After spending 2 1/2 hours attempting to change all three belts (water pump / alternator, A/C, air pump) on my '94 and getting a stubby ring spanner hopelessly hung on the alternator adjustment rod (yeah, don’t ask) I succumbed to frustration, the late hour, and a dog in need of meds (don’t ask about that one either) and decided to knock off for the day. Any of you folks with an air-pump equipped model have any tips for dealing with this major PITA task? I am wondering if removing the air pump makes this unsavory job any more palatable as access to the adjustment nuts for the alternator is only from the top and strictly by feel. Stevie Wonder may not have a problem with that arrangement but it aggravates me to no end. Sorry for the rant. Eagerly awaiting your collective wisdom.
It is an absolute bitch of a job Mike.
When I did the harmonic balancer job a couple of weeks ago, I couldn’t move the alternator enough (even with the alternator adjuster backed off) to remove the old belt, so I unbolted the adjuster and removed it.
I did this from underneath the car btw.
After the installation of the new balancer and refitting of the air pump and compressor belts, I struggled for a couple of hours refitting the adjuster and tensioning the alternator/water pump belt - it was the most frustrating part of the job.
Most of my problems appeared after I’d managed to refit the adjuster because I’d backed off the outer locknut and couldn’t re-tighten it as the air pump tensioner fouled the threads on the alternator rod.
I did manage it eventually (with a prybar) as removing the tensioner again was just not going to happen.
I think the air pump was a Jaguar ‘afterthought’ bolted on wherever they could find the space.
Next time I have to do a belt or any water pump/alternator work, the air pump will come off first.
Mike, I always remove the air pump if I have to change/get to the alternator or the a/c compressor belt. Air pump+alternator belts from the top, a/c comp. belt from bottom.
Gentlemen, thanks for the feedback. The air pump is coming off. To be continued…
Removing the air pump improved access to the alternator adjusting nuts SO much - that is definitely the way to go. I didn’t completely remove the air pump, I just unbolted the adjustment block from the air pump (1 10mm bolt) and then removed the pivot bolt (13 mm bolt, 14 mm lock nut) which allowed me to move the air pump out of the way and hang it on the air filter box. By the way - and many of you may have already figured this out - a wire pants hanger like this from the dry cleaner:
with the cardboard tube removed:
makes a handy hanger when you need to get brake calipers, air pumps, etc out of the way without totally disconnecting them. The two wires easily go around the object to be hung and the bends in the ends can be hooked together:
Elementary, my dear Watson? Of course, but there may be someone out there in Jag-lovers-land that isn’t already on to this.
Anyway, job done, other than perhaps some re-adjusting of the belts as they wear in and/or stretch a tad.