GTM Libra (Honda Engined)
- Thread starter Yazza54
- Start date
Right car was driven for the first time on Saturday and passed it's MOT OK 
(after a long fast idle to get the new CAT working, was worried at first as it just wasn't doing anything!) Was a rubbish day for it..!
First off, the engine desperately needs additional steady bars. It doesn't half rock about under power/gearchanges, I can't believe he drove this car all that time like that, even with the old B16 motor it must have been bad! So straight off that's kinda ruining the driving experience for me, so first thing on the to do list.
Gear change - it's quite poor. The play has gone and the gearbox itself feels nice slotting into gears but the actual lever arrangement feels horrible. Again this detracts significantly to the driving enjoyment, I may have to buy a Mike satur shift kit to replace the MGF gear change.
Handling - at first it was displaying some dodgy handling and I was getting a slight knock from the passenger rear, my fault I had it set up all wrong, feels fairly planted now.
Aaaaand I broke down - luckily pulling onto my drive! It seems the slave cylinder piston was travelling too far out of the slave cylinder and it has cocked, then when releasing it the clutch fork has forced it back at an angle and cracked the slave. The Honda slave cylinder rod isn't adjustable so I'm hoping there is some adjustment at the clutch master to reduce the travel
So all in all, good that its legally on the road but plenty to work through. The engine is nice and it goes well, the potential is there.. sounds good too.
(after a long fast idle to get the new CAT working, was worried at first as it just wasn't doing anything!) Was a rubbish day for it..!
First off, the engine desperately needs additional steady bars. It doesn't half rock about under power/gearchanges, I can't believe he drove this car all that time like that, even with the old B16 motor it must have been bad! So straight off that's kinda ruining the driving experience for me, so first thing on the to do list.
Gear change - it's quite poor. The play has gone and the gearbox itself feels nice slotting into gears but the actual lever arrangement feels horrible. Again this detracts significantly to the driving enjoyment, I may have to buy a Mike satur shift kit to replace the MGF gear change.
Handling - at first it was displaying some dodgy handling and I was getting a slight knock from the passenger rear, my fault I had it set up all wrong, feels fairly planted now.
Aaaaand I broke down - luckily pulling onto my drive! It seems the slave cylinder piston was travelling too far out of the slave cylinder and it has cocked, then when releasing it the clutch fork has forced it back at an angle and cracked the slave. The Honda slave cylinder rod isn't adjustable so I'm hoping there is some adjustment at the clutch master to reduce the travel
So all in all, good that its legally on the road but plenty to work through. The engine is nice and it goes well, the potential is there.. sounds good too.
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- Oct 16, 2012
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- 8,917
They have 5 mounts as standard. Assuming this is more difficult for you with the fibreglass Shell.
I guess all your issues are around the engine being in the wrong car, just working them all out I guess.
Good to hear you finally got out in it though!
I guess all your issues are around the engine being in the wrong car, just working them all out I guess.
Good to hear you finally got out in it though!
Leej8
Well-Known Member
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- Oct 12, 2015
- Messages
- 1,613
Over all , all good so , small things to iron out , and fairly handy to put right.
Surly you didn't think you were going to
Get away with a kit car rebuild with no
Hic cups ? I'm sure it's written into law somewhere thats the joys of such car lol.
And it's always good to know you can inprove on what's already a great car .
Looking forward to your next update so
All them best lee.
Surly you didn't think you were going to
Get away with a kit car rebuild with no
Hic cups ? I'm sure it's written into law somewhere thats the joys of such car lol.
And it's always good to know you can inprove on what's already a great car .
Looking forward to your next update so
All them best lee.
Wonder if these are worth trying as well as another stabiliser bar
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262334897378
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262334897378
Leej8
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2015
- Messages
- 1,613
Yeah they do help if your mounts are warn , or will help to beef up the mounts a bit ,
Give em a go and see how she holds .
How's this for weird, I'm pretty sure my new slave cylinder was assembled wrong at the factory, at one end of the piston is a cup and the other a nipple/pin
I would have thought that the rod would sit in the cup but in this is looks like it's been the other way round, worn a groove in the nipple and eventually gone bang - wtf
I would have thought that the rod would sit in the cup but in this is looks like it's been the other way round, worn a groove in the nipple and eventually gone bang - wtf
Was from ICP car parts on eBay, He's agreed to refund me and I've ordered another through jap service parts
This might be why the gear change felt awful too as with it removed the gear change feels quite good again apart from the fact it doesn't centre well.
This might be why the gear change felt awful too as with it removed the gear change feels quite good again apart from the fact it doesn't centre well.
I got my new slave cylinder in the post, fitted and bled and it's so much nicer - unsurprisingly!!
Also got the poly inserts for the gearbox mount, which is the opposite side to the engine steady currently fitted, they are very stiff mouldings that press into the gaps in the OEM rubber mount
So out came the jack and removed all nuts and bolts and lowered that side to get the mount out, pressed them in and re fitted, quite a tight fit. Hopefully this will reduce some movement, but I'm still looking at the best way to add another steady bar.
Also got the poly inserts for the gearbox mount, which is the opposite side to the engine steady currently fitted, they are very stiff mouldings that press into the gaps in the OEM rubber mount
So out came the jack and removed all nuts and bolts and lowered that side to get the mount out, pressed them in and re fitted, quite a tight fit. Hopefully this will reduce some movement, but I'm still looking at the best way to add another steady bar.
Haven't been out in it mate weathers **** so can't really be arsed, definitely will at the weekend tho
In other news I had a frightening quote for the paint, because of the prep involved which will eat up a lot of hours. With fibreglass it's quite labour intensive to prep especially if there's any crazing as it needs grinding out and filling etc etc. So I'm gonna do all that myself and have it painted over winter and just develop/enjoy the car for now. I think with some new badges and a good polish up it'll look alright for the time being. Maybe some fresh number plates too.
In other news I had a frightening quote for the paint, because of the prep involved which will eat up a lot of hours. With fibreglass it's quite labour intensive to prep especially if there's any crazing as it needs grinding out and filling etc etc. So I'm gonna do all that myself and have it painted over winter and just develop/enjoy the car for now. I think with some new badges and a good polish up it'll look alright for the time being. Maybe some fresh number plates too.
Leej8
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- Oct 12, 2015
- Messages
- 1,613
I'm the same , when I look at my car Im like piece of **** ,
It's falling apart, lol
Others don't seem to see it the way I do , paint is my last project, and this year is not looking good for paint work .
So I will just enjoy what I have for now .
Been doing some more bits, have figured out a way forward on the gear change mechanism. Going to use a focus ST170 set up as the mechanism is very compact and detaches from the main gearchange frame. That can be bolted to the tunnel on a bracket and then I can adjust the cables as necessary and re fit.
My clutch seems to be travelling too far, it's odd. 3/4 travel is perfect and I can select all gears, clutch fully depressed and it actually struggles to get gears and if in gear will begin to creep, so the clutch is dragging. Problem is that there is no adjustment on the slave or master so I could either put a stop on the pedal or cut down the slave push rod slightly. No doubt that with that and the gearchange mods it should be a considerable improvement.
Still need to make an additional engine steady but the mount inserts definitely helped.
Car needs some tweaking handling wise, feels a little vague and light at the front.
Also it's struggling to get properly warm. I seem to get to 60-65 degrees and stabilise. I will admit that I put 1 small hole in the thermostat as I was struggling to bleed the system, can't imagine that one little hole causing it to run 10-15 degrees cooler than it should though...!?
Went out in it after work and got this little sound clip. It's bloody quick I will say that. I can't wait until I've got all these little bits sorted.
My clutch seems to be travelling too far, it's odd. 3/4 travel is perfect and I can select all gears, clutch fully depressed and it actually struggles to get gears and if in gear will begin to creep, so the clutch is dragging. Problem is that there is no adjustment on the slave or master so I could either put a stop on the pedal or cut down the slave push rod slightly. No doubt that with that and the gearchange mods it should be a considerable improvement.
Still need to make an additional engine steady but the mount inserts definitely helped.
Car needs some tweaking handling wise, feels a little vague and light at the front.
Also it's struggling to get properly warm. I seem to get to 60-65 degrees and stabilise. I will admit that I put 1 small hole in the thermostat as I was struggling to bleed the system, can't imagine that one little hole causing it to run 10-15 degrees cooler than it should though...!?
Went out in it after work and got this little sound clip. It's bloody quick I will say that. I can't wait until I've got all these little bits sorted.
Made throttle and clutch stops, getting gears is much easier.
Shed load of red T cut and a buffer, old girl polished up better than expected
Not happy with my spring rates I think it's far too soft at the back making the front feel light so I've got some heavier ones to try.
Unfortunately the next instalment of the gearchange work will have to be next weekend, I left work early to head to dads work on Friday to use the ramp, welder etc. As it'll be too much of a pain to do at home. 5 mins in the heavens opened and roads were becoming severely flooded. Had to spin it round and come home, screen misted up good and proper couldn't see a thing so had window open and raining into the bloody car. Nightmare. Hes been away all weekend so I'm just going to wait another week, can't swing a cat in my garage at home.
Here's the shifter ready to go on, it's a fair bit longer and angled back so should end up in a much better position, the existing one is a bit of a stretch. I can always cut and re thread if it ends up too long. I have cut the balls off and fitted the best rose joints I could find, 9 quid each for a m6 rose joint
I'm hopeful I'll have a good gearchange and another engine steady on the car this week and it should be much nicer to drive. As it stands the furthest I've been in it in one go is about 10 miles
Shed load of red T cut and a buffer, old girl polished up better than expected
Not happy with my spring rates I think it's far too soft at the back making the front feel light so I've got some heavier ones to try.
Unfortunately the next instalment of the gearchange work will have to be next weekend, I left work early to head to dads work on Friday to use the ramp, welder etc. As it'll be too much of a pain to do at home. 5 mins in the heavens opened and roads were becoming severely flooded. Had to spin it round and come home, screen misted up good and proper couldn't see a thing so had window open and raining into the bloody car. Nightmare. Hes been away all weekend so I'm just going to wait another week, can't swing a cat in my garage at home.
Here's the shifter ready to go on, it's a fair bit longer and angled back so should end up in a much better position, the existing one is a bit of a stretch. I can always cut and re thread if it ends up too long. I have cut the balls off and fitted the best rose joints I could find, 9 quid each for a m6 rose joint
I'm hopeful I'll have a good gearchange and another engine steady on the car this week and it should be much nicer to drive. As it stands the furthest I've been in it in one go is about 10 miles