brumster

Sparking with the plug grounded to the engine block/head bolt/etc doesn't sound like a problem to me, it's only what it essentially happening inside the engine normally?

Yes voltage at coil pack sounds fine so at least you've ruled that out, mind you check it when the car *isn't* starting

Ok, sounds like cables and connections are fine (you could probably test resistance but I doubt that's an issue; should be only a few ohms I would think)... 10mm OD is a good size!

I'm thinking this might be something else, maybe fueling related. Trying to think logically about a weak spark - if that were the case, the flame front in the combustion chamber would be slow and you'd maybe get unburnt fuel left over after the cycle which would then likely be in your exhaust and popping/banging in there. Or lack of ignition on one revolution, and firing on a subsequent revolution, with way too much fuel now in place and... more popping/banging/misfires

Is the cable to the starter as short as possible, direct from battery to starter (or solenoid) and "suitably thick" (thicker the better really)?

Is the engine well earthed? Check the earth strap(s), check they're not rusty/well grounded against the metal?

Glad they pointed out the speedo goes to 150mph. I would've been right put off if it was only 120!

It's not really battery power as such, but you can get sufficient voltage drop that the motor is sapping so much that the voltage at the coil pack isn't sufficient to create a consistent, powerful spark. It's often not really the battery's fault, but poor earth/poor cabling to starter, bad starter or knackered coil pack. I'd start by checking all the cabling and by measuring the voltage at the coil pack supply *during cranking*... the minimum value would really depend on the coil but I'd say (finger-in-the-airometer) less than 10v wouldn't be ideal

If you can check me the dimensions of your fog light, if it's the same as mine (as supplied with Zero kit) I don't mind printing one off for you for the cost of the material and postage (<£4 I suspect)... PM me if you want...

Couple of points to add :

- I too was picked up on foglight not being perfectly vertical; made 3D printed spacer to address. Rule did NOT apply to reversing light. Clearly stated for the fog light in required standard "Fitted so that the reflector is facing squarely to the rear". Do not confuse with "angles of visibility" which is a different thing entirely. Reverse light has no such stipulation and just states "must be positioned to face rear". However, I still spaced my reverse light the same as the fog light, just because it would look odd otherwise!

- On the exhaust hold at the side of the car, I put re-enforced rubber edge trim around it and passed with it as such. I guess my examiner wasn't so strict in that sense. Rather ridiculous treatment by your examiner really - a pedestrian sticks their fingers in the gap *around a hot exhaust manifold* and the concern is they may cut themselves? My god, what if they put their fingers within the wheel spokes and sliced the end of their finger off against the brake caliper I best fill in my wheels!

Looks great, good job!

Motorsport professionals crimp (I know one who does GT wiring looms).

I know a guy who works high up in Cembre who do all of the cabling and tooling for industrial-size electricals like the rail network. Guess what they do... crimp (mind you, you'd never solder that gauge anyway I imagine!)

I've had this discussion many a time with people, to the point where I'm past caring . But you can bodge a crimped connection just as easily as a soldered one (in fact, I'd argue most people don't appreciate the finer intracacies of a crimped connected, and can stuff one up easier than a soldered connection - incorrect tool, incorrect fitting, incorrect application)...

Each to their own, if they want to go soldering their entire loom I'll leave them to it ;).

Just an advisory for the future - when you start getting supply problems and restricted flow, remove that bullet filter from the pump and chuck it in the bin.

Or, my advice, don't fit it at all (use a separate transparent filter). Trust me

One of Bonnie's less popular tunes...

I'd imagine a lot of stuff is logic ICs and software-driven these days. The ICs are not much more expensive than the equivalent passive components and you can then make a common board for a variety of functions/clocks, and just control the operation and features via software. You get slightly more complex design and production but you've got so much more flexibility at the hands of programmers, and future-proofing/etc.

Good on you - no need to rush these things and while it's sometimes hard to take significant time away from the things you enjoy doing, it makes the taste all the sweeter when you finally get back out there in it, with it done how you want and no time pressures. Time will fly

No. That would be silly. Multistrada or KTM Superduke GT, but not a GS

edit: well, ok, not for a few grand maybe

I meant quicker to complete, not necessarily quicker to drive

I think you are right on the price for the Exmo; I couldn't give mine away, ended up scrapping it, so with no engine he is dreaming at £1900. Assuming £1k (let's be honest here - it's on a Q, it's got CSMA stickers/safety gear all over it so it's clearly been raced, and it's been butchered/chopped about). At least it's a blank canvas in terms of the engine so you can put something you like in it - something modern - and it would be pretty easy to do being a monocoque. But Exmo's handle like a bag of nails in standard form... but this has had that front end conversion which will surely improve things if it's been done right. Question - if it's a competition car, why is he selling it but kept the engine? Unhappy with the handling?

Then again, if you're not after something that's ultimately capable and you're happy for it to have it's faults, then what do you care - you'll still have fun in it.

The 2B looks like it'll need equally as much rework (bit tatty in places, and like you say 1800 pinto, urgh).

On the basis you'll be doing work either way, you might as well take the Exmo (at an appropriate price mind you) and make it how you want it, and not have to faff about with IVA and so forth? Assuming the Exmo suits you in terms of style, colour, etc.

and obviously general condition, build quality, etc. goes without saying, standard things for buying ANY car, let alone a kit...

At a technical level, there's little reason to take the Exmo over the 2B, to be honest. Being a monocoque there will be slightly more engine bay room, maybe, but that's about the only positive I can think of. The only positiive you have there is that the Exmo is registered and the 2B isn't (which is quite a significant difference in terms of getting the car on the road!).  If it's the exmo recently discussed on here, with the converted front suspension, that is a slight positive (although it does assume it's been done right and the geometry is any good). Depends how quickly you want to be on the road, and with how much (or little) expense :)

Exmo will be cheaper and quicker.

Without wanting to drag this off-topic, but 2 does seem a bit extreme?!

I think this is where the diameter of the hoses comes into play; during normal operation of the main water pump, water will indeed take the path of least resistance which will be the larger-diameter main coolant pipes, not the smaller auxiliary circuit that's tee'd off it using much smaller diameter hoses. Sure, a very small percentage of flow may go down there, but if correctly done it shouldn't be significant. Of course, "if correctly done" is easier to say than execute

I would say without fail you want to be measuring the temperature of the water as close to the output from the cylinder head/engine as possible, that way you're getting a figure of what the temperature of the water in the engine is (which is surely what you're really interested in?)!

Granted a short run to the bottom of the radiator isn't going to lose much but... well, why bother? Must be a reason most manufacturers put their senders where they do all those millions spent on R&D!?

Wot e said ^^

Just adding this as supporting opinion, that's all!

You lovely man, thanks for sharing ! I see there are some nice cheap VAG secondary/auxiliary pumps available brand new for <£20 so I might put that on my winter project list...

I would concur that it's a cut-up/modified Exmo; basically you can see where the sliding engine tray panels have been chopped about in the engine bay. As said above, the front buttresses have been chopped off and more conventional wishbones fitted (not a bad thing at all, assuming they've been done correctly!)

From what I know of K-Series discussions, the Craig Davies are popular just for convenience/ease because the "80" model pump fits the hoses easily.

Me, I'm thinking something like a Bosch auxiliary pump (candidate cars include VW VR6-powered cars ie. golf, corrado) that I can put on a simple post-ignition timer, one I can trigger myself with a button (probably a circuit I'd make myself to be honest) that can simply run the pump on for 5 minutes or so. I'm not fussed for having the fan still going, I really just want to circulate water around the block for a bit, but I appreciate for you you might still need the fan

Will watch this with interest. I am casually interested in fitting an electric pump for post-cooling, not something I urgently need but a future enhancement I fancy doing. However given their proliferaiton in production cars now, I'm loathe to spend big bucks on a Davies Craig thing when I can probably half-inch one from a production car

Like most things, dictated law is one thing, enforcement is another I'd like to see the local council stop me burning the garden waste I accumulate because I'll be *bleep*ed if I'm taking it to the tip!

I actually prefer the smokeless fuel anyway, it burns longer and cleaner with just a nice small pile of ash to clean away afterwards.

edit: found some details here for those who are worried; doesn't seem all that bad
https://www.hetas.co.uk/defras-clean-air-strategy/