Holden VK Commodore SL Sedan
Holden's VK Commodore launched in 1984. This monor update on the six year old V-Car body saw the introduction of '6-window' styling - a fixed window which ford part of the C-Pillar. The VK also received large, dark-silver-grey polymer bumpers front and rear, along with clear turn signals at the front, and darkened taillamp lenses at the rear.
Mechanically, the car was largely carryover from engine used for many years under various Holden model bonnets. This was to be the last model though, using the old Holden 'black engine' straight-six powerplants. In the base SL, this used carburetored fuel metering, and produced 86 kW (115 hp).
Said engine in this VK SL, owned by Ben, had, somehow, cracked a piston, and I was asked whether or not I thought I could bring the engine back to functioning condition. Always interested in a challenge, I said 'yes'.
Now, these things are never straightforward, particularly when you are an engineering student rather than a mechanic (who has tools), so I ran into numerous troubles. These included a head that was stuck down on the block. (actually it wasn't, but a Holden iron-headed inline six is remarkably heavy). Also, removing the sump ended up being a car-jack based exercise. And also, the drawing out of the cracked piston.
Chief question was could the bore be tidied up enough to hold decent compression, so I spent quite a lot of time, sitting in the engine bay with a honing tool attached to an electric drill, cleaning it up.
Proof was in the pudding, putting it all back together again.
Another lesson, learned. You should probably label and tag everything you disconnect so that you can put it back together again properly. But it did work, so that's something.
A couple of month's later a group of us went out to the cinema, returning to an empty parking spot, and no VK. I am not sure what film we had all just watched, but for some reason we all burst out laughing.
The VK was recovered, but Ben's tools in the luggage compartment had all been stolen, and were not recovered.
Holden VK Commodore SL Sedan
Holden's VK Commodore launched in 1984. This monor update on the six year old V-Car body saw the introduction of '6-window' styling - a fixed window which ford part of the C-Pillar. The VK also received large, dark-silver-grey polymer bumpers front and rear, along with clear turn signals at the front, and darkened taillamp lenses at the rear.
Mechanically, the car was largely carryover from engine used for many years under various Holden model bonnets. This was to be the last model though, using the old Holden 'black engine' straight-six powerplants. In the base SL, this used carburetored fuel metering, and produced 86 kW (115 hp).
Said engine in this VK SL, owned by Ben, had, somehow, cracked a piston, and I was asked whether or not I thought I could bring the engine back to functioning condition. Always interested in a challenge, I said 'yes'.
Now, these things are never straightforward, particularly when you are an engineering student rather than a mechanic (who has tools), so I ran into numerous troubles. These included a head that was stuck down on the block. (actually it wasn't, but a Holden iron-headed inline six is remarkably heavy). Also, removing the sump ended up being a car-jack based exercise. And also, the drawing out of the cracked piston.
Chief question was could the bore be tidied up enough to hold decent compression, so I spent quite a lot of time, sitting in the engine bay with a honing tool attached to an electric drill, cleaning it up.
Proof was in the pudding, putting it all back together again.
Another lesson, learned. You should probably label and tag everything you disconnect so that you can put it back together again properly. But it did work, so that's something.
A couple of month's later a group of us went out to the cinema, returning to an empty parking spot, and no VK. I am not sure what film we had all just watched, but for some reason we all burst out laughing.
The VK was recovered, but Ben's tools in the luggage compartment had all been stolen, and were not recovered.