by Dennis Jolliffe (a.k.a. Denmeister) and David Schwarze
Dennis Jolliffe's recommends:
First, a procedure within a procedure: Removing the Alternator:
- As usual all good procedures involve disconnecting the battery. Do it first.
- Get a roll of 1/2" masking tape, and a pad of paper, fine point felt marker, and
a ball point pen. Mark everything as you take it apart, so you will know where it
goes later. Draw circuit connection maps if you need to so you don't forget where
everything attaches. It's not a crime to make notes. The mind is a fickle thing
after a few beers, don't you know...
- Disconnect the alternator wires from the starter, and pull them back thru the
firewall tinwork, and disconnect the harness from the regulator. Label everything
so you know where it re-connects.
- Remove the engine seal back far enough to not be in the way around the back
while you're working.
- Remove the plastic oil filler portion of the oil tube, and the dipstick, and
tuck a clean rag in there so nothing unwanted falls into the tube during surgery.
- Remove the three tinwork parts around the rear edge.
- Remove the center three bolts from the fan hub (not the very center one, it can
stay).
- Loosen the alternator, and remove the belt.
- Loosen and remove the bottom bolt holding the alternator in place thru the
tinwork at the bottom.
- Remove the bolts and screw holding the alternator front cover tinwork in place,
and remove the tinwork.
- Remove the upper adjusting bolt from the alternator bracket (watch for the
widget at the back of the bracket when you remove the allen head bolt, as it will
fall to the ground when the bolt is removed).
- The bracket the alternator adjustment is done against is connected with a 13mm
nut at the top. It can be removed from below using a short 13mm socket, and a
couple of long extensions. The bracket is also connected to the heater box at
the bottom. Remove the hardware and the bracket.
- Now remove the alternator! End alternator removal...reverse procedure to re-install.
- CAREFULLY remove the fan from the end of the crank hub (soak it good with WD-40), and
pry gently from the edges against the steel part of the pulley with two long flat
blade screwdrivers, this can be a tricky job requiring a beer brake if you get
cranky. Be sure not to break off any of the aluminum cooling fins during
removal as this will play havoc with the balancing and cause all kinds of grief
afterwards. Give the whole fan assembly a detailed bath in Varsol when you get it
out. I use a tooth brush to get in all the cracks and crannies.
- Remove the two connecting plates that cover the opening between the heater box
and the fan shroud assembly at the bottom...these are accessed from the
bottom. They're different, mark which one goes on which side. Put the hardware
back in the holes once they're removed
- There are three oddball to get at screws that hold tinwork to the fan shroud on
the 3-4 side--two along the outside edge, and one down by the base of the
dizzy. Remove them.
- Disconnect the thermostat cable from the crossbar. This 4mm bolt (8mm
head) strips easily, don't over tighten it later. Pull the cable back out of the
way from the bottom
- Disconnect the hold-down strap from the coil, and move the coil forward out of
the way.
- Remove the 4-8mm bolt size (13mm head size) nuts from the fanshroud thru the
center fan opening.
- Some folks have a heater/muffler support bracket on the 3-4 side that attaches
to the fanshroud. If you have one, now is the time to remove it.
- Have a good look around for anything else that might still be attached, but you
should be able to pull the top edge of the shroud rearwards at this point, and up
to remove it from the vehicle. It's a tight fit, and may require some minor
prying. Watch the flapper fins on the way out to be sure you don't damage
anything. Have a good look to see how everything aligns before you give it
the final tug.
- Support the engine on a stand at this point, and remove the rear cross-member two
lower bolts, and two on each side bracket bolts, and remove the rear engine
support. You need to do this to reach the lower mount bracket bolts...or you can
leave the brackets on the engine, and change the broken mount. Either way,
you're half-way there, it's all apart, and the hard part is done.
- Replace the rubber mounts, and re-assemble reverse of taking apart.
To be honest, this is a 2-4 hour job at best...plan the day, it can't be hurried
in much less than 3 hours, and be done correctly.
Remember my motto: measure twice, but cut once, and do it correctly.
One can also use this procedure to replace oil cooler seals and gaskets. It's a
good time to do that and replace the accordion boot on the dipstick where it
attaches to the oil filler tube by the way.
David Schwarze writes his procedure for replacing the motor mounts:
Unfortunately, a lot has to be removed to get at the mounts
easily. I say easily because I'm not sure it's impossible to remove them
with the fan housing attached, but if possible it would certainly be
difficult.
The fan housing is held on by four studs behind the fan, but it is also
attached to the heater boxes. You need to pull it back to remove it from
the studs, but you need to lift it up to remove it from the heater boxes.
I've tried, but have not been able to remove the fan housing without both
unfastening the studs and removing the heater boxes. My procedure is
roughly as follows:
- Remove positive lead from battery (for safety - just do it).
- Remove rear of engine seal, oil filler pipe and three rear tin pieces.
- Remove muffler.
- Remove small tin pieces at heater box/fan housing junction
- Remove two bottom tin pieces between the heater boxes and engine case.
- Unfasten forward and top ducts from the heater boxes (may not be necessary if you don't remove the heater boxes - see below).
- Remove alternator bracket bolt from right heater box.
- Remove heater boxes (you could probably get by with just dropping them down a bit).
- Remove three bolts from fan hub and remove fan.
- Remove four nuts and washers holding the fan housing on. Make sure you get the washers after they fall down into the housing (they always do).
- Unfasten thermostat cable at the crossbar.
- Remove alternator (this might not be necessary, but it will allow you to completely remove the fan housing and set it aside, without having to
remove the alternator wiring):
- remove adjusting bolt
- remove lower bolt (13mm nut behind)
- remove tin cover
- remove cooling duct from fan housing to alternator
At this point, the fan shroud should be loose. Pull it straight backwards,
being mindful of the upper edge, which is tucked underneath the top tin
pieces. If it does not come free easily, you may need to loosen some of
the fasteners holding the upper tin pieces to the engine case to allow the
upper tin to come up a little bit.
A bonus is that now you get to see how the cooling flaps work. Take a few
minutes to move them back and forth with your hands and look closely at the
flaps, especially the left one. Notice the dimensions of the openings in
the fan housing - the left one is larger because of the oil cooler.
You can also check your oil cooler and sender for leaks and repair them
easily if needed. You can also do something cool with your fan housing
like cleaning it really well and powdercoating or polishing it. I want to
powdercoat mine someday.
If you dropped a spark plug down under the tin sometime in the past, now is
the time to reach in there and grab it. You can also inspect your
cylinders and oil cooler for anything blocking the flow of air through
them, like leaves, or oily dirt.