MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGF Technical - Alternator - How to Tip Engine?

I've just tried to change the alternator on my 1.8 mpi with aircon. Not sure where the alternator is situated on the non-aircon model but mine is located high up on the engine, about level with the rocker cover and tucked into the exhaust manifold pipes.

The top bolt is easy to get at, with easy access to the bolt head and the nut on the other side. The bottom bolt is a nightmare, too high up to reach from underneath and quite a stretch to reach from above (there is a heatshield on the exhaust and you cannot see the nut, ony reach in and feel it. The 17mm bolt head on the opposite side was the only thing I could get a good grip on (it faces the offside of the car, close to the subframe section which holds the top engine mount).

And therein lies the problem - I have managed to undo the nut and bolt but I cannot for the life of me get the bolt to pass the upright section of the subrame/engine mount (it's that inverted U shape alloy piece). It very nearly clears and is about fouling with about 5cm of the bolt head - Just can't get the bolt to move sideways enough as too much of it is still in the bracket (can't pull the alternator out either, even though it's loose, as the bolt is just through far enough to hold it).

I feel that if I could tilt the engine forward while the mount stayed put, I could manage it).

My question is, what is the best way to do this - Is there a simple way of achieving this, jacking up the engine at a stategic point, or undoing a bottom mount? I'd rather jack it than start undoing mounts (seems everything I try to undo shears at the moment) but I don't know where and how much pressure I can put on the engine (obviously with a block of wood between the jack & the engine).

Or am I just being too soft with the bolt and should lever it over, stick a small spanner against the underside of the bolt head and whack it with a hammer? (worried about damaging the thread - especially when trying to put it back in again!!)
Mark Clayton

As to the alternator mount, your description sounds alien to me, but I don't have aircon

You can tilt the engine, the engine mounts are sort of centralized, and the engine is stedied by a big bar that bolts onto the sump with four (iirc) bolts.

If you do undo the steady bar, the bolt which goes thru the bush needs doing up _real_ tight afterwards or it will rattle like hell
Will Munns

Cheers Will, just what I was looking for - Is this the same technique used to install a 4-2-1 manifold. That's on my to-do list and Mike Satur mentioned undoing a mount and tilting the engine to get it in (but I didn't know which one he meant)
Mark Clayton

i would guess so, I Usd it t move things around to give me more room when fiddling with the exhaust
Will Munns

Cheers Will - Just one last question about the mount - The manual mentions supporting the sump with a jack, removing the bolt which passes through the bush on the sump, then removing the other bolt through the bush on the subframe.

Is it necessary to remove both, or just remove the sump one and push the tie bar out of the way? I assume it's safe to let the jack down once it's disconnected - Forgive me I'm always approach everything with a degree of (over) caution!!
Mark Clayton

the bolt thru the bush has to be loosened or the arm simply wont move, but as I say, make sure you do it up real tight when you put it back.


the engine will want to move when you undo the bolts, I don't think you need to jack it from under, but the scissor jack might come in useful to reposition the engine to get the bolts back in place later
Will Munns

Cheers, I'll give it a go...
Mark Clayton

This thread was discussed on 30/10/2008

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGF Technical BBS now