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Slow night tonight on the Forum.

1240 Views 11 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  mpesik
just saying.
Anyway. I have looked for someone to help me through the change in belt, vacuum pump
and perhaps water pump.
I did have have enough tools to fix the Space Shuttle but they were sold by my darlin X.
When you dont have all the tools it makes thing very difficult.
My teeth are only so strong to to turn so many nuts.
A lot of people have responded to my ad to help.
That is very cool.:eek:
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Feel your pain bro!
:D
For that sir pump... get the right sized allen key, cut the short side down about half way, then scrub it on a magnet. Best tool I ever created because that upper allen bolt can be a total PITA!
I used a allen socket easily, I hear about grinding down allen wrenches and the like often here on the forum, but mine must be a strange one because I have never had an issue with it. There was one bolt though on the vacuum pump that I used a few long extensions and a swivel adapter and it goes rearward and downward to loosen it, I think thats the one I keep hearing about, instead of making it shorter I extended the extensions for more space to crank on it.

Mpesik, an assortment of tools are a godsend when working on the Esprit. I usually have the same tool in different brands, Craftsman, Snap On, Channel lock, etc. I have found over the years that different brands of tools have different thickness, shorter or longer handles, and alot of times with will get you out of a bind easily. I work as a repair guy though, so tools are my bread and butter, I never have a problem spending money on them, they are an investment in me. My wife likes to go to flea markets, and I usually go along because it never surprises me what tools I can find there cheap, alot of people have no idea what tools are for what, or what they cost new, especially alot of specific job kinda tools.

Cheap tools are great too, because if you need a one time use tool, you can modify it like grind it down, drill it out or whatever you have to do to make it work, and then you are not out alot of money if you destroy it. I do this alot when I weld something together, destroy my cheap assortment of tools, and save the good ones for proper things.
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It is far easier to first remove the vacuum pump pulley, whereupon access to the allen bolt is much easier. I have encountered bolts that would never be removable with an L-wrench. When reassembling, tighten the allen bolt just to the point where you need a lever to adjust the pivot. Position your cut-down allen wrench in the bolt, re-install the pulley and belt, adjust the tension and tighten the bolt.
Thanks guys.
Mike, I think you will find that on nice weekends, Forum traffic will be slight as most of us are enjoying our cars.

Add Mother's Day into the mix, and that's another reason for the dearth of posts.

+++++++++++++


Regards the vacuum pump hex bolt, yes an L-wrench might not loosen it easily. But the cut-off stub of the 8mm Allen, with a regular box end wrench working it, has always done it for me. Once it is loosened, a GearWrench will back the nut out quickly.
Mike, I think you will find that on nice weekends, Forum traffic will be slight as most of us are enjoying our cars.

Add Mother's Day into the mix, and that's another reason for the dearth of posts.

+++++++++++++
Yes, Mother's day=spending time with Wife and Mothers. Sat was the 1st car show of the year with Tim and some of the LOON's
Mpesik, an assortment of tools are a godsend when working on the Esprit. I usually have the same tool in different brands, Craftsman, Snap On, Channel lock, etc. I have found over the years that different brands of tools have different thickness, shorter or longer handles, and alot of times with will get you out of a bind easily. I work as a repair guy though, so tools are my bread and butter, I never have a problem spending money on them, they are an investment in me. My wife likes to go to flea markets, and I usually go along because it never surprises me what tools I can find there cheap, alot of people have no idea what tools are for what, or what they cost new, especially alot of specific job kinda tools.

Cheap tools are great too, because if you need a one time use tool, you can modify it like grind it down, drill it out or whatever you have to do to make it work, and then you are not out alot of money if you destroy it. I do this alot when I weld something together, destroy my cheap assortment of tools, and save the good ones for proper things.
Well said! I just did the clutch master cylinder...to get to the bracket bolt on the brake MC I used 2 old box-end wrenches that had slightly different orientations of the "nubs". I could just get it 1/24th turn with one wrench, then switched to the other for another 1/24th...took a while. Also had to bend a 13mm and angle-grind it thinner to get the bolt behind the outlet port on the clutch MC (needed to re-adjust the actuator shaft after it was bled and didn't want to undo the hose).

Always a challenge with this car but that's what makes it interesting...multiply the time a job would take on a typical car by 5. I feel lucky if I can touch any given bolt that needs to be removed, REALLY lucky if I can touch it AND see it. :D

A couple things I've learned:

The entire interior is built around the heater core...It was the first thing installed and it will be the last thing you will be able to remove.

To change the right front marker bulb you will need to partially disassemble the ABS system (RHD).

It MAY be necessary to remove the engine to adjust the latch on the driver's door (seriously, drop the back plate and you'll probably need to remove the tank to get it, tank won't come out without removing the engine).
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It MAY be necessary to remove the engine to adjust the latch on the driver's door (seriously, drop the back plate and you'll probably need to remove the tank to get it, tank won't come out without removing the engine).
Engine removal not necessary. You just need a slightly stronger magnet to retrieve the plate. rotfl

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Well, due to life's ups and downs, I dont have much of a night life.............Thats my fault though!
Sort of ! ?
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