Checking this £2.50 bolt could save you £500!!

[Bulletguy]

Fanbelt recently broke in my '93 Transit Camper.

After fitting a new one i noticed the alternator pulley appeared out of alignment. My eyesight not being what it once was i took it to a local Ford mechanic for a second opinion.

"Bottom bolts f***ed....common Transit problem", he instantly declared. A new bolt costs £2.50.....but that was only the beginning!

The hole through the two plates the alternator is attached to by the bottom bolt had worn into an oval 'egg shape'. So not only was the bolt scrap, but also these two plates....£25 and £140 respectively.

To replace both plates is a cambelt off job so new cambelt had to be fitted. As the alternator was pretty much shot i decided to have that replaced at the same time.

Total inc. 4 hrs labour? £500.......and all because a £2.50 bolt was not regularly kept tight! Amazingly the bolt is just 8mm diam which i thought pretty crazy given the amount of vibration from a diesel engine. The bolt used for the same purpose on a Mini is much more substantial.

I excuse myself by not owning the van very long and only discovering it due to the fanbelt snapping. OK i could have saved myself £120 if i'd done the work myself, but my 'mechanicing days' are long over now and as i'm just about to embark on a lengthy tour through Europe, i'm glad it happened here and not 'out in the middle of nowhere'!!

[Guy88]

On my MK5 i drilled the hole out and fitted a UNC bolt

[motorwise]

very common fault I'm afraid

[Bulletguy]

On my MK5 i drilled the hole out and fitted a UNC bolt

That was the mechanics original intention....until the bolt came out and the 'hole' showing. It had almost gone through.
There was simply no metal left to drill!!

[Bulletguy]

very common fault I'm afraid

So i was informed. He'd seen it many times over the years but as he said, as long as it's kept tight it's ok.....but it's often neglected until its too late.

Surprised Ford didn't make the nut at the back 'captive'. At least it's then only a one handed job!

[motorwise]

very common fault I'm afraid

So i was informed. He'd seen it many times over the years but as he said, as long as it's kept tight it's ok.....but it's often neglected until its too late.

Surprised Ford didn't make the nut at the back 'captive'. At least it's then only a one handed job!

it's a self locking nut - but people don't lock 'em up tight when they have 'em apart - you're probably right though a captive nut might have removed the temptation not to pull it tight if it's a one spanner job instead of two - Di's are out of production now (and in the london area soon will definately be a thing of the past) so I don't suppose it matters much anymore

[Bulletguy]

it's a self locking nut - but people don't lock 'em up tight when they have 'em apart - you're probably right though a captive nut might have removed the temptation not to pull it tight if it's a one spanner job instead of two - Di's are out of production now (and in the london area soon will definately be a thing of the past) so I don't suppose it matters much anymore

If by self locking you mean 'nyloc' then they are fine.....but should be renewed once taken off as the nylon inner loses its ability to lock. A captive nut would have made the job simpler but i suppose Ford were counting the farthings!

Yep....I know the DI is virtually a 'thing of the past'......but then not only will it happily cruise at 60-70 (ample for a high top Campervan)....it returns 40+mpg even when fully loaded!

[HiCube4]

'Ere what colour is the sky on your planet mate? 40 mpg is a little optimistic i would have thought!

[FredTransit]

'Ere what colour is the sky on your planet mate? 40 mpg is a little optimistic i would have thought!

is this reply in the right thread?

[MrMPuk]

'Ere what colour is the sky on your planet mate? 40 mpg is a little optimistic i would have thought!

is this reply in the right thread?

No, he's reply to the guy above his post.

[Luke]

'Ere what colour is the sky on your planet mate? 40 mpg is a little optimistic i would have thought!

mines not a high top but on a steady motorway run i get over 40 mpg

[clobryn]

Thanks for the head up Bulletguy