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Panda (Classic) Grumbleweed

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Introduction

been stubbornly refusing to stir outside the panda section for a long while but put a fair bit of time into tidying the old lad up this summer so thought I'd stick some photos together to show the state of play just now.
So for those of you who aren't al ready au fait, this is Grumbleweed, a 1990 Panda Sergio Tacchini with a mix of scrapyard warrior mods and fresh bits:

look! even found some scenery to take some pics:)





Highlights include the new mk2 golf splitter and chavtastic blue lensed driving lamps (they were reduced OK) in the front bumper, Momo steering wheel, aftermarket gearknob on shortened gearstick, 40mm drop on new standard shocks, mystery retro pepperpot wheels (anybody any idea? came off a Tipo in a scrappy) converted to Uno electronic dizzy, K&N panel filter in standard airbox with shortened intake, Powerflow stainless exhaust rear section with Y10 standard front section, array of extra instrumentation (tacho, oil pressure and volts) and assorted other bits and bobs dotted around that my father in law (the previous owner) fitted and I just find out about when new stuff I buy mysteriously doesn't fit:confused:
Andrew.
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Reactions: Most Easterly Pandas, RetroPanda, panda panda and 2 others
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Mine 1242ccm 8v leaked on the 1st cyl. Those fire 8v almost always leak from the same spot, the "holes" of the water jacket located closest to the steel fire ring.




my cracked gasket:


 
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firstcar-Y10 said:
Oh yes, I'd never even noticed that.

Anyway, here's the offending item.

Grumbleweed was running worryingly warm on the way down to Stanford Hall, no heater, and pressurising the coolant. So since I've been building up the bits for an engine refresh anyway I figure it's about time I had this apart before (hopefully) the head goes all out of whack. Plan is to pull the valves out, clean up, lap & re shim. New piston rings, light hone and big end bearings while I've got the head off, then reassemble with new timing belt & water pump. That's the bits I've got so far anyway (shims aside)
HG looks like this when I've gone in. First time I've had a head off but I can't see any obvious fail points on the gasket, possibly been seeping past the seal around no. 4 maybe, but no actual gaps in the gasket. Any more practiced eyes got an opinio
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A. I've just realised that my engine have same symptoms: does not pull same as the other panda, runs hot, and coolant system does presurise it self up to point that safety valve build it to coolant tank cap release the pressure. Hmmm... that sucks
 
I sodding knew it!!! Grumbleweed's in bits all over the place so the stupid French pile of junk has decided today would be a good day to conk out in a queue of traffic, restart eventually and then tick over at about 3k rpm the rest of the way home. Stupid car!!!
 
firstcar-Y10 said:
I sodding knew it!!! Grumbleweed's in bits all over the place so the stupid French pile of junk has decided today would be a good day to conk out in a queue of traffic, restart eventually and then tick over at about 3k rpm the rest of the way home. Stupid car!!!
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You only have 2 cars? :eek:

What's wrong with you! :shrug:

Wanna borrow a cinqy? ;)
 
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panda panda said:
Just watch that temperature gauge on the Sei...:p
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That famous "oh s*it, that's cooked" light

Fiat's sense of humor/way of making their car look more reliable for a good 2 minutes :p

Grumbleweeds gasket has defo gone weepy on cylinder 4, also starting to go on 1 too from the water channels, from the looks of it that only had a day or so more before it went pop there too.
 
Dragon Man said:
sei's.. man they are just too round for me.. :/
cinq is good..more square :D
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Yes prefer a cinq really but they are getting really hard to find. Ideally like at least an SPi sporting sei from the working on point of view rather than the MPi but hey it's cheap and local.
Thinking about Grumbles I reckon what's happened is it's probably gone when that vac module came loose, it would have been running massive advance so the early combustion would have caused much higher pressures than normal at the top of the compression stroke. Would tally with when the symptoms started to show.
 
firstcar-Y10 said:
I sodding knew it!!! Grumbleweed's in bits all over the place so the stupid French pile of junk has decided today would be a good day to conk out in a queue of traffic, restart eventually and then tick over at about 3k rpm the rest of the way home. Stupid car!!!
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"Stupid French pile of junk" pretty much sums mine up too.
Pressure is really on for Char' to pass her MOT now as stupid french rubbish went up a hill with its clutch majorly slipping the entire way :bang:
This is definitely not the month for French cars.... although is it ever? :rolleyes:
 
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