OK Not a polo but thought people might like this

bstardchild · Post by **bstardchild** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 12:22 am

Been rebuilding a Senator 24V L690 HKX

- brief history snapped chain picked up off ebay for a few hundred quid - engine slowly being rebuilt - head was mullered 23/24 valves bent and pistons hit so hard they'd trapped the top compression rings

- Bottom end now all rebuilt and painted
- spare head I had from another senator with a buggered bottom end and terminal tin worm (ported and skimmed and now fully rebuilt with new stem seals etc)

It all was looking a bit too smart and seemed a shame to put fluffy alloy parts back on the engine so I went a bit mad

and had just a few bit bead blasted and powder coated *coughs* Only a few was the original intention - lapsed into if it moves powder coat it if it doesn't move powder coat it anyway as it might be sleeping!!!!

What do you think?

Anyone want to guess what it cost?

metz · Post by **metz** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 12:49 am

So you have had a handle on the steering wheel and an auto box put in the polo ? cos that has obviously cost you an arm an a leg.

*grabs coat...*

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 2:24 am

between that and the esure thing, this has been a pretty funny weekend.

i havent a clue how much powder coating costs... so... Â£2500?

or, you know the bloke and he owes you a favour, plus you used up bits from his spare pots..... so..... nothing.

get us pics when you've rebuilt it... ive never seen an engine that will be in the.. unique... condition that will be when it's assembled.

will it still run alright? (did you PC the pistons?)

PS unless the mk4 is significantly stiffer in the steering dept than a mk3, you can conduct them perfectly fine one handed without a handle, and that includes parking - its easy-going enough that you can use the heel of your hand.

bstardchild · Post by **bstardchild** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 7:10 am

metz wrote:So you have had a handle on the steering wheel and an auto box put in the polo ? cos that has obviously cost you an arm an a leg.

*grabs coat...*

Still have two arms and both legs and don't feel voilated by the cost.......

bstardchild · Post by **bstardchild** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 7:15 am

Tahrey1043 wrote:i havent a clue how much powder coating costs... so... Â£2500?

Tad steep for my wallet!!!

Tahrey1043 wrote:or, you know the bloke and he owes you a favour, plus you used up bits from his spare pots..... so..... nothing.

No favours owed - all used up on the Polo BBS Split rim centres - so had to pay normal prices

Tahrey1043 wrote:get us pics when you've rebuilt it... ive never seen an engine that will be in the.. unique... condition that will be when it's assembled.

It will hopefully look nice - I'll try to remember to take pictures before it goes in

Tahrey1043 wrote:will it still run alright? (did you PC the pistons?)

I hope so - I didn't PC the pistons - just mirror polished them (tops only) fitted new rings and honed the bores so the bedding in process would work nicely

SpikeyG40 · Post by **SpikeyG40** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 3:36 pm

looking like a tasty engine!

a friend of mine has 3 X police senta's

1 of them was an un marked one and still has the flashing lights under the grill! it also still has the manual gearbox which, i believe can only b found in police spec ones! O and its still fulled tuned for the police! 6 cylinder, 24v 3 litre! rear wheel drive! you can imagine the fun!

(eventually, i hope he'll let me drive it!)

bstardchild · Post by **bstardchild** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 3:51 pm

doug&dan wrote:looking like a tasty engine!

Thanks

doug&dan wrote:a friend of mine has 3 X police senta's

Is he a Autobahnstormers member?

doug&dan wrote:1 of them was an un marked one and still has the flashing lights under the grill! it also still has the manual gearbox which, i believe can only b found in police spec ones!

They don't normally forget about things like that when they decommision them..... I've owned 2 Ex polac ones - one did have a gun rack mounting left in the boot cos to get it out they would have had to unbolt the fuel tank!!!

Manual Gearbox can be found in non Police spec cars - it was a no cost option from new - just not that many people specified it.

The manual box isn't that good and a power is fed through a spring damped flywheel which often breaks up internally leading to a lot of driveline shunt - it's also daft gearing - 150 mph on the limiter so thats why most people think they are tunned.

doug&dan wrote:O and its still fulled tuned for the police! 6 cylinder, 24v 3 litre! rear wheel drive! you can imagine the fun! (eventually, i hope he'll let me drive it!)

Contrary to common belief they are not chipped or tunned (see gearbox comments earlier) - but they are very light with no electric windows, leather, heated seats (cept in a few of the last L & M reg ones) and very very little sound insulation - even the carpets are thin. Less weight means the 204 bhp hasn't got to work as hard - hence better performance

bstardchild · Post by **bstardchild** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 11:49 pm

Well assembly underway and I remembered to take a few pics before I finished for the night

Too late to bolt the head on but never mind there is always tommorrow

Pics

It'll never run I know!!!!!

GroovyCarrot · Post by **GroovyCarrot** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 12:09 am

Ooh. 6 cylinders. Looks enormous, given that the only engine I've seen dismantled is my 4 pot 1043cc

Very shiney, hope it all goes back together smoothly.

bstardchild · Post by **bstardchild** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 12:20 am

GroovyCarrot wrote:Ooh. 6 cylinders. Looks enormous, given that the only engine I've seen dismantled is my 4 pot 1043cc

It is bloody enormous - wait till it's all together for the final installment

- I have a 1 tonne engine crane and it moans like hell when I ask it to lift - You think some people have gappy arches on a polo - should see the ride height on a senny with no engine in it!!!!!

Groovy - hats of to you mate - you had the bottle to strip it down and do all (or most of) the work yourself - like I said ages ago - somebody put it together so it's gotta come apart. It will stand you in good stead for the future and you'll never be afraid of an engine

GroovyCarrot wrote:Very shiney, hope it all goes back together smoothly.

It's gone way too well so far - so i'm expecting problems with the head

metz · Post by **metz** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 12:31 am

man that looks nice...when u painting my engine then

bstardchild · Post by **bstardchild** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 12:41 am

metz wrote:man that looks nice...when u painting my engine then

Take it out and drop it round

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:03 pm

wow......... thats...... quite pretty.... theres no way you can go and put that in a car!

*waits til BC isnt looking*
*swaps it for a certain 1598*
*walks away whistling quietly*

bullocks, you know what this means... i've gotta change my username

Petrified · Post by **Petrified** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:15 pm

Tahrey1043 wrote:
bullocks, you know what this means... i've gotta change my username

Nah, just sign up with another user name, easy. and get rid of that silly post count

James.

GroovyCarrot · Post by **GroovyCarrot** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:22 pm

I keep thinking how nice it'd be to open the bonnet and see something the length of the QE2 gleaming away under there.. must be so satisfying

Seriously, it's hooooge.. what capacity is it?