Arguably a better day today?
Plans of nut/spanner welding out the window as my welding mask batteries are flat, new ones ordered now. So no gearbox work.
Since I don't need the car for a while, I started stripping the front of the engine. Alternator and power steering adjusters were all free, so getting those belts off was easy. Removing the top half of the cambelt cover slightly less so, since some spanner monkey had already rounded a couple of bolt heads for me. Ho hum, perseverance and they are all out.
Drained the coolant, even the stuff from the Capri wasn't that bad, looked like coffee! Water pump easily removed and system back flushed until clear. Rather pleasingly I managed to save the fan mounting studs and install them on the new pump.
Whilst she had her nose up I slid under to test the sump plug. Another challenge, largely because I didn't have the right size socket. No idea what it is, 24mm is too small and the next I have is 27mm. 18" adjustable and a thump cracked it, so I know I can get that out when the time comes.
Dropped the front and jacked the back up to clear the most of the fluid from the block.
That crank pulley nut is properly on. My lad on the end of a 30" bar, car in gear and me on brakes wouldn't shift it. I know I can cut the lower cover off, but I'm going to throw an impact wrench at it first.
|