Power steering belt

[Toady1]

I need to replace mine, looking at it it's not too obvious how to do it (I didn't look at it properly so thought I'd ask on here). Has anyone replaced theirs? Thanks.

[m4tti]

Yeah and it's a complete b1tch. Took me a whole weekend due to seized bolts. You have to remove the intermediate shaft bearing housing.

If the bolts are seized then be extremely careful not to shear them. It can mean engine out. If they do feel stuck apparently the safest way is to sacrifice the bearing housing by chipping away material around the bolt shoulders with a chisel. This releases the pressure on them.

They get left at services for this reason.

Edited by m4tti on Thursday 23 May 09:02

Edited by m4tti on Thursday 23 May 11:29

[Walford]

Dont think you can service a 10 year old speed six TVR in 8 hrs
I had to change the PS fluid in my car on the last service,it had only been in 2 years, but was black

,

[nrick]

As Matt said, it is awkward to work on and I still haven't got enough leverage on the alternator to stop a slight squeal. My bolts came out ok with a bit of a tap and turn. I did look seriously at retrofitting the electric pump as well but chickened out.

Walford, agreed every job seems to take an age and I feel I am rebuilding most of the car most of the time.

[Toady1]

Cheers guys, hopefully my bolts aren't seized! I'll work it out when I get to actually have a proper look at it with the airbox out! My main hose from the pump to the rack sprung a leak yesterday, again looking at it due to a previous mechanic squashing it with something damaging the braids. Thought I'd do the belts for ps and alt at the same time.

[Toady1]

Well I managed to do the job in about 2 hours, luckily my bolts loosened without any seizing! New ps pipe fitted along with new belts for both ps and alternator! However adjusting the alternator belt last night as it was squealing a bit I managed to accidentally touch the + terminal on the alternator and cause an arc. Since then my alternator hasn't been charging the battery! Has anyone else had this problem? damaged voltage regulator? blown 100amp fuse? I've yet to take the bonnet off to check it out so looking for some online answers!

[tvrboy55]

sorry mate, but it's laughable. your the 2nd person who's made a balls of it. it's fault's economy.

[m4tti]

tvrboy55 said:

sorry mate, but it's laughable. your the 2nd person who's made a balls of it. it's fault's economy.

Wow that was useful. Your right Probably would never happened at a dealers...as they don't bother tackling the job. Read the earlier posts.

It's most likely the alternator itself, probably diode...It is fairly tight In that area and I've done the arcing thing against the fuse post with the cables before the fuse luckily, so always recommend disconnecting the battery.... That then lead to "my keys locked in the car " post when I reconnected the battery last time lol.

Edited by m4tti on Tuesday 25th June 22:23

Edited by m4tti on Tuesday 25th June 22:47

[Walford]

least you had a go, next time disconnect the battery first, have had some big f,ups on my car and put um right, that's how you improve your knowledge and skills

[nrick]

TBH I'd tension the belt with the battery on, I know it is not wise to do anything without disconnecting the battery but ........
There should be a cover over the +ve terminal?

Mine still squeals, on the list to look at

Post up what you find, I'd be interested.

[Walford]

or fit a battery switch

[Toady1]

tvrboy55 said:

sorry mate, but it's laughable. your the 2nd person who's made a balls of it. it's fault's economy.

Sorry but what does this mean I don't understand the post?? are you suggesting I should have taken it to a dealer?? ;-)

To be honest yes I should have disconnected the battery but hey ho! If it was in a much easier location I most likely would have done! Laziness, but then I was doing it in my garage and I have to park the near side right up to the wall to fit it and can't easily get access.

Anyhoo, I'll tackle pretty much anything on the tvr over taking it to a 'specialist'! Especially since a lot of the jobs I've seen some have carried out on my car have needed to be redone by myself! I don't mean to sound big headed as I really am not that type of person, but I'm a qualified mechanical engineer and working on cars as a hobby for the last 15 years including fully rebuilding engines from bare blocks it really is quite a simple bit of engineering to work on, especially compared to my old skyline gtr engine I pulled apart, but everyone makes silly mistakes.

Thanks for the replies, looks like I'd better get a new alternator, or send mine somewhere to be refurbed, it look like its the original anyway.

Edited by Toady1 on Wednesday 26th June 20:04

[nrick]

Nothing special here, it is a landrover type alternator and you should be able to get a rectifier pack for £20-30. Might be worth nipping it off and taking it to a local alternator expert (they are cheap in my experience) Might be worth checking the 100a fuses as well just in case.

http://www.hsv.org.uk/topic.asp?t=1041253&f=7&...

[Toady1]

nrick said:

Nothing special here, it is a landrover type alternator and you should be able to get a rectifier pack for £20-30. Might be worth nipping it off and taking it to a local alternator expert (they are cheap in my experience) Might be worth checking the 100a fuses as well just in case.

http://www.hsv.org.uk/topic.asp?t=1041253&f=7&...

Thanks Nrick, I was planning on trying this first. I checked the 100A fuse this evening and mines been replaced with a 125A one, which doesn't look blown. If it was though wouldn't all the electrics on the car be out? Everything works just the charge is between 10 and 11.8v.

[nrick]

There are 2 100a fuses, no one has ever unearthed (no pun intended) a wiring diagram. You are right doesn't sound like a fuse

If the voltage is 10v then it sounds like a cell in the battery to be honest, but I might be wrong. Could be the alternator?

[m4tti]

Is that reading on the dash or have you double checked with a multimeter?

[Toady1]

Its the reading on the dash, but the battery was actually going flat. I noticed it as it was slow to crank when starting the car a few times whilst the MOT was being carried out (which I must add it passed first time with no faults thankyouplease :-)!). The battery has always been fine but I'm yet to stick a charger on it, it just seems that it's only done it since I managed to short out the terminal on the alternator. I'll charge the battery tonight then start the car and see what the dash says then and the outut of the alternator is too. I think it must be that I've killed the regulator to br honest.

[m4tti]

Toady1 said:

Its the reading on the dash, but the battery was actually going flat. I noticed it as it was slow to crank when starting the car a few times whilst the MOT was being carried out (which I must add it passed first time with no faults thankyouplease :-)!). The battery has always been fine but I'm yet to stick a charger on it, it just seems that it's only done it since I managed to short out the terminal on the alternator. I'll charge the battery tonight then start the car and see what the dash says then and the outut of the alternator is too. I think it must be that I've killed the regulator to br honest.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/app/newsfeed/detail?article=800631600

[Walford]

nrick said:

No one has ever unearthed (no pun intended) a wiring diagram.

Maybe new TVR owner will change this, as he has no intention of re-manufacturing the old cars

[Toady1]

Well I've found my problem. I'd blown my 125A fuse!

As an added bonus whilst removing the battery to charge it I fixed another problem I've had since I bought the car! My heater blower never seemed to blow very hard. Whilst it was in for its service I asked for the 'specialist' to check it for me as I didn't think it was right. He told me he had a quick look and the wrong blower was in my car and it wasn't blowing right indeed, so I'd need a new blower etc! What a load of bullst!!! The right blower is in there, looking at it the cover hadn't been removed for eons, and all that was wrong with it was the wires were the wrong way round so polarity on the blower was wrong! Cleaned up connections fit them the right was and hey presto, a fully blowing heater!!! After a few things that hadn't been done right and bullste I was told, oh and the lacquer being jetwashed off my alloy and told they could sort that for me but it would cost £300!!!! I won't be taking my car back to that 'specialist' again! So tvrboy55 - false economy is it, keep getting your pants pulled down then!