Ventured with friends to Cape Town and winelands for a few days, then headed to the Eastern Cape Drakensberg mountains for a week. During this last week one of our friends came down from Jozi to join us and drove the patrol down, as there are some spectacular trails winding up to higher than 2700m asl.
On his way down, some 250km before reaching the destination, he heard "something sounding like metal on metal". This noise, however, "dissappeared after about 75km". He just reached the (for many years now abandoned) farm house, 100km from the nearest town, 50km from cellphone reception and no landlines, when the waterpump "seized" and the fanbelts melted off.
Very, very lucky that it held to the end. It turned out it was the bolt above the waterpump, fixing the tension brace for the alternator, that came out and fell off onto the pulley of the waterpump. Now the funny thing is that there was no noise for the last bit, as it is a maze of roads and a very remote spot, we drove out to meet our friend and I drove the Patrol to the farm house. even with this bolt off, the tesion on the belts was still enough (the pivot bolt at the bottom torqued with a torque wrench to workshop manual specs) that the alternator charged and the pump operated well, collant temperature normal. however, this bolt must have been grinded till it was small enough to fall in between the pulley and the pump and then got stuck in there FIRMLY.
Carefull not to damage the waterpump and pulley axle, I triend to free the bolt. No chance, it was stuck properly. All suppliers closed and communications to the outside world non existing, I resorted to cutting the bolt with a hacksaw (? ystersaag). Very awkward operation. Replaced the tensioner bracket bolt with one of the 3rd row seat bolts and fitted spare belts (carrying such things along being a habit from peugeot 504 days).
After starting the engine, I noted that the pump axle and the viscous fan base were perfectly balanced and straight, but the pulley was deformed to a patato shape, like the patato pulleys of old washing maschines :( in fear that this patato action will damage the pump axle, I set the tension on the belts very slack. The belt closest to the engine kept inverting, flat side down and teeth side out. eventually I cut this one lose, as this part of the pulley was deformed the worst. This solution worked for another 1000km, including Naude's Neck and Bastervoetpad Pass.
When civilization came out of hibernation, I found that Nissan SA has got the pulley in stock (R900 odd). I got home OK and now I have to resolve this issue. Should I replace the pump in case it sustained damage? Is the viscous couple part & parcel with the pulley? How big an operation is this: suitable for a trail and error DIY attempt?
Regards, Marnus
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