has my water pump failed

[marc69]

No the pulley stays on,slacken ya 3 bolts and remove the pump,clean up the mating face refit,tension,done.Easiest car to do one on.

Thanks, I'm sure it is easy compared to most engines..........although I have done it on a 1.0 and it is so much easier, remove water pipe (jubilee clip), altenator belt, four bolts that hold the pump on, clean and refit. I think I realised just how easy the 1.0 is when I went to change a thermostat on a 1.2i.......slightly more complex than remove the jubilee clip/hose, pull out old, push in new, done! Shame the old ohv is so low powered . The last time I changed a thermostat on a 1.0 it was in halfords car park.

Changing topic a little, apart from creating hassle and maintanence, why did they use belts on OHC, why not use the same internal chain things (Igather some have gone back to this)?

[marc69]

maybe you did the belt up too tight initially, and it caused it to stretch ?

a smoothish 90 degree twist on the belt from (between the cam and waterpump) is good.

I found with mine, if you move the pump within a week or 2, you can get away without them leaking. after a month or so many miles, there more than likely to leak.

That would explain why mine is leaking, i fitted it in April and never got round to retightening it until yesterday and it had strectched a little. I agree, I should have done it two weeks after fitting.

[meritlover]

Changing topic a little, apart from creating hassle and maintanence, why did they use belts on OHC, why not use the same internal chain things (Igather some have gone back to this)?

because although a chain will 'last' for 80k-100k they rattle after 60 and need major work (generally) to replace, along with followers and tensioner runners. no one has really made one work. In some instances manufacturers have gone back to belts. they're cheaper and quieter.

[marc69]

My 1.0 nova is really high mileage and has never had a new chain, and one mini is about 172K miles, neither have noisey chains but perhaps it is different with higher cc models?

I see what you mean though, replacement of a belt is easier than a chain inside the engine, although I personally found it difficult (due to lack of skill) I did manage to put on a belt on a twin cam (xe) myself, would never attempt a chain even on the 1.0 or mini.

[meritlover]

My 1.0 nova is really high mileage and has never had a new chain, and one mini is about 172K miles, neither have noisey chains but perhaps it is different with higher cc models?

I see what you mean though, replacement of a belt is easier than a chain inside the engine, although I personally found it difficult (due to lack of skill) I did manage to put on a belt on a twin cam (xe) myself, would never attempt a chain even on the 1.0 or mini.

that's because its an OHV and the cam is about 4" away from the crank drive. an OHC engine is about 20" between sprockets, plus the extra distance needed for a DOHC, and the extra width required due to the increased load of driving twice as many valves....it all gets complicated and noisy very quickly.

[marc69]

that's because its an OHV and the cam is about 4" away from the crank drive. an OHC engine is about 20" between sprockets, plus the extra distance needed for a DOHC, and the extra width required due to the increased load of driving twice as many valves....it all gets complicated and noisy very quickly.

That all makes perfect sense...I am learning with your patience.

[meritlover]

That all makes perfect sense...I am learning with your patience.

...together, we will embrace modern technology and move on from primitive OHV engines.

[marc69]

...together, we will embrace modern technology and move on from primitive OHV engines.

Don't knock the ohvs, they are fun too, light and well do I need to mention 1275 mini coopers

On a sightly more serious note, the A series 1275 as standard gave out 72bhp compared to the SR 70bhp but even as a teenager, no-one ever spoke of how fast a MG metro went, it was SRs or even (I'll get sgot for this....early 80s, a ,ot of people liked) XR3s.

[meritlover]

3 bearing cranks, over and under+shared ports, points and condenser, single barrel carb. they shared a lot of similarities with the A-series....

...which is why they binned it and invented the OHC Isuzu designed Family engine

[marc69]

My main critcism of ohv engines has always been lack of torque and now driving an xe, I can't see any sort of ohv giving that sort of power and revving freely. But for everyday driving and a little fun I do love my wee ohvs too (Nova and minis).

The engine I'll never understand apart from emissions was the 1.2i, slow and just boring.