section on and extended the length so that's much better.

While under the car getting to the nuts of the lower front damper fixings I found water coming down the engine, water pump failed much as I expected it would once it was used again after 5 - 6 years of not running.

I couldn't work out why the air horn wasn't working but assumed it was either poor electrical connection or trumpets corroded. After lots of searching I realised there was another cause I'd not considered. The air compressor wasn't fitted. I found anew one that I had and connected it up, still no sound so it appears the trumpets are also failed. It now just has a little diaphragm one until I can get round to fitting new trumpets and attaching the compressor.

Daylight Running Lights, I've fitted them but I'm not absolutely happy with the location and may adapt the bumper  to alter that. That will be a longer term job.

Took it for a short run Sunday and was told I have no reversing lights, having reversed it back into the drive. Didn't go far in test run as was low on fuel.

Took it and filled up at Sainsbury's today, only took £35 to brim it (so that's circa 25l). Got in and the gauge was still reading empty- oh well one more job to sort. I did at least find the reversing light issue was simply corrosion on the lamp holders.

Waiting for tax disc to arrive so I can try it on the road.

Today I worked on the carbs, balanced them to get air pressures aligned and it does seem to run a little better on tick-over and rev up nicely but the real test will be when it's on the road.

I've replaced the otter valve (complete with ali tube) with one I ad in the store and the fans no longer come on as soon as the ignition does, they do however come on when it gets hot so that's a good sign. I've replaced the rusty header tank with one I'd repainted so that's a little tidier.

I'm now really keen to get it on the road and find out how it behaves while driving, hopefully that tax disc will arrive soon.

Not much to worry me.

Headlight aim- I didn't check as I hadn't moved it.

The issues identified late Saturday then Sunday morning, carb needle not stopping fuel from pump, well I think that's most of one of the issues. It failed on emissions, being too rich and I think excessive fuel height in the chamber would do that, I already had it planned in to do a re-build of the cars due to the issue I found Saturday.

Advisory on one top ball joint, both will be replaced as I have them just in case.
Advisory on road wheels having lots of corrosion where tyre bead sits, again, have a set of refurbed wheels , not just in case, they are to go on here but  wanted to drive it somewhere and only have to carry 4 wheels.