Struggling to get Alternator bracket sorted after engine rebuild!

[Davewillb]

Hi,

I've been rebuilding my 3.5V8 after a cracked block and have got to the very exciting stage of getting the engine back in the Discovery - I'm really struggling to get the alternator and power steering pump back in the right places bizarely - I can clearly remember one of the fixings for the alternator mounting bracket being held by a stud - now that location seems to be occupied by one of my new cylinder head bolts - also there is a supporting strut coming up from the lower part of the timing cover that goes to the alternator bracker which is cranked, I think mine must be the wrong way round or upside down as it in the way of the power steering pump.

Here are a some pictures:-

First the bracket with the hole arrowed that my dodgy memory says used to be held by a stud and not a head bolt - which isn't possible now?

This is the strut that may be the wrong way around and needs the bottom pulley taken off to turn it round (cause the bolt is behind the pulley).

and just for luck this is the alternator loosley in position on a spare bracket with the lug cot-off that should (possibly) locate under the cylinder head bolt.

Any help would be much appreciated - the battle continues tomorrow morning.

Cheers,

Dave

[Davewillb]

Sorted now I think, the strut was the wrong way up which didn't help so that made it foul the power steering pump...I still don't know what the story is / was with the alternator bracket and the head bolt - as I had two brackets and one was broken in that area I just chopped that bit away and I can't see that the alternator will have enough tension on it to bend the bracket as its pretty substantial.

Time will tell!

[Davewillb]

Well there is always a sting in the tail isn't there, spent half the day trying to work out what the pipe connections from the back of the water pump should be, Micocat shows one connection going off to the heater circuit, my timing cover had two outlets.... After a lot of head scratching I checked the original timing cover ( I'm swapping bottom end due to a cracked block) - sure enough that has two outlets ... But two outlets aren't used on a hot wire system I don't think, more head scratching, lots more!

Enentually I remembered the donor engine for my bottom end was a flapper system, both engine numbers started 24D but one was that little bit older ....that still didn't explain two outlets on my original timing cover though or how it was connected up. At that point I remembered taking pictures before and as I dismantled the original engine.... Checked those out and can't see that area Typical!

Eventually ... after hours of surfing, Microcating and swearing I took one more look at the original timing cover ( still on the original engine, yep still definitely two outlets .... wait a minute, castings for two outlets, ONLY ONE drilled out, the other still blanked off.

OFFS

Dave

[Davewillb]

Just to add a bit of good news, got the rebuilt engine started tonight... this is my first rebuild and done in a hurry to try and get my Disco back on the road after what I thought was a failed head gasket that turned out to be the cracked block..

I've replaced the cam and lifters, timing chain etc and crank bearing shells, composite gaskets, refurb end the oil pump and after a few scares this evening it's running.

The scares were, two ignition leads swapped, blow on the exhaust at one manifold and worst of all... I fitted the distributor yesterday, forgot to tighten the clamp this evening, cranked the engine with plugs out and the oil pressure light went out.. Great!

Plugs in, it fires and runs!!!! but sounds horrible due to the plug leads and blowing manifold, then the distributor must have jumped up and oil pressure disappears.. Scrap iron I'm thinking but after a bit of head scratching and finding and fixing those problems it now sounds ok ....fan bloody tastic.

Dave