Turbo 205 GTi Lemon!

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TheConverted

Original Poster:

2,227 posts

155 months

Sunday 15th August 2021
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Alright then cards on the table! I've gone and bought a right lemon. However I can see the potential, and it's going to be a fun little journey.

Here's m last build/car thread. https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

There's only one space for one basket case at a time so the fiesta has gone.

So last Monday night I picked up this 'finished 800miles ago' 'restored and repainted' 205 1.9 GTi.






Oh I forgot to mention it's had a 406 Sri turbo engine swap as well!





Edited by TheConverted on Sunday 15th August 22:52

illmonkey

18,211 posts

199 months

Sunday 15th August 2021
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IN!

TheConverted

Original Poster:

2,227 posts

155 months

Sunday 15th August 2021
quotequote all
I live just outside Southampton, and the car was in Newcastle. In some twisted turn of fate I had a Job in Newcastle last Monday. So after work I when to see the 205. It wasn't quite what i was expecting. It's quite alot rougher. There overspray that still needs cleaning up. The front bumper and lights aren't fitted right, most of the interior is loose and The exterior trim is siliconed on

However theres alot of good too I can see the potential. Comes with the original engine and gearbox, it's fitted with a xantia gearbox with a quaife LSD. The paint isn't perfect but it's really not bad I'm pretty confident I can get it spot on.
And importantly everything is there.

Back to Monday I agree to buy the car, so we load up my van with the spares. And my colleague heads back to the hotel. I followed in the 205. All seem pretty good I have a few WOT pulls and it's bloody quick. Immediate torque delivery from the turbo. Once back at the hotel, we grab a beer and set to work with the zip ties to make sure the front end stays together for the run home. (My colleague is well versed In my st choice of cars)





Couple of pictures from the guys rebuild.

Tuesday I catch up with some emails after breakfast to miss rush hour and the jump in the 205 to head home at 10ish. I start her up make a plan with my colleague about sticking together as I'm not sure I trust it. This Is when I notice it's billowing blue smoke! I switched it off and have poke round the engine and notice it has a major oil leak from the oil filler tube and water to oil cooler .

There nothing I can do in a carpark 300 miles from my tools so decided to see how far home I can get it.

Once it starts to warm up the smoke settles down and its pretty much un noticeable. The rest of the trip home is largely un eventful. There's abit of ignition break up or the ECU is cutting it on full boost when warm. (Why I'm going full boost on potentially borked turbo engine no clue )





Home safe just a load more oil to clean off the drive

TheConverted

Original Poster:

2,227 posts

155 months

Sunday 15th August 2021
quotequote all
The engine swap is loose at best. And it's running on the old 406 loom an ECU. So I immediately order an omex 600 and loom, plus all the trim clips.
Then I dig into the turbo oil feed. I've had it before when the oil feed is to big or the returns blocked. It's got an 7mm oil feed. Which is alot especially at main gallery oil pressure.

I welded up the reducer and drilled it out to 2.5mm and checked the return. There's No difference once started, so decided to pull the turbo and while I'm at it everything else that's trash. And get rid of all the original pcv system and snakes wedding of vac hoses.




Top fab on the induction pipes




Tracing back to the GTi loom and cutting out all the 406 loom.



This is where I'm upto now. Looking much tidier.



The terrifying thing is this is how many bolts were needed to get that much off it. Literally everything was zip tied in place.


Tommie38

758 posts

195 months

Sunday 15th August 2021
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I’m in…

TheConverted

Original Poster:

2,227 posts

155 months

Sunday 15th August 2021
quotequote all
Got the turbo removed, and its not good news but not the worst.

There's a good 2/3 mm of play. But I don't think it's touched the housing so fingers crossed it will rebuild. Or maybe it can be hybridised.

And turbo guys confirm a gt28 or gt25 core can go into a T25 turbo ?



Hopefully a go local to the office can help me out, with speak to him tomorrow.

So the list as it stands

Turbo rebuild
Oil feed needs revising
Coolant hoses need sorting as they are made of odds and sods.
Oil return needs revising
ECU and new engine loom.
Complete new induction hard pipes.
Oil filler repair
Oil cooler repair/replace
Service
Turbo coolant feed needs revising
New intercooler that fits
Rad fan relocation
Front bumper and lights need re alignment/ fitting
Trim re fixing with factory clips
Reverse light
Fog lights
Fit my momo (yes I kept it )
Amber indercators as I think they look much nicer.

Not bad for 6 days ownership. Fingers crossed my gut is right and I can make lemonade!

RC1807

12,548 posts

169 months

Monday 16th August 2021
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What a bummer, but, it's just as well you're as handy with he spanner so as you are.... You'll get it sorted and it'll be a hoot!
Bookmarked.


(I'd like to know more about the mk2 Escort in the garage.... Do you have a thread on that, too?)

DuncanM

6,210 posts

280 months

Monday 16th August 2021
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Loved the Fiesta, looking forward to how this turns out smile

TheConverted

Original Poster:

2,227 posts

155 months

Monday 16th August 2021
quotequote all
RC1807 said:
What a bummer, but, it's just as well you're as handy with he spanner so as you are.... You'll get it sorted and it'll be a hoot!
Bookmarked.


(I'd like to know more about the mk2 Escort in the garage.... Do you have a thread on that, too?)
thats one of his photos, its apparently quite nice running a pinto on twin 45s. but ill take that with a pinch of salt looking at the 205 laugh


Scoobyshue

230 posts

163 months

Monday 16th August 2021
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I should have bought your Fiesta....I only live up the road from you in Fareham.

Let me know when you've got the 205 sorted and maybe I'll have a punt on that smile

Make sure you do it properly though.

croissant

1,262 posts

139 months

Monday 16th August 2021
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Wonderful project! Look forward to seeing more of your progress.

RC1807

12,548 posts

169 months

Monday 16th August 2021
quotequote all
TheConverted said:
thats one of his photos, its apparently quite nice running a pinto on twin 45s. but ill take that with a pinch of salt looking at the 205 laugh
Ah, ok! paperbag

mat205125

17,790 posts

214 months

Monday 16th August 2021
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Amazing progress for such a short period of ownership. Will be a right weapon once finished

CarlosV8

765 posts

173 months

Monday 16th August 2021
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Amazing amount of progress in a week! Looking forward to seeing what you do with this one. And fixing bodged repairs is a rite of passage with 205 ownership, although admittedly you would have expected better from a "restored" example!

J4CKO

41,628 posts

201 months

Monday 16th August 2021
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That is cool, pity the install wasn't finished properly, think its one of those where you do all the work and have good intentions, get it running and are then having too much fun and aren't keen to stop and go backwards to button everything up.

Aren't these less than 900 kilos, and the 405 turbo engine 200 ish ?

LanceRS

2,173 posts

138 months

Monday 16th August 2021
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Loved the Fiesta, looking forward to this too.

Court_S

12,997 posts

178 months

Monday 16th August 2021
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That’s very cool.

You’ve certainly got stuck in quick, should be ace once it’s done.

TheConverted

Original Poster:

2,227 posts

155 months

Monday 16th August 2021
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Thanks guys, I'm pretty motivated on this one feel like I need to dig myself out of a hole laugh I promised the Mrs this one was done and I shouldnt need to mess with it too much. I've never see so much rolleyesrolleyesrolleyes when it was puffing blue smoke and then most the front end was balanced on the garden furniture laugh

Anyway not much progress tonight, Ive got a few part but not any major bit yet.

So set about trying to align the front end and fit the amber turn signals. Because I have no clue how its supposed to bolt up and I heavily rely on my photographic memory and the disassembly process. After a hour pissing about I relented and looked up the full bumper assembly.


I'm missing all of these bits and the metal slider bracket . Is Also missing the head light seals which might be part of why it looks so low and gappy.

Found something else fitted in a way even Colin Chapman would be impressed by. (I've decided to assume the lack of fixings is an attempt to save weight)
The fan had one zip tie at the bottom, so it was just resting on the loose Bumper rolleyes




Pretty sure that's legit no more nails! Probably heavier than the clips, so that that theory out the window laugh

the down side to no more nails, at least it's behind the body kit.

Finally some actual progress, and at least it's not a jaunty angle like the fiesta.



I also dropped the turbo off with turbo dynamics as well, should find out tomorrow what the damage is and what can be done with it.


Edited by TheConverted on Monday 16th August 23:34

Mr Tidy

22,408 posts

128 months

Monday 16th August 2021
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What a fantastic thread - thanks for posting it OP. thumbup

Looking forward to future instalments!

TheConverted

Original Poster:

2,227 posts

155 months

Thursday 19th August 2021
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Not much progress after my initial start. Lots of bits have arrived however I need the loom to be made up, yes I'm lazy and not doing all of it myself. No doubt I'll have to do some work to it.
And I need the turbo to start on the hard pipes. Good news it it can be rebuilt and all the parts are on order to turbo dynamics.

I'm working away next week on my other job in Mallorca so not all bad


I've got all the door and rear arch trims sorted. Now which is nice


Way better than the no more nails!
The drivers side red trim was glued with epoxy as well so wasn't able to save it. Luckily I had a complete bumper trim spare so was able to make a new door one. It's not perfect but it will do for now.
Only down side is the paint was super flat and washed out. Handily I runs a vinyl wrapping company. So had just the thing in stock. My only worry is I'm going to need to do all of them now.

Also got some primer and topcoat on the damaged holes not the same colour be better than rust.

The bumper is all built up to ready to go on I just need the missing mounts.
I suspect the rear bumper has the same issue, however it looks fine so I'm not going to poke it for now laugh

So sorry guy won't be a update till I'm back but hopefully progress will be pretty swift.