Thread: Eff'n Rover engineers

Originally Posted by MacMan

A while back I had my original Marelli alternator pack it in, and I decided to convert to a Bosch. The only real hitch I had was that the original alternator bracket was bent and the new alternator had different mounting points. I suspect this is what lead to the bearing failure in the old alternator, and I had to build an adapter to locate the Bosch unit on the old bracket. Nothing like having to precision build a crooked adapter to mount on a crooket bracket!

Among other things this weekend I decided to tackle the bent mount issue and modify it to suit the new Bosch without any adapters. The alternator bracket also serves to locate part of the power steering pump. There is another bracket assembly that facilitates tensioning of the power steering belt and supports the front of the pump. This bracket was bent too.

SO, to fix I had to undo and remove:

1) Alternator, and my adapter bracket.
2) Power steering pump pulley.
3) Power steering pump, but leaving the plumbing connected.
4) Power steering pump bracket.
5) Distributor, mainly to improve sh!tty access.
6) Alternator bracket.

In their infinite wisdom, the front power steering pump bracket mounts with 4 of the water pump bolts, so removal of these bolts forces a coolant change. While I was at it (and since the coolant was now on the floor) I changed the thermostat - it needed doing in the end. The power steering pump is sandwiched between the two brackets in one of the most bizarre arrangements I've seen and the tensioner bolt is a complete pain to get to. You can't use a socket because the belt is in the way!

The alternator bracket is held on with 3 bolts and a nut around the corner on the manifold stud. The usual mix of metric and imperial nuts and bolts just to be more annoying!

How this bracket got bent I'll never know, because it took multiple caresses with a 20oz hammer to get any kind of correction.

While the alternator bracket was out, I had to cut some off the back and add it to the front to effectively move the location points further forward. Just to be sure, more bracing to prevent any bending in future.

All in all, it took about 8 hours start to finish, most of which was trying to find all the flamin bolts that had to come out and then the multiple reassemblies to see if things were true again.

In short I can see why the 4 belt arrangement was chucked in favour of the serpentine belt. Total pain in the rrrrrrs and I now realise that if I needed to fit one of the spare belts I carry in the car I'd need a spare set of arms and my complete tool kit. 10mm, 11mm, 13mm, 9/16 spanners and sockets, 3 different extension bars, a length of angle iron and a spare set of clothes because you get totally filthy.

I have but one solitary pic from the very end before the alternator went back in. I was too filthy to go in the house to find the camera by the time the brackets were out and I didn't want to have to wash up especially.

So, Rover engineers, I take my hat off to you. You have the most amazing propensity to over engineer and complicate not one but TWO brackets to do the job of one and to make matters worse both still bent!

I dedicate my next bowel movement to you, and the next one too.

Yep me too, i just spent saturday putting a new radiator in my Disco 2, you have to remove the lights grill, battery and tray, jack, ECU and the intercooler to get at it

Baz.

Another bowel movement from me too

I'm sure they do things like that deliberately and then sit around in the tea room snickering about it.