Radiator and water pump fun

[The Veg]

Speaking of water pump bearing load, in the midst of all this I found that the belt was a bit knackered so I put on a new one*, and I hope it will stretch some as it pulled the alternator noticeably closer to the engine, to the point at which the alternators fan BARELY misses contact with the dipstick, and I was trying to be a bit cautious with belt's tension with respect to the bearing and wound up at a compromise. This is with a big chunky old-school alternator fitted by a PO; I figure the new smaller type is my future when this either goes tits-up or chews the dipstick.


*Auto parts stores in USA these days are often lamented for going to systems in which nothing can be located or sold without entering a year, make, and model in a computer. I took the old belt to the store, asking the guy if he could compare it to the belts in stock and find something the same size. He asked me what car, and I said I'd be VERY surprised if it was in their system. Good thing I didn't offer to wager on it, because sure enough a 1970 Lotus Elan -and Europa, and Seven, for that matter- was indeed in the system and the belt was in stock! Fellow Yanks, this was at Advance Auto Parts.

[oldelanman]

Speaking of water pump bearing load, in the midst of all this I found that the belt was a bit knackered so I put on a new one*, and I hope it will stretch some as it pulled the alternator noticeably closer to the engine, to the point at which the alternators fan BARELY misses contact with the dipstick

Sounds like the belt is too short. Alternator and dynamo belts are different ... maybe they supplied the wrong one ?

[The Veg]

Seemed about the same as the old belt when I compared them in the store, but the old one would have been more worn along the V-sides and it had some chunks missing from the inner face, so it may have required a farther adjustment to keep working. Since I haven't used the car since purchase I can only guess.

[snowyelan]

I'm currently making up brackets to suit a wee alternator from a forklift. 40A and smaller than the Lucas one. The tricky bit is figuring out how to use the tapped boss on the block for the top bracket. I've sent too many broken timing cases to consider the timing case the better option.

The last 3 digits of the part # are the circumference in 10ths of an inch. I currently have a 15301, 15305 and a 15310 on the bench. I believe the original was one of these but not sure which.

[mbell]

V belts ware on the sides, so slide further in the pulleys when warn. Reducing the run of the belt. A new belt is wider and therefore further up the pully v, meaning larger run and seeming tighter for same belt length.

[The Veg]

Right, that's what I was thinking.

[Donels]

I recently rebuilt a 'basket case' Westfield 11 that came with no alternator or belt, so no size to go on for a drive belt. I found that they are readily available online from industrial stockists in different lengths and cross sections. If you know the cross section dimensions you could easily purchase one, say 25mm longer. This would move the fan approx 1/2? further from the dipstick

[jaman]

Having done a few water pump replacements back in the 60's & 70's on twin cam engines ? DO NOT attach your Fan to the water Pump.

Go to rdent.com and get one of their electric fans and save your-self and lot of future work + expense.