A couple of dumb questions

[roseytvr]

Guys
I am new to cerebra ownership and have just started stripping down as part of a nut and bolt rebuild. I have never worked on one or even looked at one before so "I know nothing!" Loads of questions to follow but two simple ones to start:

1 I have removed the top engine cover (not sure what its called) and the two top left and right corners are covered in silicone as per:

What is the purpose of this? Am I missing some rubber stops or something similar?

2 The near side induction box has a hole drilled through it with a piece of pipe loosely pushed through it i.e not secured and a loose fit as per:

Again what is this and are they all like it?
Thanks
Ian

[GT6k]

The panel is supposed to have three ears on it (one at each end and one in the middle) which hook under the windscreen panel to hold it down. Normally these ears combined with the two bolts on the front corners hold the panel in place. You appear to have an extra bolt hole at the rear.

The pipe on the back of the airbox is one of the barometric pickup for the ECU, it should be pushed onto a connector on the airbox and should have a reasonable seal. Mine was loose and i had to araldite the connector thingy in properly but it didn't make any obvious difference.

[fatjon]

The pipe won't make an obvious difference so long as the air filter is clean an you are not driving at several thousand feet above sea level. If either apply it will possibly make a big difference once the required fueling correction is outside the scope of the lambdas or you are pushing hard and the lambda has gone open loop and is not correcting.

[roseytvr]

Thanks Guys
Has anyone got a picture of the panel showing where the tabs or "ears" are so I can recreate them? The pipe in picture two is obviously an easy fix.
Thanks

[Mr Cerbera]

Just a few quickees…..

Nearside tang







and my driver’s side which is missing too



HTH

[Montauge]

I too am missing some operable ones of those rubbers with tabs or ears. Does anyone know if they can be bought and if so from where and under what part number?
Thanks.

[tofts]

For referance, this is what they shoudl look like ORIGINALLY!

DOubt they can be bought, just buy some glass fibre and make your own!

[roseytvr]

Thanks chaps for the earlier responses. Now on to dumb ass questions round 2.

1 Removing the gearbox mounting brackets - ok, I have lifted the box and removed the rubber mounts. I have got one of the bolts out of the bracket as I could get a spanner on the bolt head and nut but the other bolt is turning and for the life of me can't feel or see a way of getting a spanner on the bolt head - is there a knack or am I missing the obvious?

2 I appear to have three braided hoses going into the gearbox, one into the o/s of the box which looks as if it comes into the car in the drivers footwell so I assume this is the clutch pedal. The other two disappearing into the top of the bell housing by the starter mounting. One of these is not connected at the other end and the other into the top of the o/s inner wing as per pic.



Can someone please enlighten me? Why are there three braided lines going into the box iris this not OEM?
Thanks
Ian

[pmessling]

I made the tangs out of a bit of Alu bent it and radiused the the edges.

As for the gear box
Hoses one going in is from the master cylinder the other is a bleed hose. Which comes out of the top of the bell housing. Not sure what your third one could be?

[Adambul]

The third one is the oil pressure feed for the oil gauge. It actually comes out of the back of the engine and not the Bellhousing.

[roseytvr]

Thanks Guys - anyone else struggled to get the gearbox mounting bracket off? The one bolt is turning and the head is totally in accessible - not sure if I can drop the box enough to get it out with the engine without the bracket hitting the chassis mounting plates.

[ukkid35]

With the heat shields out of the way it should be possible to jam something in to stop it turning.

[roseytvr]

Ok, moved on a bit and have fully stripped the engine, interior etc and ready for the body lift at the weekend. However another dumb question!!

In the instrument cowl under the steering wheel is an air vent with a short piece of coiled ducting fitted in the back of it. How is the ducting fitted? Is it a twist or straight pull? I can't budge it and until I get it off I can't lift the cowl over the steering column. Any tips before I get violent with it? Cheers

[gruffalo]

Straight pull I believe.

[tofts]

Yes, it is a straight pull, most of the time I have seen people use duct tape or similar but it may have been glued.

Giving your hose a good tug is the best answer......

[FarmyardPants]

The air vent has two plastic barbs on it which hold the ducting on. If you can get a screwdriver between the plastic and the ducting you can ease it off. A straight pull might tear the duct. Those barbs/lugs are usually supplemented with jubilee clips as the hoses rarely stay on by themselves after they've been manhandled a bit

[Mr Cerbera]

Rip it all out and put in a "series IV" conversion....