PAS Pump

The PAS pump is now mounted.  I used a length of 50 x 6mm bar and 2mm sheet to make up the bracket, and the original front mounting plate from the 4.6l V8 engine to secure the front end.  The back plate of the bracket was fixed in place and the pump position marked on before drilling the three rear mounting bolt holes that allow bolts to pass through from behind the bracket into the rear pump mounting lugs, in line with the three front bolts that attach it to the front plate.  There is no adjustment on the plate – the belt is tensioned to one setting, and is fitted by loosening the two vertical M12 bolts through the back of the bracket into the engine timing case.  As the rear bolt is tightened, it pulls the back of the bracket down and the pulley up tight with just enough tension that the pulley can’t be turned by hand without tools.  The belt is 812mm, so quite narrow too (V-belts have widths proportional to length), so sits well down into the pulley wheels, but this should not be an issue as it is only driving the one accessory.

I have also been practicing more with the arc welder, much harder than mig (which I don’t have).  I have been using 6013 rods, which I’m told (in response to my requests for tips) are harder to use than the 7018s I bought today.  The photos show some of the later efforts, once welding a tab of 2mm plate to a 2mm section box tube, and the other doing a lateral weld on the vertical face of the box tube (not as easy as it sounds, welding a vertical face).  I even progressed onto getting some slightly untidy but strong welds on the underside, which is tricky with the sag that these old 6013s are prone to.  I’ll try the 7018s tomorrow and see how that goes – if the weather is any good (the forecast is for rain), I may get to start the bracket on the chassis, the parts of which have now been collected

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