Fanbelt woes

[dbrooks]

Hi all,

My 1.3 Clubman has eaten its last fanbelt after working loose. The new one has now started to squeak a bit as well - any tips on how to get the tension right and maintain it? I have changed fanbelts before, and I know its not rocket science, but this one has me scratching my head!

Dave

PS What gearbox do I need to add a 5th gear :D

[Peter J]

I generally tension them with careful use of a lever between the alternator body and engine block, testing them by how hard it is to turn the alternator pulley before it skids on the belt, should be just tight enough so that it doesn't slip. If you are having trouble maintaining the tension after the initial stretch of a new belt it sounds like the new belt could be poor quality. I think my unipart belt has been on for about 50,000, never needed adjusting after the first initial stretch after 100 miles or so, & still looks fine.

Don't know about the gearbox, sorry.

[dbrooks]

Thanks, it's done about 100 miles or so, so I'll get under the bonnet and re-tension. I haven't had trouble like this before, so I suspect you might be right about the old belt.

Must find out about that gearbox - if I try and change up to fifth just one more time... ;)

Love the car though :)

[Diesel Phil]

You will find the belt stretches a little and needs tensioning after a week or two. It's supposed to be and inch and a half deflection when pushed in the middle of the longest section. But i find that shoving the handle of a hammer behind the alternator and pulling with all my strength gets it to the right tension.

[Diesel Phil]

Dave

PS What gearbox do I need to add a 5th gear :D[/QUOTE]


PS you could probably fit a Jack Knight 5 speed box, as was supplied by Mini Sport, Padiham, for minis, but that would be an expensive option, and very unlikely second hand. I don't think Rover ever made anyhting with a 5 speed for the A series, except the Mini Cooper S5, but they are rare and you have no chance of getting one scrap.

[SimonR]

Read this thread about 5-speed boxes on the end of an A-Series:

http://www.maestro.org.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=8670

Not that rare as it happens.


And this one about squeeking fanbelts:

http://www.maestro.org.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=8661

If it's tensioned OK and still squeeks then honey is your friend.

[henocsr]

Dave

PS What gearbox do I need to add a 5th gear :D


PS you could probably fit a Jack Knight 5 speed box, as was supplied by Mini Sport, Padiham, for minis, but that would be an expensive option, and very unlikely second hand. I don't think Rover ever made anyhting with a 5 speed for the A series, except the Mini Cooper S5, but they are rare and you have no chance of getting one scrap.[/QUOTE]

The Jack Khinght box and all other Mini and Metro boxes fit under the sump of the A series. In a maestro the A series is mated to a VW 4 speed or optional 5 speed box. This is the same box as many VW golfs of the same age. Lots of those things about.

Thing to do is buy a mint MK1 Golf GTI and say to the bloke you have just brought it from that you are going to break it to keep you Maestro on the road:laugh: