Melv + Ellie's Snot Green Astra Coupe Turbo

[Melv]

Where do I start?

This Z20LET 2001 Astra Coupe was for sale in Aberdeen recently. Ellie and I were watching it on egay when it was £1800 buy it now (BIN), £1600 reserve. It didn't sell. Relisted at £1600 BIN with £1400 reserve and it didn't sell. I was a little gutted as it appealed to me but there was something that I wasn't sure on, maybe it was the way the advert was written. So......

It was relisted again at a price I couldn't refuse so i called the guy, arranged to meet and it was bought. Not before someone from Nottingham hit Buy it Now. Sorry Nemesis, you would have just broken it for spares anyway lmao

hi i am selling my turbo its mot until august 2012 and taxed until feb 2012 you can email me or telephone 07********2 buyer has got to collect its 2,0 turbo with c/d player also black leather seats their is only 78 thousand miles had new timing belt also water pump not many this colour of green passed mot with flying coulours only got one advisory that was a nail in one tyre cash on collection 100 pounds to be payed threw pay pal thats non refundable 24 hours after auction ends and the rest cash on collection also no time waisters thanks for looking and happy bidding vehicle is pick up only

Once it was bought it spent the weekend off the road in Aberdeen until I got it insured.

I neglected to mention to Ellie that I had bought the Coupe. must have been the old romantic in me wanting to surprise her :wink

Anyway, bought it on the Friday, it stayed at my brother in law's work over the weekend, got two slow punctures plugged on Monday then went back to his as the exhaust clamp beside the turbo was not sealing correctly. Changed the Oil and Filter since it was up on the ramp but the fecking clamp wouldn't seal so I took it home on Tuesday night and surprised the wife with a blowing exhaust.

One happy Ellie but no hole! lmao

As there were only 3 centre caps on it I took one from my stash and whacked it in. Much better.

The exhaust blow was starting to piss me off, Ellie took it to work one day and it threw on the EML. Flashed the code via the pedal test and it came up with 0710. Exhaust clamp was definitely pissing me off now.

Swift PM to Nemesis saw me with a good 2nd hand clamp and a set of locking nuts. Good man.

Exhaust clamp and locking buts were fitted this weekend. Excellent, proper boost I thought! Oh no, never as easy is it?

After getting a hand to fit the clamp (thanks Ivan and Slim) I drove home a quieter A.C.T. Took it out a quiet road to see how it drove up to 60. FAIL! Dramatic boost cut and EML on, again!

Fault code was 1106 this time. A quick google lead me to boost pipes, actuator issues, someone who replaced two turbos and a whole host of other stuff. Magic! Just what was needed. I went to bed in a huff.

Looked at the car with a clear head, took off the intercooler to top hat boost hose, no issues. Checked other hoses, no issues. what the hell could it be?

I leant on the front of the car staring blankly at the sick Z20LET infront of me then I saw it! The actuator rod was very, very close to the spring of the new clamp that was fitted. It was hitting it!

Swift move of the clamp + disconnect the battery for a while = no EML and full boost. WIN.

The pictures from the egay ad. Better ones to follow.






Spec at present

2001 (Y)
Z20LET on 78k
Verde Green (pretty rare I believe)
Full heated leather
Vauxhall 4 CD changer in glove box
Standard Turbo alloys, brakes and suspension
Cat back stainless exhaust, Powerflow I think.
Bailey dump valve


Plans?

Staying standard(ish)
Oil restriction bolt
Possibly standard boost pipework to get rid of the chav valve
Another silencer in the cat back exhaust (It's too loud and I'm getting old)
Wheel refurb
Either a plain, Irmscher or Opel grill
New tyres as the puncture repair on the passenger front was slightly too close to the edge meaning that it's not sealed properly
Feed the leather + clean the inside
New electric mirror switch (in stock)
Maybe a pre-cat de-cat pipe
Try and polish out some of the wee scratches
remove the skirts and make sure the sills are fresh
Get some MIG stickers on it
Fit either Ellie's private plate or my one
enjoy driving a faster car with forgiving suspension

That's it for now, I've rambled enough.

looks like the Corsa will be going soon then

[rc]

looks good melv, certainly is very green.

[Melv]

lmao Ron. It looks way better in the "flesh". I wasn't sure to start with but it has really grown on me now.

[Kerr]

The green is actually a really nice colour.

The dump valve must go. I had one on my old GSi turbo but I was young and it was cool back then. The car drives far smoother without it too.

[scooby-KILLER]

Nice one melv!,

looks nice and it's not blue haha, look forward to seeing you empty your bank account on it!

[spanishfly]

check my sale add, i have a few lil parts for one still There fun cars really, and now great vfm

[Melv]

Shameless Rob, shameless! lmao Yes, cracking value really. When it comes time to sell it's worth hell of a lot more in parts, hell I could even sell just the engine and break even.

Cheers Adrian, yeah the blue ones are a really nice colour but I'm glad this one came up when it did.

Yeah, my thoughts too Kerr. The idle is slightly erratic at times so I will have to check / gap / renew the plugs as I don't know if the DV would affect the idle.

[dewismotorsport]

Holy crap what have you got to do to get hole. lmao

I quite like the colour makes it different, a lot of car for the money as well

[RodOGW]

Bet this one will be 'Driven and very detailed' - looks good....

[DarrenF]

This recently had stem seals done so least you won't have that issue!

Personally wouldn't fit the restrictor bolt... Iridium plugs will sort the idle and best
On market for Z20 IMO

[Melv]

Aye, so Sandy was saying Darren.

Denso iridiums the best bet?
What's your experience with the oil restrictor bolt?
What parts ahve you laying around? lmao

Cheers Rod. i'm not into cleaning things with cotton buds and using 10 different waxes but I bet it will look good when clean and shiney.

lmao Dewis. As above the colour has really grown on me now.

.........

In other news - The front passenger tyre is flat so Ellie is going to get 2 new front tyres on today and I will keep the OK one as a spare. My only stipulation was that they can't be linglong ditch finders and that I know the price before Arnold Clark do the work.

[Ted_2311]

Nice Coupe you got there mate, I like the colour aswel. Does this mean my Edition 100 will be safe now lol.

[DarrenF]

No, denso's are terrible! Just ngk ones off eBay etc or standard GM VXR (not standard let ones) are best for these engines.

They lead to failure of the turbo due to starving the turbo of oil IMO. Brand new Vxr unit with bolt fitted lasted 700 miles, then second under a hundred miles... Current is still spot on with standard bolt.

Just a s/s boost pipe with dv but can map these and seem
Good RR results

[Benn]

I like the colour.

[brad35]

Nice
So you got the turbo bug and will soon pulling the 1.8 out of the Corsa and putting a let in to it

[Dale]

nice buy, little bit of work but nothing too major

[andy318is]

Look forward to seeing this project progress interesting read with the back story etc...

[Murray]

Nice buy there.

The colour does suit it and should be a nice project. Sort it and leave as is and some lows (not sump smashing scene fanboi low).

Also it'd be sad to see the Corsa go. Fair bit of effort did go into it.

[Paul]

To be honest the rate these are getting broken they'll be none left.

[Melv]

Nice Coupe you got there mate, I like the colour aswel. Does this mean my Edition 100 will be safe now lol.

Thanks very much. Yeah, possibly although Ellie did really like your car. Yours certainly is a nice one.

No, denso's are terrible! Just ngk ones off eBay etc or standard GM VXR (not standard let ones) are best for these engines.

They lead to failure of the turbo due to starving the turbo of oil IMO. Brand new Vxr unit with bolt fitted lasted 700 miles, then second under a hundred miles... Current is still spot on with standard bolt.

Just a s/s boost pipe with dv but can map these and seem
Good RR results

Cheers Daz. I will bear that in mind when getting new plugs.

I like the colour.

Thanks Benn

Nice
So you got the turbo bug and will soon pulling the 1.8 out of the Corsa and putting a let in to it

no, no. the current plan for the Corsa is to get it on a rolling road for pub talk purposes then...... well..... I'm not too sure. I'd love to keep it but I've limited space, it's another car to tax and insure, etc, etc. Thing is it really didn't cost a lot to build.... bugger it, that's a decision for later.

nice buy, little bit of work but nothing too major

cheers Dale. Yeah, just odds and sods to sort out.

Look forward to seeing this project progress interesting read with the back story etc...

Thanks Andy. Really don't know what progress will be made, i'm certainly not planning a forged LEH with a GTxyz turbo, etc, etc. Will just have to see what happens.

Nice buy there.

The colour does suit it and should be a nice project. Sort it and leave as is and some lows (not sump smashing scene fanboi low).

Also it'd be sad to see the Corsa go. Fair bit of effort did go into it.

Cheers John. i agree that it does sit a little high but as I'm getting old it would have to be lower but still comfy.

To be honest the rate these are getting broken they'll be none left.

Exactly. At least there are plenty of parts on the go for it which always helps.

[GaryVaux]

Epic bargain! I think the colour suits it too! Get it slammed, vxr turbo, big fmic, and a remap

[Sten]

Very nice, I had a turbo in that colour too - quite rare! I loved it.. although not a car I could park in Glasgow without worrying about it being vandalised! lmao

[Melv]

lmao Sten. I guess only half of Glasgow would like it. Yeah, I saw pics of your old one come up when I googled for Verde Green coupe turbo.

[Melv]

A minor yet satisfying update - The electric mirror switch would only move each mirror up and right, not all four ways. Went to the scrappy on Saturday AM and came home with an electric mirror switch meaning that it's all now working as it should.

[Admin_Steve]

I like the colour as well! Very nice