So what 'appened was...

[Welly]

They generally say to replace a belt if you've fiddled with it and also "whilst you're down there" etc etc.

I can add a note of caution to be gentle with the old radiator as sometimes one's generous flushing/brushing/blasting can encourage a leak afterwards having said that it must have survived the recent over-heat and subsequent raised pressure so maybe it's a good'un? a carefull inspection with a bright LED torch might help show any signs of weak points?

[swiss]

There's certainly no sign of leaks, at least before I yanked it out an threw it on the road in triumph.

My garden hose has bugger all pressure since it's kinkier than you, Welly, so I doubt it'd do too much damage.

[mjb]

OK, so pardon the ignorance but how does one untension this 'ere tensioner?

Big allen key hole in the middle. See if that'll turn clockwise, else what about the hole on the upper arm of it - is that hex shaped or round?

Urgh, just wait for Jasper's reply

[jasper5]

Doesn't look like that is the tensioner, the belt definitely needs replacing though.Is there anything else looking like a tensioner?

Pull the belt and see if anything springs back.

That viscous fan can be removed by undoing the 4 small bolts on the pump.

[swiss]

Nope, t'aint budging. Given it a good whack, it's not coming off. Grr.

Apparantly that armature is the tensioner. Buggered if I can find out how it works, so I just took it apart because I don't have to put it all back together just yet

[jasper5]

Actually, according to autodata, that is the tensioner.

Will the allen nut undo in the normal direction? Does the tensioner pivot on that allen screw? Maybe put a bar in and try to move the tensioner until the belt is able to be removed.

Pulling the belt should move the tensioner back and forth.

If you can't work it out, take off the bolts on the pump pulley and remove the belt that way, of course, it may be a bit of a struggle to refit.

[swiss]

The belt is off, as I say I just undid stuff until the tensioner roller fell out

The problem now is the viscous coupling ain't moving. I've got the four wee bolts out of the pump pulley, but it's stuck fast. Would it be too cowboy-y to get a crowbar in and lever the pulley off?

I can't now undo the 32mm nut on the viscous cos since the belt's off the whole shaft just rotates >.<

Yes, Jasper, I am just trying to give you a headache Thanks for your help on this mate ^_^

Note to self: buy a massive allen key to refit belt

[jasper5]

I should charge a consultancy fee

Right, so the viscous fan does have a big nut on it after all

Ok... find some way of keeping the fan still, then get a big punch or a big chisel, blunt if possible, but as you are in a bit of strife, anything that you can use to hit the big nut with.....hit the big nut close to the end of a flat....as if you were trying to tighten it ....on the right hand side of the flat.....(it's left handthread)....a good sharp crack should shock it free.

[swiss]

Fan is off!

Took your advice and 'it it wiv 'ammer. Didn't work so I got a bigger 'ammer Ended up popping a bolt back in the pulley and bracing it against the tensioner with a spaniard. Thought I'd snapped the wee bolt when it jumped, but no, the big 'un had come loose, woopwoop!

Still stuck with the pulley, though. The four bolts are out, but it's stuck solid. Tried whacking it as hard as I dare, no joy. Got me neighbour coming round in a bit, once he's done the alt on his Brava.

I ought to just frakk the whole thing off and buy her a push bike...

[jasper5]

Give it a good spray with WD40 whilst you are waiting, through the bolt holes and anywhere the pulley looks like it might be tight against.

I hope the daft thing goes back together easier

Now you know what I have to put up with ....I've done 38 years at this sort of nonsense....drives you crazy some days...I had one of those days yesterday, replaced some pads on a Nissan Patrol, couldn't get the flaming pads in without taking the caliper frame right off...bolts wouldn't come out, took an hour and a half instead of 40 minutes

I'd already spent 4 hours servicing the thing (there's a lot to look at).

[swiss]

And the bastard is out!



Suffice to say, it's shagged. Just the Weltonian predicted, in fact. Hope I got all the fragments out. Now I just have to wait for the new pump and hope like hell it's the only bit I broke

Thanks for all the help guys. Special thanks to Jasper, the man with bottomless patience.

New pump has an ETA Saturday, so everyone can relax tomorrow. Saturday, though, you all need to be back on here to hold my hand as I put it all back together

[jasper5]

Well done
I was always convinced the plastic pulley had broken...as Welly said.

Whilst you are waiting, have another look at the fan belt tensioner, looking at the picture again, there may be another allen bolt above where the water pump pulley is, have look to see if there are any other bolts holding the tensioner on....I was assuming your belt tensioner was spring loaded, hence the reference to a pivot...but it may just be bolted to the engine and movable manually by turning the big allen bolt....it's hard to tell, it's a long time since I did anything like that type.

Make sure you put some silicon sealer on the new pump gasket/seal.

When you fill the cooling system, look for any type of plug screwed into the cylinder head that you can easily remove (temp sender or something), this will help you fill up the system and have minimum bleeding, turn the heater to hot as well.
Tomorrow I have to take my son for a job interview in Preston and in the afternoon I have a driving school car with a brake noise to look at.

Good luck

[swiss]

Will do mate. Have fun tomorrow

BTW, does 40 quid (inc vat) seem a little steep for an aux belt?

[Welly]

Excellent work Swissy, and @ Jasper it seems funny to smack a nut with something doesn't it but proof here that it do worky

Mrs Swissy's gonna be soooo pleased................eventually

[jasper5]

BTW, does 40 quid (inc vat) seem a little steep for an aux belt?

Forty quid sounds expensive to me, the most I've ever paid was 28 quid for a belt to fit a Nissan Patrol 3 litre (it's about 4 foot long).

Have a look on the belt for some numbers, eg, 6PK1410. If you can see the numbers let me know what they are and I'll price it up for you, alternatively, you could find the numbers and ring round for the best price.



Edit.....just rung my suppliers for something else and priced your belt.....£12 including vat.