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        General >> Problems >> snapped drive belt & oil leak!!
        
(Message started by: mijfife on Apr 23^rd, 2008, 6:10pm)

Title: snapped drive belt & oil leak!!
Post by mijfife on Apr 23^rd, 2008, 6:10pm

Hi all, my '96 TD Ultima broke it's auxiliary drive belt today about 5 miles from home. I can't get one until tomorrow so as the car was in a layby on a quiet road, I let it cool before driving it home, making sure it didn't overheat. (I managed to coast with the engine off down hill for about 1.5 miles!!)
When I got it back, I noticed a large puddle of oil under the car. I've traced this to a circular disc that is in the pipe that runs from the brake servo down to the vacuum pump on the back of the alternator. The circular disc thing (some sort of valve??) is at the vacuum pump end. When I start the car, I get a steady stream of oil from this.
Is this just leaking here because the vacuum pump wasn't operating and it's allowed engine oil to come up the pipe or do I have a bigger problem?

Cheers Jim

Title: Re: snapped drive belt & oil leak!!
Post by sector-9 on Apr 23^rd, 2008, 10:29pm

Does the alternator spin freely? It could be that the vacuum pump/alternator siezed and that broke the belt.

There should be no oil in the vacuum line to the brake servo, however the vacuum pump will continue to receive pressurised oil whilst the engine is turning, but it may not be able to escape down the drain pipe back into the sump fast enough without the alternator turning. I imagine the circular valve is a non-return valve to maintain vacuum in the brake servo whilst the engine isn't running, but that's just a guess. :-/

I would suggest you put a container under the vacuum pump and disconnect all three pipes from it, draining the oil out into the container. I would also remove the vacuum line to the servo and blow through it (from the servo end) to expel any oil still in there. After you've done that you can remove the vacuum pump end plate if you wish and check that the plastic vanes move freely in the circular block thingy, and that the oil drain hole isn't blocked. Be careful not to damage to O ring on the pump body when you remove/refit the end plate.

That lot should keep you entertained for an hour or so. ;)

Darren

Title: Re: snapped drive belt & oil leak!!
Post by mijfife on Apr 24^th, 2008, 9:38am

Thanks for the advice Darren, I'll have a look this morning and do as you have suggested.

Cheers Jim

Title: Re: snapped drive belt & oil leak!!
Post by mijfife on Apr 24^th, 2008, 4:47pm

Got my new belt today only to discover on fitting it that the belt tensioner had disintegrated :( It doesn't seem to be available from anywhere other than the main dealers and Mr Ford wanted over £100 for one. I couldn't get it until Tuesday at the earliest and as the oil refinery in Grangemouth is going on strike, I really didn't want to be without the only car I have that runs on veg oil so I've just replaced it with a bit of flat bar and tensioned the belt manually. I've been doing that with Imps for umpteen years so I think I can live without an expensive fancy spring ;) If anyone has one going spare for a TD, please do get in touch...
Cheers Jim

Title: Re: snapped drive belt & oil leak!!
Post by sector-9 on Apr 24^th, 2008, 9:38pm

Same engine is used in several other makes of cars so you wouldn't neccesarily have to go to Ford to get one.

Darren