I'm gradually finding out why my car was for sale.... usual reasons I guess; impending maintenance problems mounting up. Car has been running a bit rough, so figured on changing the dizzy etc.. Could I get the rotor arm off? Could I heck! Stuck fast to the shaft. Has anybody a tip for removing the little sod?

PIJ

Pull harder?

I initially left mine on for far too long after a gentle pull didn't remove it first time round - I was worried about breaking something!

Tom

Be carefull I used a small leaver and snapped teh cam!

Thanks for that - I figured something may break if I attacked it. I'll put it into a garage and get them to strip it out. I suspect somehow the thing has welded itself to the shaft as much of the insulation has burnt out, as has the rotor tip itself. Either that or the last owner forced it on somehow.

I like the 2 litre, especially with the leather seats, and figure it would be a pretty nice car after a decent service.


PIJ

spray WD-40 round the area where it clamps on, try and get it underneath it with the tuby thing, leave it to soak for a few days and then get a large screwdriver and pry it off.

pettaw wrote:spray WD-40 round the area where it clamps on, try and get it underneath it with the tuby thing, leave it to soak for a few days and then get a large screwdriver and pry it off.

And then, if still no luck, apply mole grips. Worked for me once....

The rotor arms are fairly tight on a 360 when you first put them on, so I can see this one being fairly well stuck! I think Andy has the key to it...work the WD in over a few days, then get a little neaderthal on it

cheers

James

Hi guys, thanks for that - will give it a go. I imagine that this arm has been on for years, as looking back through the old MOT's the car runs high on the CO content.

James - you should have your waterpump soon as it appears to have been sent off. Let me know how you get on.

I'm still after a door catch-strap by the way!



PIJ

I have in the past had to cut the rotor arm off. If you cut down the length to split it and tehn use a wide screw driver to open it up it should then come off.

The pump arrived today - Thanks Phil!

I have already promised my 'in stock' check-strap to someone else, but there will be more available, in due course

cheers

James

No worries James - hope it goes to good use after all of that!

Put my car in for a full service today [I'll do the small ones, local garage the annual big boy!], so it will be interesting to see how the 2 litre goes after its' first proper service in 5 years. I can sense a nice car wanting to get out, so can now appreciate the "it needs another 50bhp" comments.

I could probably get a check-strap if I buy a whole door from a breaker...


PIJ

I'll try to pry one of mine out without damaging it.

EDIT: A check strap, I mean.

Good man!

Just got the car back from the service. £280. Ouch! Could get a decent car for that. Approx. half of this was due to knackered suspension bits, which took time to fettle. So call it £140 for a full service?

Does the car run any better? Was it money well spent? Probably, but the financial pain will always hurt.


PIJ

Think of it this way, a new S40 loses that in value in a month, whereas yours is rising in value with every penny you spend on it

What did they do to the suspension?

Tom

Hi, they did the anti-roll bar links so it should handle better.

You are right about the service / depreciation curve. To be honest, just because a car is low value, there is no reason not to look after it provided the bodywork is fine. It makes no sense to spend £500 servicing a £5k car, but completely ignore the requirements of an older vehicle.

..and as for depreciation, don't also forget the cost of buying the thing. My wife's car we bought new. Cost us £240 per month against the loan, perhaps £200 a month in depreciation, and the last service [just fluid changes - no actual work done to the car] cost £700. Overall, excluding petrol, running her car for one month costs the same as mine for a year.


PIJ