Why I sometimes hate my Sprint...

[USASPRINTMAN]

...because I find it completely ridiculous that to change a fan belt you have to remove the radiator.
And to replace a burned out alternator, you also have to remove the radiator. The Haynes and Factory books want you to remove the bonnet to take out the radiator. Think about this: to change the alternator or fan belt, you have to remove the bonnet, drain the cooling system and remove the radiator.
This is just stupid, and it's enough to sour me on the whole Sprint experience.

In the factory book it says later models have a "provision" whereby the long top alternator bolt can be removed from the rear of the timing cover. Does that anyone know what that provision is?

Signed
Frustrated in Detroit

[Mad Mart]

I've never taken the rad out to change the fan belt

On the Sprints with the 12 vane impellor, the angle of the waterpump housing outlet is a different to the 6 vane, thereby allowing the long alt. bolt to be inserted from the rear of the car.

[Yellow Banana]

Concur with Mart. I've had my alternator bolt inserted from the rear..
(ouch!!) of the engine block that is - with the nut between the timing cover and the rad. Eezy peezy. (Didn't realise that the angle of the dangle of the pump cover differed between the 6 & 12 vane cover tho')
Mike

[smifter]

Nah those are minor things which can easily be worked around - a bit like the myth of having to take the engine out to remove the jackshaft eh Mart?

Same goes for the sump, perfectly possible to remove it in situ, not easy but possible.

You want to know what poor design really is? When I had the Smart roadster it was necessary to remove all the rear body panels and drop the rear subframe just to change the bottom row of spark plugs! £200 for just a plug change at the dealers! Similar if you want to change the front indicator bulbs - requires all sorts of jiggery pokery removing front panels. Sadly thats quite common these days and explains why modern cars cost an arm and a leg to service.

Sprints are still quite easy cars to work on, which is just as well because they break quite easily!

[Mad Mart]

Hello Graeme, nice to here from you. No, sump is easy in situ, done it a few times now.

[Jon Tilson]

What utter tosh....
You can thread the fan belt through the viscous drive fan blades no sweat in about 30 seconds...
As to the alternator...well if some twit has fitted the long bolt in from the front on an engine rebuild you cant blame the car for that...
Just saw it off and get a new one...

The early six vane covers obstruct the bolt but you'd be unlucky to have one on a later car, which I think yours would be being R reg...

Having to remove power steering pump to change Stag battery is something to bitch about....there is nothing that daft on a Sprint.

Jonners

[DoloWIGHTY]

...because I find it completely ridiculous that to change a fan belt you have to remove the radiator.
And to replace a burned out alternator, you also have to remove the radiator. The Haynes and Factory books want you to remove the bonnet to take out the radiator. Think about this: to change the alternator or fan belt, you have to remove the bonnet, drain the cooling system and remove the radiator.
This is just stupid, and it's enough to sour me on the whole Sprint experience.

In the factory book it says later models have a "provision" whereby the long top alternator bolt can be removed from the rear of the timing cover. Does that anyone know what that provision is?

Signed
Frustrated in Detroit

What! someone dares to critise the "wonderful" Sprint!

Makes me happy to have an 1850.

[Jon Tilson]

if you had an early one then you too would have the silly alternator bolt issue. Thats anoter reason why mine now have TR7 lumps..
I would tend to agree about bonnet removal for radiator out though.
It does make it a lot easier and its only 4 bolts and a cotter pin....5 minutes tops..
I cant think of another car with an easier bonnet removal...
Stop whingeing...or we'll make you work on a corvette.

Jonners

[David6214]

Can I submit lotus sunbeam for easier bonney removal, well maybe as easy....or my old baja bug beetle - just 4 bonnet clips..

[Mad Mart]

Nah!, my track Sprint bonnet comes off in less than 2 mins. It only has two bolts holding it, the ones nearest the rad. so that you can get a ratchet on them!

...............

[Lewis]

Tempted by putting a slant in the SE. Undecided as of yet, mind. Or something more interesting. TR7 conversion does seem to make an awful lot of sense

Then again, I probably won't hack this one about, much...undecided.

[AdamF]

there is nothing that daft on a Sprint.

Is (was) on mine... Blinking V8 conversion meant that to change the oil filter was a radiator out job. Now that was annoying.

I now have a remote oil filter assembly - bliss!