Re: Milano 2.5 questions

[richard bies <bies@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

First thing, you need to get the guy who has it to tell you <why> it needs
a new alternator belt -- and judge if you believe him.

I <could> just be broken, but.....on seeing the car, pop the hood and
wiggle the water-pump pully -- if it wiggles a little, it is going -- if a
lot, the bearing is shot.  Then turn this pulley -- it <has> to turn -- if
it won't, the bearing has siezed, and there is no alternative to replacing
the pump.

If that all passes with little wiggle at most, then look for drainage from
the weep-hole -- if the seal is going, coolant will come out the bottom of
the pump housing -- if shot, it comes out through the shaft.  Look at the
coolant level -- chances are that if it is going out the shaft, there will
be little coolant.  Actually, if the belt broke, there's a good chance the
coolant level is low.

The other bug-a-boo is the alternator -- turn the pulley.  It too <has>
to turn.  If not, the alternator needs to be replaced.  Difficult, but it
<may> be possible to cobble a belt to turn the water-pump while skipping
the alternator -- driving in daytime on a fully charged battery you may be
able to make it on the battery -- but I don't think you can do without the
water-pump for 300 miles.  (I drove that '58 Spider Veloce from NYC to DC
without any charging).

I'd suggest taking, at a minimum, a replacement belt, and an empty
container for anti-freeze.  The nuts/bolt on the alternator are 13mm
(relieve and adjust belt tension).  It will run on tap water -- if low,
you'll want to go-over the cooling system and change coolant anyway.

If neither bearing is siezed, but you have a working belt, it may be
prudent to not turn the cap on the tank tight (so that the system does
not pressurize) -- I drove an Audi with shot water-pump from Chicago to
Pittsburgh that way -- so long as I maintained road-speed, the coolant
was not lost rapidly enough to over-heat. 

r.m.bies

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