Rick-Manta Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Welcome to my project page, I have recently aquired for £1000 plus delivery a lovely 1.8S Berlinetta Hatchback. It's registered on a C plate (and luckily for me just a couple of weeks prior to side repeaters being mandatory), it's covered 135,000 miles and has at some point been written off as a catagory C, by the look of things the longest owner of the car put it back on the road. I'm not quite sure of the full story there as I've yet to receive the logbook. I does have a months tax left and is MOT'd for a while longer, because of an issue with damp getting in, the paperwork including the tax disk has got soaked and mouldy, so I'm not sure how long exactly! The main issue I have at the moment is sorting out the welded differential as the previous keeper was looking to use this as a drift car, what's nice is that it has lowered springs, koni adjustable shocks and some racing tyres on GTE wheels, but unfortunately for me, the diff is going to be a nightmare to swap over and I've been putting it off for a while. I've got a replacement from 'mantasrme' on here which after a bit of a tidy up, I need to swap my crown wheel, shims and bearings for this one and refit it, hoping that it's still in tolerance with the shims in the same position. Today once my other car was off the drive and my housemate popped out in her 208 (look at the height and width compared to the manta!) I'd thought for better access to the diff housing I'd get it front facing to where it's parked in the piccy. It was impossible to do a three pointer so had to bite the bullet with no cover and drive down the road to spin it around but at least now I can get cracking. While the car was running I gave the inside a good wipe down as the wheel, seat belts and inside the boot had gone thick with mould. Then I got a fan heater and had that on full blast for a few hours to dry out the interior as even the headlining was dripping with condensation. Then gave it an air out. Luckily I'm hoping to source a replacement interior anyway, but trying to work on this outside, it's going to be an ongoing battle with the leaky sunroof and all the car covers about not actually protecting against rain! I'm in two minds about replacing with a full interior, I did want the black early recaros as I pine for my previous GTE hatch, but since they're pretty hard to come by now and to make it easier to maintain the car for damp creeping in, it has crossed my mind to have a partially stripped interior, although I've no intention of using this for competition. I'll have enough time to decide though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Best of luck with it Rick, Your past reckord is enough to know that you will achieve your goal. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 Thanks Julian. Would that be a past Opel Rekord By the end of the week, I hope to have the old diff out but I've never done it before so hope it goes okay. I did get some debadging done as well as removed those really horrible side mouldings which really ruin the lines of the manta, unfortunately someone had taken to using self tappers in the doors but I've got loads of bodywork to do anyway so it's only a minor inconvienience. I do need some GTE side skirts if anyone has any? (I'll be getting the car resprayed so can be any colour and I can even look to repair some damaged ones) There's a really strange crease in the rear offside sill and lower quarter panel-wheel arch area, I'm guessing it was perhaps hit here in the accident but the back is a bit wibbilly too so may have been hit in the rear? I'll be getting that all sanded back eventually to see how much of it is filler, I do need to weld quite a bit around the arches and that'll never be straight but could do with the side skirts and arch pieces now to measure where the fittings will be as it would be better for rustproofing to have them in place before the bodyshop paints it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB15 Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 P.m sent 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OPEL PARTS GREECE Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Best of luck with it Rick!!! Nice and clean!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted February 20, 2014 Author Share Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) I've hit a stalemate already! If you can help, I've posted a bit in the technical section http://forums.mantaclub.org/topic/35586-half-shaft-advise-needed-please/ but that bit is for club members only, so if you know any tricks to get halfshafts out of the axle, then please let me know. Anyway, upto this point I've at last got the cars ar5e pointing straight up in the air ready for my attention (I wish women were so easy!). I was going to take the fuel tank off but was missing a 15mm socket so couldn't.. Then I drained the axle and took the diff cover plate off to see the problem diff.. I'm iching to get the thing out and make a good one from the one I've bought and this. I've still yet to order a bearing puller, so better get one this weekend. After removing the drums and ready to undo the shaft retainig plate bolts, I discover my earlier lack of a 15mm socket will have to be solved, so a trip to B&Q to buy one £2.53 on the tag and I get to the till and it's £3.20!! Also, since I can never stick to budgets I bought a rather luxury mechanics creeper for £22. I'm really feeling the aches and pains now and this will be much nicer than laying on some mould ridden cardboard!. With the 15mm socket in hand, I've undone the retaining bolts and tried to pull on the hub and unsurprisingly the shaft wont budge. So I fitted a wheel back on and gave it some forceful yanks (the US Marines are forceful yanks!) and having nearly pulled the whole car off the stands and on top of me I then tried kicking the back of the wheel, alas to no avail, this is where I'm now stuck, any tips?? Thanks Edited March 2, 2014 by Rick-Manta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted February 20, 2014 Author Share Posted February 20, 2014 I'd forgotten how hard this is to do with Christmas cracker tools, I miss my heavy duty torque wrenches and air tools :-( Not to mention now being outside at the mercy of the rain! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) I found it easier to sledge them out Rick, by putting the wheel back on the wrong way round, I found that you can get a better swing at it with a heavy sledge hammer, in fact I used to have an old rim, no tyre on it, cos sometimes I would take a swing and hit the tyre, which only bounced the hammer head back to the car. When the diff was welded up, I hope it wasn't in situ, and welded the half shafts too!!! Edited February 20, 2014 by Julian 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted February 20, 2014 Author Share Posted February 20, 2014 Thanks Julian, good idea, I'll try the old bare wheel and sledge too (I've just got to be careful not to knock the car off the stands!) but now I'm worried as yes I'm pretty sure this would have been welded in situ so I've just got to hope the shafts weren't caught in the spray of molten steel, otherwise I've got not choice but to source an entire axle, which is something completely impractical for me to do for a long while. Looking at the picture, I think most of the splines are visible which should indicate they're not welded in but I'm not sure if the heat would have fused the slines to the metal of those centre gears? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 It will be ok, the shafts are stuck at the wheel bearing end, you need to get hold of a slide hammer to do this quickly and easily. anything else is a faff and makes the job harder. Something like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BERGEN-18-Piece-Comprehensive-Axle-Slide-Hammer-Kit-Set-bearing-puller-NEW-5119-/191074277248?pt=UK_Measuring_Tools_Levels&hash=item2c7cea1780 Make sure you get one/borrow one that has the spider on that bolts to the wheel studs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted February 20, 2014 Author Share Posted February 20, 2014 Thanks, I'll see if anyone I know has one to lend me as my budget for this month has dried up. Although it's been suggested that I try to adapt a puller from some threaded bar, nuts and some bits I've got already, so I'll give that a go since it'll be less than a couple of quid. I did notice earlier, these shocks are Spax and not Koni! Also are the springs supposed to fall out when you jack the car without supporting the axle? I'll have to be careful reseating them when it's back on the deck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Abbott Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 I used to zip tie my springs into the axle seats so they didn't fall out. It's a problem with smaller springs. The rally boys use seat belts or wire rope to stop too much droop 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiney_norman Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 If they're the blue springs I think they are, then they're the springs and shocks I had on my old Sportshatch. Enjoy them, that car handled like a go-kart! And yes, the rear springs always fell out when I jacked it on the sills. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted March 2, 2014 Author Share Posted March 2, 2014 F-F-F-F-F-F-F-F-F-F-F-F-F-F-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U....... Well that's one diff bearing totally wrecked, note to self: when you see 'The diff is welded' on an advert and say to yourself "well he's ruined it then, I shouldn't buy it" then you LISTEN!!! Bought a gear and bearing puller for it and the damn thing didn't fit in the tiny recessed bits behind where the bearings fit. I did first try to have them at an angle (fig. 1) to allow the corners to sit in but the whole thing wobbles about and so I fired up the angle grinder in the pouring rain and ground the puller legs so they were thinner and sat squarely in behind the diff bearing. Unfortunately it slipped but had enough force wound into it already that it caught the edge of the outer race bit (that holds the rollers) and ripped one of them up so it's had it now. It needs replacing and it's not even off the damn diff yet! I've got another one to do and IF I manage to replace it and get the other one off without damaging it, I've got no 'proper' way of fitting it back on the replacement diff and IF hammering them on does work, there's no guarentee the way it was shimmed before will match the position of the replacement AAAARRRRG! Why didn't I wait, I could have been picking up that silver GTE that was on ebay now!! In fact I'm tempted to see if the seller would hold it for me until I've weighed this heap in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Rick , just look for a complete rear axle to swap out , its much less trouble and theres got to be some floating about mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiney_norman Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Rick, I'll have an axle available within the next few weeks with any luck, and yes I can bring it to Bristol for you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Rob. JLN561V, my old Manta had an excellent rear axle on it, no whine whatsoever, is that still around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Rob. JLN561V, my old red Manta had an excellent rear axle on it, no whine whatsoever, is that still around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiney_norman Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 It'll be coming down here to die pretty soon Julian, not sure if Darren still has dibs on the axle or not but I've also been offered a totally rotten 1.8 hatch by another member so that'll be having the same treatment shortly afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 Rick, I'll have an axle available within the next few weeks with any luck, and yes I can bring it to Bristol for you. Aw that'd be awesome if you get it Rob, it'd save me a lot of hassel with with bloody thing. A single diff carrier bearing from bearingkits is £75. Keep me posted, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 (edited) Have I got something wrong here? Does the manta GTE axle/diff ratio allow for faster acceleration, to fit a 1.8 axle to a GTE would lower it's acceleration but give a higher top speed? I thought it was t'other way around, as I thought the 1.8 ratio diff was fitted to help give the 1.8S a sub 10 second 0-60, but that's wrong isn't it!? Best I try and learn this sort of stuff as in the future I'm looking to change the gearing on my everyday car, being FWD will be a bit lighter, easier and give me a few options. Edited March 3, 2014 by Rick-Manta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiney_norman Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 1.8 diff gives quicker acceleration and lower top end, 2.0 diff gives slower acceleration but higher top end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 Ah right, I'm easily confused as you can probably tell! So that's 3.67 turns of the pinion shaft to turn the crown wheel and therefore roadwheel once ..er nevermind I'll just get on with it. If that 1.8 parts car does come through, let me know and thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 Save starting another topic elsewhere: Does anyone know if the diff carrier bearings are a particular size or know a part number that's comparable? A place I've bought from on ebay before has quoted £75 for a single bearing which is more than a whole axle would go for but have to explore other options until one comes available as I can't leave the car on axle stands and it's suspension hanging off for too long, as my housemates will be getting annoyed with looking at it. The place who quoted £75 and sell those full rebuild kits on ebay for £300 state these are not cheap chinese bearings, so I'm wondering where can I actually get a couple of chinese ones since they're making a point of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Any updates on this one Rick? Did you change the entire axle out in the end? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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