Going to start this thread for members to post up what they did each day to there zed. I will start with getting my MOT this morning. So what did you do today on your 300?:cool3:

Zebedee passed the MOT with flying colours

 

Nice one Ian:)

:-)

 

 

Whoop whoop Tom there nice:) are they the same as mine?

Whoop whoop Tom there nice:) are they the same as mine?

 

I think so, ZetaCRD.

OK, been up all night and now about to freeze my bearings off outside! Had a couple of led bulbs fail so out with the dash again, then I've got to fit the drivers door card and get those neons wired in..

Two pairs of everything on and I'm going for it!

Swore lots at it after ending up with half the brake fluid on the garage floor.

 

Whoops! How did you do that?

Whoops! How did you do that?

 

Flexi pipe split and I hadn't noticed. Had been steadily dripping out for 12 hours or so

Well, needless to say I'm quite pissed today.

 

Timing belt work.... none:

These bolts that tension the water pump/psp are well and truly stuck in and I managed to snap a spanner and i think I've rounded the top one mostly :(

I am using a 14mm socket, none of the imperial ones fit so I suppose its the right one, but because of the position of the whole the socket will never go on straight. Am I doing something wrong?

 

Then I snapped a 6mm allen key when removing the heater pipes, so i suppose i will have to buy a socket version to get more strength.

 

Then there is this list of stuff that needs replacing before it goes back on the road:

3/4 tyres are either punctured or have no tread left, so i might as well replace all 4.

Brake disks all around are very worn and have 1-2 mm ridge at the edges so will need replacing, and probably the pads as well as the braking is not very good.

Need to get new/used coilovers for the front as the drivers side one has a crack in it.

The only place you will find imperial stuff on a zed is on the turbos, as they are Garrett units. The rest of the car is metric. Why can't you get the socket on fully?

The only place you will find imperial stuff on a zed is on the turbos, as they are Garrett units. The rest of the car is metric. Why can't you get the socket on fully?

 

The 14mm socket will go over it fine, but the edge of the socket rests on the inside on the pulley so the ratchet leans out. I've put a 14mm wrench on it as well (the star end) and it just burrs the bolt, so i don't know if it is just seized or what. I've used wd 40 and stuff and still no results.

 

Im still really suprised that the bolt is a 14mm, yet a 14mm spanner will just burr it when full on it :(

 

Should i use Mole grips or something as a last effort to get it off? How do shops get off seized bolts? heat?

Edited March 6, 20169 yr by Alic

You mean the shoulder of the socket is stopping you from getting the socket home?

A deep single hex 14mm socket normally works fine on those bolts. Are you using a shallow socket?

I'm guessing he is, prob 1/2" drive aswel?

You mean the shoulder of the socket is stopping you from getting the socket home?

 

Yes, thats what i thought was the problem at first but even a spanner fully on would just burr it in the end so I'm rather in a pickle.

A 3/4 drive single hex deep socket should do it

A 3/4 drive single hex deep socket should do it

 

I tried a 9/16 as that was the closest it would fit, at this point anything that will get it off will do me good.

I tried a 9/16 as that was the closest it would fit, at this point anything that will get it off will do me good.

Not sure about this exact nut but if they're that bad just use a nut cracker thing. It'll crack the main body and then spin off easily without damaging the thread. Much easier than stilsons etc.

 

I didn't know about them for years but they're really good, especially for things like ball joints that you can't get to stop spinning around

Not sure about this exact nut but if they're that bad just use a nut cracker thing. It'll crack the main body and then spin off easily without damaging the thread. Much easier than stilsons etc.

 

I didn't know about them for years but they're really good, especially for things like ball joints that you can't get to stop spinning around

I think it's a bolt not a nut so I don't think it will work.

I think it's a bolt not a nut so I don't think it will work.

Is it? The centre looks like a different colour, but fair enough

Is it? The centre looks like a different colour, but fair enough

 

I think I'll have a crack with some mole grips, if that doesn't work... I guess i will have to leave it in or something.

I think I'll have a crack with some mole grips, if that doesn't work... I guess i will have to leave it in or something.

You can get a LOT of force on with those things if you get it right, but it will chew the thing up. Just don't put it back in!

You can get a LOT of force on with those things if you get it right, but it will chew the thing up. Just don't put it back in!

I'm not intending to, as long as I get the bolt out its no problem getting another one.

Are you using a single hex socket. You want to be using a deep single hex socket on that.

 

That bolt is very long and runs through the alternator in a sleeve which it can corrode to as far as I remember, it can be very tough to crack. I'm quite sure mole grips won't do it. If the 14mm head is rounded, hammering on an imperial oftern works.

Are you using a single hex socket. You want to be using a deep single hex socket on that.

 

That bolt is very long and runs through the alternator in a sleeve which it can corrode to as far as I remember, it can be very tough to crack. I'm quite sure mole grips won't do it. If the 14mm head is rounded, hammering on an imperial oftern works.

 

It's a socket with 12 teeth, so I guess that would be better, but I don't have one.

 

I if the bottom one is the same as the top one the bolt is only about half an inch long.

I'll have another go next week. Thanks for the suggestions guys.

I tried a 9/16 as that was the closest it would fit, at this point anything that will get it off will do me good.

 

He doesn't mean the socket size he means the ratchet, if you use a 3/8" drive ratchet with a 14mm hex socket you will get it on and have maximum contact with the bolt. Tbh I do this job with a 1/4" drive set I have and have never had an issue. It's been 12 months since I tarted about with that but im pretty sure you don't necessarily have to touch that bolt to remove the belts. There is a handy piece on the Ps pump you can use to lever/push the pump around.

 

Il be straight with you, if your struggling at this stage maybe it would pay to have a professional change your timing belt. We all have to learn but maybe this is a curve to steep? Only you can answer that.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Are you using a single hex socket. You want to be using a deep single hex socket on that.

 

That bolt is very long and runs through the alternator in a sleeve which it can corrode to as far as I remember, it can be very tough to crack. I'm quite sure mole grips won't do it. If the 14mm head is rounded, hammering on an imperial oftern works.

 

This!

Get some heat on the nut with a micro gas torch and heat the nut till its real hot, then use the 14 spanner again.

The heat should free it up. It does look like a nut as you can clearly see the thread of the stud on the end.

If all else fails, get a nut splitter as Valandil suggested.