So it looks as if the drive belt for the water pump snapped and the at overheated and spilt water out everywhere. Soon as the buzzer came on I promptly pulled over and found out that the belt had snapped. So tell me what\'s the next step now please, I assume I need to fit a new belt and check for damage to the radiator? - let\'s asume for the sake of my mental health that the engine it self is fine ;)
Was it boiling when you stopped?
Yes unfortunately, was on the motorway.
Hmmm... will probably be ok.... Get the belt replaced, then get an electric fan - they are a must in the hotter countries :)
Okay sure, it was on the list anyway when funds allow. Anyone know the halfords part number and is it a simple job or do I need help from someone mechanical minded?
It\'s simple enough... not sure on the part number though?
I used a fan from a scrapyard vovlo, a thermostat and a relay from a scrapped peugeot! :Giggle
Well I\'ll stick with the stock fan through the winter, then next year I\'ll upgrade the radiator as well and get a whole new cooling set up. That is if this radiator has survived...
The rad should be fine?
BTW - FC\'s like to eat belts... always carry a spare for each kind, and the tools to change them at the roadside :)
Oh okay, well it\'s good to know I didn\'t realise. Guess i found out the hard way lol, the rad should be fine but I\'m just unsure where the water has come from as the rad cap is still present and it looks like the rad hoses have stayed on as well. Although I could be wrong it was dark, will take a good look tomorrow. Appreciate the help Brett mate :)
No worries- I\'m sure it will be fine.
Once you\'ve got the belt on, start it up and let it run until it\'s upto temperature... keep an eye out for white smoke or a hunting idle.
Check for cracking to the brittle plastic end caps or indeed that neck on the top of the water pump I pointed out before you changed the hoses
Will do all that\'s been suggested, if anyone does happen to have a part number or a link to what I need would be appreciative as halfords doesn\'t exist out here.
Speak to Clive -he will sort you out :)
Dude that sucks. Like Brett says though. Get a new belt fitted, buy at least 2 of them (your gonna run a dual pulley at some point anyway!). Start her up with the filler cap off and let her run up to temp. Top up the water/antifreeze as necessary and go for a run out somewhere quiet so you don\'t get stuck in traffic. After ten mins of driving have a quick check of the water level. If its low top it up again and do another run and check again until its full.
Ade
Yeah I will do mate thanks, I\'ll wait til Clive sees this and grab some belts off him then I\'m sure even I can manage to fit them myself. Really appreciate the thoughts and advice :)
When you top up the water make sure you dont put cold water in,
It comes out my hosepipe so it\'s never cold cold, like a UK tap ;)
Someone just confirm this is the belt i need? Need to get one ordered now really so i can make sure everything else is fine.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAZDA-RX-7-AIR-PUMP-BELT-235-89-92-OE-QUALITY-/110692249089?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item19c5c5ae01
N380 code is the one for the FC - but that belt is the long belt going around the air pump, water pump and bottom pulley.
The alternator belt is shorter. That shop sells those too:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAZDA-RX-7-ALTERNATOR-BELT-235-89-92-OE-QUALITY-/300560712654?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item45fad083ce
Was it not the water pump belt that broke on mine though? I\'m sure it was the long one, thats why it overheated isn\'t it?
On an unmodified car, the water pump has 2 belts that drive it. One goes around the bottom pulley, around the left side of the water pump pulleys and around the alternator. The other belt goes around the bottom puley, around the air pump and then around the right side of the water pump pulleys. Because neither of those belt runs have that much contact area with the pulley that\'s why there are 2.
Here\'s a piccy (http://www.xtremeautoparts.com.au/shop/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=215)
Right, I\'ll get a pic of the engine bay up this afternoon then. I seem to only remember one of the belts having snapped though? I\'ll post one up later, as always Prof your help is much appreciated :)
Quote from: B.Martin;799618Right, I\'ll get a pic of the engine bay up this afternoon then. I seem to only remember one of the belts having snapped though? I\'ll post one up later, as always Prof your help is much appreciated :)
Glad to be of Service :yes
Right, iPhone finally uploaded them to photobucket.
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc23/BenNova/46d9ab90.jpg)
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc23/BenNova/c14771fb.jpg)
You can see in this one the damn thing has wedged itself behind the pulley, looks like it will be a ball ache to get out.
Looks like you need both belts then - unless the one around the air pump (stuck behind pulley) is still ok - it may not be when you get it out ;)
Do i need to take them both of to replace them then, i suppose its worth just buying both then isn\'t it seen as i don\'t know when it was last replaced? How hard of a job is it to replace them? Do i need any special tools?
You\'ll need to slacken off the power steering pump belt - you undo the large nut on the small idler pulley - then get a spanner on the top 10mm nut to move the pulley down the slide - simples - you\'ll then get that belt lose enough to slip the others through it.
The othe belts - you need to losen the alternator and the air pump respectively - then the belts are slipped over the fan - a bit of a pain but possible - start with the back belt first - the alternator one, then fit the air pump belt - then refit and tighten the power steering belt and idler pulley.
Alright, so I\'ll buy 2 new belts then and take it from there. Cheers Prof!
Right, i\'ve emailed Clive. In the mean time i need 2 belts, power steering and alternator? Is that correct?
This
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300560712654?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
and this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110692249106?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
Hopefully i can get these ordered and get round to fitting them within the next 2 weeks.
2 Belts - the alternator one you already linked, and this one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAZDA-RX-7-II-FB1-FC1-AIR-PUMP-BELT-2354CC-TURBO-FC1-89-92-OE-QUALITY-/110766134186?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item19ca2d13aa
You wont\' necessarily have to replace the Power steering one - but having a spare is never a bad thing.
So i don\'t need the power steering belt? Where does that come in all of this?
Quote from: B.Martin;799846So i don\'t need the power steering belt? Where does that come in all of this?
You have to take it off or losen it temporarily to get the other 2 on :)
Right, but i don\'t need a new one? So i\'ll get them 2 ordered and then bug you even more when i seemingly can\'t do a simple job ;)
Dude, man up!
Seriously though it\'ll all become clear when you start the job. Its no biggy.
Well i\'ve just ordered the alternator and air pump belts, so once they\'ve arrived i\'ll fit them and refill the coolant system and i\'m hoping all will be well. Fitting belts can\'t really be that hard can it lol? I\'m sure i\'ll be fine!
its not too bad to get off or on, just remove the PAS belt from the 2 pulleys on the pump then work your alternator belt(s) round the fan, couple of blades at a time.
i would advise going for a dual alternator pully setup and remove the air pump and its assorted uselessness.
actually have to do this tonite on my new Series 5
let us know how you get on and if you need any help
Ross
Its a long shot, but does anyone happen to know exactly what tools i need to replace these 2 belts? They arrived today so i\'m hoping to get it done on sunday with a little help from someone over here i\'ve met that just happens to own 2 FC\'s :Giggle
You need to loosen off the alternator bolts - there is a tension one which is attached to an arm on the engine, and also the bolt holding the alternator onto the engine, this will slacken the belts. You can then remove the belts by taking them off the pulley and working it through the fan blades.
To retension the belts you can put a rag and a long screwdriver/bar under the alternator and then lever it up, tighten the bolts and its done :) even I managed to change the belts lol and my airpump accidently \'fell off\' in the process :rolleyes:
Okay, what tools will i need then? I have a socket set and thats about it -_-
A socket set :)
Ah that\'s a win then.
same happens to me when i pick the the FC the first day, is quite a easy job to change the belt, need to take the fan out to reach but should be done within 2 hours. :)
I didn\'t need to remove the fan to change the belts, you just need to work the belt around the fan - its a bit of a faff but its do-able, all the more reason to get an electric fan!
So a freind of a freind, who happens to be a pretty kind guy (and happens to own 2 Fc\'s) is coming over tomorrow morning to help change these belts. So finger crossed I can have her up and running tomorrow.
A quick off topic question, you know the under tray... Is is nessicary? Or can it be removed? It\'s it better to keep it, opinions please.
Okay got the belts fitted and it turns out I need a new thermostat so I\'ve ordered one of them, hopefully have her up and running properly next week. Just a clutch then and she\'s sorted, the love is slowly coming back.
Quote from: B.Martin;801990So a freind of a freind, who happens to be a pretty kind guy (and happens to own 2 Fc\'s) is coming over tomorrow morning to help change these belts. So finger crossed I can have her up and running tomorrow.
A quick off topic question, you know the under tray... Is is nessicary? Or can it be removed? It\'s it better to keep it, opinions please.
KEEP the undertray, its part of the cooling system, remove it and the radiator won\'t get the proper air flow it needs to cool the engine.
Ah okay cheers for that I did wonder, wasn\'t planning on removing it I was just interested.