Discussion
So I'm dipping my toe in the Punto pool again or diving right in without looking to be more accurate.
Thanks to the Punto GT owners page on Facebook I bought this...
...I like to think of the car as a bit of a (very) rough diamond.
I'm not a fan of pod filters but the car is fitted with a recently rebuilt (I have the receipt) GT28 turbo from a Mitsubishi GTO, front mounted intercooler, new brakes up front and a lot of "potential".
She drove home okay but the first thing that had to go was the straight through pipe and motorbike can exhaust. Three reasons. First the car sounded like the percussion sections of an orchestra playing inside a tank and second the engine kept cutting out a trying to stall at slow speeds. The car wouldn't idle below 1,750rpm. Finally I had to slow for a horse on the road and it was completely humiliating. No matter what I did the bloody car would not shut up. Perfect for someone who leaves for work at 05:00 some mornings eh?
The plan was to fit the cat' from my Bravo but whoever did the down pipe...
...used black silicone to stick it to the rest...
...a pigeon to crap on the bits of pipe instead of welding it...
...and "measure five times cut once" made it clear the drive shaft eventually.
With a classic twin round pipe box selected and the middle box from the Bravo...
Oh, yes I didn't fit the cat' as the flexi-pipe was on the exhaust not the down pipe so when I make a new one of those I'll have to cut the flexi out then and do both jobs at the same time.
...and set of Ink blue painted Coupe 20V 16's the car is already taking shape...
...so much so that some waster of Oxygen tried to take my wheels the other night resulting in a bit of a mishap.
The car was perfect on the way to work but when I left it felt like a wheel weight had been dislodged, then it felt and sounded like the wheel bearing was shot. I slowed down to 20mph just as the wheel came off.
The wing wasn't badly bent out of shape and took a little convincing with a hammer but it doesn't look any worse than it did before.
So that's about it.
Not quite...
...silicone exhaust and cable tie front mount.
At least I've mounted my Maserati Shamal horn properly.
So what are my plans?
The car is at a point where it could be a good road project or strip it out and hit the track.
The GT28 is a bit Jekyll and Hyde, nothing happens before you get to 4,000rpm and seventeen PSI kicks all the way to red. Ideal for pottering around the village and economy but a bit all or nothing faff for "B" roads.
Shopping list.
Wings
Sills
Floor sections leading up to the sills (DIY)
Original headlights, those Halo things look gash.
Down pipe that doesn't look like it was made underwater in the 16th Century (DIY).
Suspension that suspends the car. Coil overs are all well and good but...
Exhaust that might pass an MOT in this country.
Bumpers, mirrors, spoiler all matching.
Wheels and tyres. The 16's are nice but the 205-40 profile tyres are crap on Norfolk's roads.
Paint
Interior redress or rip out?
Thanks to the Punto GT owners page on Facebook I bought this...
...I like to think of the car as a bit of a (very) rough diamond.
I'm not a fan of pod filters but the car is fitted with a recently rebuilt (I have the receipt) GT28 turbo from a Mitsubishi GTO, front mounted intercooler, new brakes up front and a lot of "potential".
She drove home okay but the first thing that had to go was the straight through pipe and motorbike can exhaust. Three reasons. First the car sounded like the percussion sections of an orchestra playing inside a tank and second the engine kept cutting out a trying to stall at slow speeds. The car wouldn't idle below 1,750rpm. Finally I had to slow for a horse on the road and it was completely humiliating. No matter what I did the bloody car would not shut up. Perfect for someone who leaves for work at 05:00 some mornings eh?
The plan was to fit the cat' from my Bravo but whoever did the down pipe...
...used black silicone to stick it to the rest...
...a pigeon to crap on the bits of pipe instead of welding it...
...and "measure five times cut once" made it clear the drive shaft eventually.
With a classic twin round pipe box selected and the middle box from the Bravo...
Oh, yes I didn't fit the cat' as the flexi-pipe was on the exhaust not the down pipe so when I make a new one of those I'll have to cut the flexi out then and do both jobs at the same time.
...and set of Ink blue painted Coupe 20V 16's the car is already taking shape...
...so much so that some waster of Oxygen tried to take my wheels the other night resulting in a bit of a mishap.
The car was perfect on the way to work but when I left it felt like a wheel weight had been dislodged, then it felt and sounded like the wheel bearing was shot. I slowed down to 20mph just as the wheel came off.
The wing wasn't badly bent out of shape and took a little convincing with a hammer but it doesn't look any worse than it did before.
So that's about it.
Not quite...
...silicone exhaust and cable tie front mount.
At least I've mounted my Maserati Shamal horn properly.
So what are my plans?
The car is at a point where it could be a good road project or strip it out and hit the track.
The GT28 is a bit Jekyll and Hyde, nothing happens before you get to 4,000rpm and seventeen PSI kicks all the way to red. Ideal for pottering around the village and economy but a bit all or nothing faff for "B" roads.
Shopping list.
Wings
Sills
Floor sections leading up to the sills (DIY)
Original headlights, those Halo things look gash.
Down pipe that doesn't look like it was made underwater in the 16th Century (DIY).
Suspension that suspends the car. Coil overs are all well and good but...
Exhaust that might pass an MOT in this country.
Bumpers, mirrors, spoiler all matching.
Wheels and tyres. The 16's are nice but the 205-40 profile tyres are crap on Norfolk's roads.
Paint
Interior redress or rip out?
Edited by Liquid Knight on Tuesday 16th August 14:12
Vitorio said:
Looks excellent LK! Was it really a crim trying to nick your coupe wheels, or did you just not do them up properly?
Hoody wearing twunt passenger in an Audi A3 The CCTV at work didn't get a mug shot but the car and turns out the number plate was from a Golf.
My first thought was my error but checked to make sure (before blaming someone else).
At the parts ordering stage. As soon as I collect my Spider I can take the Punto apart and take care of a few dozen issues.
The Punto GT owners page on Facebook has found me a pair of very good wings for the price of a new one. Just need to go to Birmingham to collect them. Another set of Coupe 20V wheels to slap track day rubber on.
I have a pair of bumpers ready for me to collect, shocks and lowered springs instead of the grounded coil overs and new headlights and mirrors are in the post.
Just need some sheet metal to make the floor up to the sills. It's always like peeling an onion when you do a sill repair. I do have metal ready for it but you never know if it's enough until you have made the car unsafe to get some more.
A sheet of metal to fill the knackered sunroof hole. Then I only need to work out how much paint I'll need and I'll be ready for a fun weekend.
The Punto GT owners page on Facebook has found me a pair of very good wings for the price of a new one. Just need to go to Birmingham to collect them. Another set of Coupe 20V wheels to slap track day rubber on.
I have a pair of bumpers ready for me to collect, shocks and lowered springs instead of the grounded coil overs and new headlights and mirrors are in the post.
Just need some sheet metal to make the floor up to the sills. It's always like peeling an onion when you do a sill repair. I do have metal ready for it but you never know if it's enough until you have made the car unsafe to get some more.
A sheet of metal to fill the knackered sunroof hole. Then I only need to work out how much paint I'll need and I'll be ready for a fun weekend.
When I fitted the headlights I moved the air filter and the MAF came off. I put it all back together and half way to the shop it started spluttering and was gutless. Stalling every time I stopped. I thought the MAF picked up a bit of dust or the plug worked loose when it moved. Checked it, cleaned the terminals, put it back and it made no difference. The car was lumpy, wouldn't run unless I pumped the throttle and the rev' counter was stuck on 2,000rpm.
Got the car home and fitted the spare throttle position sensor and MAF sensor that came with the car, started unplugging everything to clean terminals and followed wired and pipes from end to end to make sure nothing was snagged or split.
Nothing worked and it got progressively worse.
Black sooty smoke from the tail pipe (rich) but then white smoke started coming from the back of the engine.
Cracked turbo?
I'll have a proper look in the morning. She could be scrap by the afternoon.
Got the car home and fitted the spare throttle position sensor and MAF sensor that came with the car, started unplugging everything to clean terminals and followed wired and pipes from end to end to make sure nothing was snagged or split.
Nothing worked and it got progressively worse.
Black sooty smoke from the tail pipe (rich) but then white smoke started coming from the back of the engine.
Cracked turbo?
I'll have a proper look in the morning. She could be scrap by the afternoon.
Having eliminated an electrical or sensor issue I spent this morning chasing mechanical issues.
I knew the exhaust manifold had a sheered bolt to the turbo so this...
...was expected. I popped the manifold off to see if the stud could be extracted or drilled out only to find the manifold was cracked as well.
It can be repaired but anyone who has ever welded cast iron before will tell you it weakens the metal around it, the weld expands and contracts at a different rate causing more crack. As the manifold is now basically scrap I turned my attention to the down pipe...
...and quickly mocked something together...
...for when I can get hold of a new/replacement manifold.
I knew the exhaust manifold had a sheered bolt to the turbo so this...
...was expected. I popped the manifold off to see if the stud could be extracted or drilled out only to find the manifold was cracked as well.
It can be repaired but anyone who has ever welded cast iron before will tell you it weakens the metal around it, the weld expands and contracts at a different rate causing more crack. As the manifold is now basically scrap I turned my attention to the down pipe...
...and quickly mocked something together...
...for when I can get hold of a new/replacement manifold.
Re-studded, crack welded, all put back together, up and running.
Good news, the exhaust does not leak at all, anywhere and sounds pretty good. No more smoke from inside the engine bay.
Bad news, the old girl is still coughing, spluttering and if you don't pump the throttle the car barely crawls. Hit 3000rpm and she takes off as if nothing is wrong (unguided missile). Change above 3,000rpm and she pulls like a train but drop below and she bogs down again.
It's as if the car had a carb' and the slow running jet was knackered.
Hmmmmm...
Good news, the exhaust does not leak at all, anywhere and sounds pretty good. No more smoke from inside the engine bay.
Bad news, the old girl is still coughing, spluttering and if you don't pump the throttle the car barely crawls. Hit 3000rpm and she takes off as if nothing is wrong (unguided missile). Change above 3,000rpm and she pulls like a train but drop below and she bogs down again.
It's as if the car had a carb' and the slow running jet was knackered.
Hmmmmm...
Pressurised the air system to check for leaks. Nope.
The clips that held the pipe from the MAF to the turbo were knackered (over tightened and no longer gripping) so they have been replaced.
The plugs are nearly new but I cleaned them anyway.
So, it's not a sensor issue, not a mechanical issue, not an air loss issue, not the pugs.
ECU?
b
ks that's scrap then. 
The clips that held the pipe from the MAF to the turbo were knackered (over tightened and no longer gripping) so they have been replaced.
The plugs are nearly new but I cleaned them anyway.
So, it's not a sensor issue, not a mechanical issue, not an air loss issue, not the pugs.
ECU?
b
ks that's scrap then. Visually inspected the ECU and there are no obvious issues, no burned out components, no dry looking terminals and no odd smells. I put it back and it has made no difference at all so I can pretty much rule that out.
I'll have to check the injectors next to see of one is stuck open. Shame I sold the ones from the Fiat Coupe donor.
I'll have to check the injectors next to see of one is stuck open. Shame I sold the ones from the Fiat Coupe donor.
Give me a blow through carb' set up any day.
Okay I took the injectors out and turned the engine over a few times to make sure all four were squirting the same amount and in sequence.
This worked and the car ran brilliantly for a short drive into the village. I stopped to pop into the shop. Came out and it was back to crap up to 3,000rpm and warp speed.
I'm thinking Oxygen sensor now. As it's just about the only thing I haven't swapped.
A new one is £57 and won't be here until Tuesday or maybe, just maybe the spare Coupe one might do it.
Okay I took the injectors out and turned the engine over a few times to make sure all four were squirting the same amount and in sequence.
This worked and the car ran brilliantly for a short drive into the village. I stopped to pop into the shop. Came out and it was back to crap up to 3,000rpm and warp speed.
I'm thinking Oxygen sensor now. As it's just about the only thing I haven't swapped.
A new one is £57 and won't be here until Tuesday or maybe, just maybe the spare Coupe one might do it.
Okay. Fiat wanted £148 plus VAT for a sensor.
My local parts guys couldn't find one using the BOSCH number so they did another search using the reg' only to find nobody made them anymore and even NGK would have to be a two week wait.
I tried eBay and there are several from £56 to £148 but nobody can get one to me this month.
So back to my local part guys for a "Universal" MAF sensor. I stripped, twisted, soldered, crimped and wrapped in heat resistant electrical tape (we use for sprinklers and fire alarms at work). Fitted and not only is the car now fixed but it is the best GT I have ever driven.
No more Jekyll and Hyde waiting for boost and the exhaust is so quiet I can hear the sunroof leaking. ?
Progressive boost from 2,000rpm onward.
My local parts guys couldn't find one using the BOSCH number so they did another search using the reg' only to find nobody made them anymore and even NGK would have to be a two week wait.
I tried eBay and there are several from £56 to £148 but nobody can get one to me this month.
So back to my local part guys for a "Universal" MAF sensor. I stripped, twisted, soldered, crimped and wrapped in heat resistant electrical tape (we use for sprinklers and fire alarms at work). Fitted and not only is the car now fixed but it is the best GT I have ever driven.
No more Jekyll and Hyde waiting for boost and the exhaust is so quiet I can hear the sunroof leaking. ?
Progressive boost from 2,000rpm onward.
Edited by Liquid Knight on Saturday 20th August 20:13
I don't need one of these...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151869753766?_trksid=p20...
...but for £25 it would be silly not to. Right?
Bugger.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151869753766?_trksid=p20...
...but for £25 it would be silly not to. Right?
Bugger.
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