Hi all - feedback (partial at least)...
Interesting couple of hours tackling a variety of jobs.....you'll note there is always at least one "first problem"
. I couldn't wait to get stuck into this, so on a sweltering Friday afternoon (bunking some work obligations), my first job was to replace the original starter motor with a Powerlite product, simply because lighter is better....well it is a lightweight.
The "first problem" after implementing the physical swap (my first starter motor job) was a befuddling electric challenge whereby I couldn't connect up the battery terminals without heavy sparking.....not good (or indeed welcome as I'm no electrician). After then cursing heavily whilst removing newly fitted starter and looking carefully, it turns out the connecting eye on one of the "fat" cables had been bent when manhandling these to the new starter motor fixing position/stud and it was touching the body of the starter motor...... so that was fixed quickly (and with expectation) after the initial confusion and bitter disappointment. That sorted it and so the new starter motor saves kilograms, works like a charm and makes no grinding or other unwelcome mechanical noises.
Whilst the car was up on axle stands I elected to replace the existing engine mount bar (with a new lightweight version, cos that's better right) and also the rubber engine mounts, as well as "re-set" all the mounts to mitigate vibration to remedy my oscillating gearstick....
I duly managed to find a new "first problem" on this part of the job, which arose when the mounting end of the engine mount bar (ie through which the main engine mount bolt slides and screws into) snapped off when trying to undo said bolt.....it was a sign of poor quality I thought, however before that thinking, was panic about how one removes a little piece of broken engine mount bar from a large bolt in an (what I thought was) inaccessible location - unwarranted panic actually as mole grips dominated!
Needless to say I couldn't determine 100% whether this was an existing crack or newly formed - there was no rust or different colouration on the crack surface so my money is on newly formed. Anyway on removal of the existing engine mount bar it became very apparent that it was a poor quality item - the plate steel was thinner than replacement and the bottom edge was not folded over (as is the top) to act as structural reinforcing/stiffening, and it was clear this was more flexible than should be the case (or is desirable). A rare and complete justification for the unjustifiable act of buying a lightweight version!!
When installing the new lightweight engine bar from Design911, I encountered my "first problem" for this item - the mounting ends were not threaded internally at the bottom (as was the original) for the main bolts to "attach", thus i had disengage from the job unexpectedly (is there anything more irritating, when you're set on completing a job, dirty, greasy and sweating like a pig?) and then rush off to procure longer bolts, washers & nuts..... bloody irritating. Then measuring bolts, cutting etc. all made extra work.
In the end all round success - starter motor all good and the new engine mount bar + rubber engine mounts have stiffened up things nicely. In fact the very joyful and unexpected consequence is my downshift into 2nd is vastly improved with none of the occasional baulking, which in hindsight must have been caused by flex/movement of the engine/box under deceleration and not a gear linkage adjustment issue which I thought to be the case (after I had fiddled previously when installing the solid gear linkage coupler/PSJ).
As for the oscillating gearstick, I have yet had the car on the motorway but I'm hopeful!
