Alternator and thin fan belt conversion.

[phil Dean]

Took my car up to Whalley and back on Monday first decent run I have had in it. Over 65 miles. On the way back the recent engine tune seam to go of the last 20 miles was like driving my Avenger back in the day with a lary cam and 45 DCOE webers loads of revs were required on take off and wouldn't tick over. Took it back to the engine tuners yesterday and he said it feels like the mixture screw had moved  spent 2 hours resetting it and its back to its old self again pulls like a train. However on the way back from Whaley I could feel a slightly damp left leg. On inspection when I got it home the inlet hose from bulkhead to heater was dripping like a tap. Tighten the clip which felt loose down to the engine tuners and its just got worse. 

So although I wanted to keep the car on the road for the rest of the summer and find and fix small problems of which I seam to be going backwards with. I have decided to take the car of the road for a month or probably longer and attack some of the jobs which I was storing up for winter. Reason being I will have to drain the rad to fix what looks like the hose from hell looking at the position of it at the same time do the outlet hose. I thought if I drain the rad I might as well have the rad checked out car still getting too hot. so at the same time with a bit more room do the thin fan belt conversion and change from Dynamo to Alternator. Also wire in a cut of switch in the car it drives me mad having to constantly lift the bonnet and use the one connected to the battery. Also rewire the lecy fan with a thermostat and a 3 way switch and wire in a auxiliary fuse box running from the cut of switch running all accessories of the auxiliary fuse box.

I don't want to start another long post on Alternator conversions but I have seen on another similar post people mention IAN Cs article on the subject in Technicalities. I have tried but cant find this article can somebody point me in the right direction. I would very much like to read this before I pick the spanners up.

Also what is actually involved in the thin fan belt conversion what are the advantages and is there any tech articles on this.

I might also have to replace the heater see pics below were can I get a used heater from any ideas. The heater doesn't seem to be leaking yet!! If you put your finger on the hose it squirts hot water at you. 

As usual thanks for all the brilliant advice. 

 

Phil.

[ianc]

Phil - if you PM me and state your home email, I'll send you a copy of my article in MS Word.

Ian Cornish

[phil Dean]

Hi Ian just pm you. Thanks Phil

[John Morrison]

Phil only six weeks or so left of good days driving 

Don’t take the car off the road now 

disconnect the two bulkhead hoses on the engine side and join them with a length of 15mm copper pipe and a couple of clips

Run the car perfectly well without a heater until the dark nights come

you should bleed the cooling system 

ask here if you are not sure how 

John

PS follow ed Ian’s article on alternated conversation 20 years ago dead stray forward and must have done another six since 

[phil Dean]

Hi John. I understand were you are coming from but I have so many issues with the car now including running the lecy fan with a dynamo that I might as well start now. I want the car back on its feet if possible by early mid October its entered in the Andy Mort Run one of those runs these days that is more like a road rally so a heater and not getting to hot is essential especially over places like the Trough of Bowland and some of the tight lanes round South Cumbria, North Lancashire.

Phil.

[phil Dean]

Hi John Again. I have decided after your post and speaking to Rich this morning to do the job in stages. I have to fix that small heater hose especially after Rich told me about these splitting under load and scalding peoples Legs So I've got to drain the rad I might as well take it out and I will get that checked  and also see if I can drain the block or if it doesn't drain try poking about inside thru the drain hole see if its blocked. Once its all back together run it, if its stopped overheating I can then hold of with the thin fan belt conversion and alternator until late Autumn early winter. Ok I will have to take the rad out again but that' not a massive job.

Phil.