Most liked posts in thread: Looks like I'm in the garage all weekend.

  1. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    #2 MCS02, Jun 28, 2016
    What year and is it an S or cooper?
     
  2. Rawhyde

    Rawhyde Active Member

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    #3 Rawhyde, Jun 28, 2016
    How is your air conditioner working? A buddy with an 04 was having air conditioner problems (thought he had a slipping clutch), but his alternator light came on whenever he tried to run the A/C. As it turns out, his harmonic balance had failed and the outer ring was slipping on the hub. Surprisingly enough, it was not throwing belts. Make a radial chalk mark on the balancer from the hub to the outer ring, go for a short drive and see if they still line up.

    Regarding "service mode", it's not nearly as hard to do as it sounds. Get it up to a comfortable working height, remove the front wheels and go to work. The bumper cover will be off in just a minute or two. The aluminum bumper comes off very easily. There are about 4 of the plastic clips with the phillips screw in each fender liner, pull the crash tubes (a rubber hammer is your friend), get some bolts to screw in the holes the bumper bolts came out of (M6 x 4", I think), and gently slide the front bulkhead forward on the bolts. The aluminum bumper has one bolt and the rest are nuts on each side. It's really easy.

    Better yet, remove both fender liners before you start. You have to take off the passenger side to get access to the belt. You can clean them up and use 303 Protectant on them. Takes maybe 5 minutes to pull one off. Once you're safely lifted up, you'll probably be in service mode in 45 minutes or less.

    If you were close by, I'd invite you over and we could knock that out in a hurry.

    Rawhyde

    PS Don't tighten the crash tube bolts until the aluminum bumper is reinstalled
     
  3. MelloCooper

    MelloCooper New Member

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    #4 MelloCooper, Jun 28, 2016
    Msc02 it's 2004 S.
    Rawhyde thanks for the tips. The a/c is working fine. Chalked lined the HB and after a short drive it is lined up still. I would have never thought to check it that way. This is why I ask you guy's before jumping in. Lucklly I'm on vacation till the 7th so I have plenty of time to get this and a lot of engine bay cleaning done b4 I need the car again.
     
  4. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    #5 MCS02, Jun 28, 2016
    Well sense you have to do all that work you might as well put a 15% pulley and ATI crank pulley on it. I don't know if it has been said already but get a new belt tensioner
     
  5. Savvy

    Savvy Well-Known Member
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    #6 Savvy, Jun 29, 2016
    ^that. And to the OP... You'll come to learn we're good at spending other people's money.
     
  6. MelloCooper

    MelloCooper New Member

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    #7 MelloCooper, Jun 29, 2016
    I wish I could drop a pulley in but cash is short atm. That's coming after I get all my suspension upgraded.
     
  7. CHKMINI

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    #8 CHKMINI, Jun 29, 2016
    Check the jump stud connection in the black plastic box on the left side of the firewall. They are known to come loose and/or corrode and give the exact symptoms of a bad alternator.
     
  8. MelloCooper

    MelloCooper New Member

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    #9 MelloCooper, Jun 29, 2016
    That was one of the first things I checked. I was hoping it was something that easy but I'm not that lucky.
     
  9. MelloCooper

    MelloCooper New Member

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    #10 MelloCooper, Jul 2, 2016
    Well everything went good on the alternator replacement. Had no troubles during the whole repair. Spent the last three days scrubing under the bonnet with a tooth brush, plastic scraper and diluted simple green spray. Topped it of with some 303. I think it made a huge difference and now I have a clean engine all the way around. Should make any future leaks easier to spot. Here's afew pics
     

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  10. MelloCooper

    MelloCooper New Member

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    #11 MelloCooper, Jul 2, 2016
    Dirty
     

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  11. MelloCooper

    MelloCooper New Member

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    #12 MelloCooper, Jul 2, 2016
    Clean
     

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  12. Rawhyde

    Rawhyde Active Member

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    #13 Rawhyde, Jul 2, 2016
    Great job! Looks like you have a lot of weekend left!

    Now, I gotta go into work and tie in some additional electrical panels in a data center without...

    1. shutting down any servers, or
    B. getting myself or anyone else hurt
     
  13. MelloCooper

    MelloCooper New Member

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    #14 MelloCooper, Jul 2, 2016
    Working Live is always fun. Be safe. Thanks
     
  14. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    #15 MCS02, Jul 2, 2016
    Looks great!
     
  15. 00Mini

    00Mini Well-Known Member

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    #16 00Mini, Jul 2, 2016
    Nice job !!