Jonathan Rose Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 1. I am planning to change my TR4A from dynamo to alternator and from wide fan belt to a narrow one. I gather that removal of the lower pulley can be difficult due particularly to the proximity of the cross member. The Haynes Workshop Manual tells you to remove the 3 bolts each side of this cross member (tube) and move it to one side. My cross member has 2 bolts each side. Can I remove it all together for this job without distorting the chassis or front wings etc (and then of course put it back)? 2. I do NOT have a problem with over-heating on my car with the standard radiator and fan (also now with Evans Waterless Engine Coolant). The Narrow Belt Conversion kit from Moss has to be fitted with an electric fan which I don't really need. Is it essential to fit an electric one? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 Hi Jonathon, the narrow belt mod is a good one. The Alternator will save you a lot of work and give more than enough power. I would have thought that the lower pulley would come off without a major fight (once you have the big bolt out.) Removal of the cross shaft should be do'able. It may be possible to remove all but one bolt each side and rotate the shaft out of the way. Running the mechanical fan uses quite a bit of BHP even when not required. Get rid of it and fit an electric fan. The waterless coolant is quite an issue. Indeed it doesn't boil but it can make the engine run quite hot and there may be fire risk with it!!!!! Don't forget that the water pump will need a narrow pulley also. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Motorsport Mickey Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 PS..Although I didn't agree with what you did to Andrew Sachs I like your TV shows now on ITV Mick Richards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 You wont see an overheating problem on the temp. gauge - because the waterless coolant is rubbish at conducting heat away from the combustion chambers: http://www.oilem.com/potential-issues-with-waterless-engine-coolants/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Allan Westbury Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 Hi Jonathan, I converted from wide to narrow belt some years ago as part of an alternator upgrade. It is a move I would definitely recommend. Among the supposed/actual benefits are: Easier to change the fan belt. The wide belt fouls the cross beam/ steering rack on removal and you have to either move the rack or jack up the engine. No such problem with the narrow belt. The wide belt puts more strain on the water pump bearings Replacement belts are heavier and more expensive than the narrow ones. Because they are thicker and heavier wide belts are more prone to slip and I have heard absorb more power. I bought one of the Moss kits which includes both water and alternator pulleys but despite using their'special' alternator adjustment kit had to adapt it to fit. Talk to one of the suppliers about this before you buy if possible. Cheers, Ollie Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 +1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 For what its worth, you don't have to go to a narrow belt to fit an alternator. I retained the wide belt on my 3A, and machined an alternator pulley from aluminium to suit. I use a raw-edge cogged belt (17 A0965) which eliminates all the wide-belt drawbacks that Ollie lists. The cogged belt is thin and flexible enought to fit between the pulley extension and cross beam (still worm-and-peg so no rack in the way). Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pfenlon Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 Removal of the crossmember can be made a little easier by jacking up the front of the car on the crossmember under the radiator. This helps to remove the bar by relieving some of the compression its under, when resting on the wheels. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 If the pulley does prove to be sticky, and there is no room for a conventional sprocket puller, this low profile puller may be useful. See pic, ona 2.5 six engine. Simply welded from square or rectangular tube, the main bolt will pull the pulley off its ocrankshaft. John Oh, B*GG*R! The pitiful amount of upload space that this site allows prevents me posting a pic. All my other pics are, I hope helpful or otherwise worthwhile, so I'll not delete them. Imagine a bar wider than the pulley by twice the bars thickness. Two small turrets on each end (same bits of bar), with a bolt welded to the top of each turret, a bracket bolted to the end, projecting inwards enough to engage in the pulley. This allows the brackets to be packed with washers to allow fro different thicknesses of pulley. Put the bar in place, undo the main bolt until it engages the tack weld, now continue to undo the bolt as it pulls the pulley off its own crankshaft. The essential detail is a small tack weld in the exact centre of the bar where it faces the pulley. This allows the head of the bolt to pivot, and not throw the bar off the pulley. Works every time! JOhn Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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