Hey all,

Slowly I'm chipping away at all the problems my cars come with since purchase.. With the odd 1-2 iv caused myself.
To recap so far iv done: (More just for my own records purpose..Scroll down to skip this)
Inhibitor Switch change
Gearbox service (new fluid, filter etc)
When that didn't work - New 2nd hand box installed
When that didn't work - Ignition timing fixed
6x new spark plugs
Inlet manifold Gasket
Exhaust manifold gasket
Radiator cap (Never seen one break into 3 different pieces)
Front and Rear brakes
Second hand Power steering pump
Second hand Alternator
Front Passenger Window Regulator
Brake lamp switch
New fuel filter
New fan belt
Headlights & brake light bulbs replaced
Various hoses replaced (had some really soft rubber crap on it)

It seems to be just one problem popping up after the other.. But I think I'm getting there.. I'm really doubting this car was ever "Regularly serviced by racq mechanic" and every time i look at this car under the hood it confirms that... anyway.. with that out of the way..

So now i have 2 leaks left.. A welch plug leak dripping nice clean water (I'm not putting coolant in it for it to just feed the driveway) that seems to be coming from the bell housing.. My research online says this is the rear plug.. Although i noticed when i had the exhaust off i have a fairly rusted plug around the middle there too. But I'm sure this is the rear plug.

and this thread is in relation to my high pressure hose for the power steering. While iv been happy with the fact that I'm not seeing any leaking going on near my alternator (My alternator thanks me I'm sure).. Iv discovered I'm still losing power steering fluid. Traced it today to somewhere around the bottom end of the high pressure hose... More specifically seems to be coming from whatever the bottom end of the hose connects to (looks like another pipe that then goes straight to the rack) but i can't tell because the black rubber tubing stuff is covering where it joins.

Iv ordered this and I'm mostly just looking for tips on what to expect on install.. Did i order the right part? and if anyone knows more about welch plugs.. some advice there would be awesome.

That looks like the correct part, and a good price too, installation is fairly straight forward, you just need a couple of good quality open ended spanners, and a way to safely raise the vehicle. Make sure you use a new O Ring on each end of it too but it will most likely come with that. As for the welsh plugs, unfortunately the only way to access the one there at the back of the motor is to pull the gearbox out, and then remove the flywheel/flexplate.

Gab

There are 9 welsh plugs all up....5 on exhaust side, 1 at the rear, and 2 on the inlet side....all the same size at 40mm.

All sound advice.. Thanks heaps both of you. Didn't realize there was 2 more on the inlet side.. will look out for them next time i have it up on stands. I don't suppose anyone here has a good photo of the rear one? Or can you just not see it until you've pulled the box out?

My understanding was the plug is the one just above the heater pipe pictured in this photo


If so.. I didn't exactly get to pressure test it but when i stick my hand around there it really does not feel like its wet. Unless that's it under the heater pipe? in which case that would make sense. Iv also heard the pipe there itself can leak like a rear welch plug.. I suppose theirs no real way to know until box is out. Sucks that it's the only get around car for me. Who knows what sort of fun i could have if i wasn't in a rush

NO....it's the one with the white sticker over it.
See it in this photo.

 

 

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ah.. that will be it. Going to see the father in law tonight for my birthday celebrations.. might see if i can con him into letting me use his floor at his business to get this done once and for all. Anything in particular i need aside from sockets/spanners/stag?

Not really, might need some trans fluid if u spill some when u pull the auto out.

Gab

PS. Happy birthday

Me spilling some? That's a given lol..

Thanks for the birthday wishes.. much appreciated.

High Pressure hose is on.. was a bit of a mission getting it lined up perfectly to screw it back in down the bottom end into the rack but it seems to be holding its fluids nicely now. Steering is a wee bit heavy but i think i may have overfilled PS Fluid.. Will check it out tomorrow.

Hey guys, So i started the rear welch plug project on my own today.. Its just getting too damn hard to find anyone to help out. And time is not on my side as this is also my get around car. Iv been following the "e series manual conversion guide" pdf and i figure all i gotta do is stop when it comes to putting in manual and i should see this rotted plug.

Got everything done all the way up to taking off the tailshaft at the rear.. the guide even says "If its the first time its been done.. they may be real tight" But iv tried undoing those bolts by hand, by hammer and hand, and even rigged up 2 spare jacks to hold each spanner and slowly lowered the car in a desperate attempt that the weight of the car might crack at least one bolt.. It did not.

Anyone have any suggestions?
Do i absolutely have to take it off?
Also my tailshaft kept spinning as i was trying to undo these bolts.. Is there a way around that?



if you could imagine with this picture.. unfortunately on the worst angle for me to try and demonstrate.. Those bolts on the left side of the pic.. iv been trying to turn left .. the ones on the right face the diff..

The only thing i can think of is im turning the wrong way.. i didn't wanna try the other way encase i make it tighter.

Also iv got the handbrake on? Does it matter?

Put the car in P or D (cant remember) with the handbrake on. This will stop the shaft from spinning. Put a ring spanner on the nut and a breaker bar/rattle gun or 1/2 drive ratchet on the bolt head and try to crack it with all your might, once it's cracked if it spins the spanner should lever off the undersize of the car making it so much easier to undo. The bolts have loctite from factory therefore technically a blow torch is needed to perish the loctite but I've never needed one myself. From memory once I got one bolt out I had to get out from under the car every time and turn the shaft for every one of the 4 bolts to get the appropriate angle to crack them, pain in the a*** but seemed necessary I believe.

Make sure you clean all the dirt off the bolts before you crack them otherwise the nut will travel over all of it and you'll stuff them and they're around $10 a bolt from ford. Make sure you loctite them back up too when putting it all back together.

Put it Park....this will stop the tailshaft moving.
I use 2 dead straight ring spanners, 15mm for the bolt, and 18mm for the nut....those spanners are quite long, and they will be tight to undo even after cracking them.
After removal, I buff the threads, and reapply loctite again.....means you can wizz the nuts up with fingers, then spanner tight.

Thanks guys, yeah i thought i had the car in D (as per the instructions in the PDF) but apparently not. And its pretty hard to tell now i have no shifter panel.

DAY 2
Ended up getting into a gear that stopped it spinning. Got the bolts off.. Don't know how.. God damn they were tight. Got tailshaft off.. Starter motor off, Sandwhich plate out, and then this happened..



Had the garage door open too (i thought it was strange that my sunlight mysteriously disappeared.) So i was off to find whatever was close by that could protect my mrs vx commodore and parents vectra. When it was all over i had a go at resuming work but by that point i was just laying in oil, hail stones and water. Managed to get the 4 bolts of the drive plate (Let me guess.. Loctite was used here to?) and now called it a day at that. Box is pretty much ready to be dropped (Tomorrows project) .. Looking forward to finally meeting my leaky enemy.. It has been taunting me this whole time.. occasionally just spitting out water onto my face.

To be continued..

If you can't get the tailshaft off it means one thing, YOU ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH !

I think I used my foot the first time. Have also used the apply hammer to spanner method too.