(Home) New owner gaining the force

I have just purchased my first townace (actually a masterace surf 2LTD 2WD manual to be precise). It's just what i wanted but I didn't realise that ownership requires the mental qualities of a jedi knight. In the week since getting it I have had to fix the passenger door window which had come loose and wouldn't close (in the rain, naturally), changing the fan belt and coping with a radiator boiling over.
Thanks to all the information on the BoK and on the online manual at townace.com I now realise how much I didn't know before but it has helped me get the jobs done. Working without a manual is like doing a jigsaw without the picture on the box!
If it's of any help to others...
door window: the glass had come out of the rubber mounting on the scissors mechanism. It was much easier to put back once I had removed the mounting off the mechanism and fitted the glass back inside pushing the mounting down on to the glass with the window upside down. i had lubricated the glass with washing up liquid and took care not to push too hard. However the first time i did it the glass pulled out again is friction the only thing holding it in when the glass is pulled down? Presumably there is too much friction with the side channels which is dragging it out. This time I think I'll leave it up for the moment!
Thanks to the online manual I have just carried out my first floor pan removal (and my second as the first time I forgot to put the radiatior shroud back!)
Is it really necessary to remove the power steering belt to remove fit a fan belt. I couildn't loosen it so had to take off the fan and the engine pulley to get the steering belt off. I only know that's what it is now because there is now a squeaking when I apply full lock. I'll try and work out how to tighten it by the time the fanbelt needs checking after 100 miles. By the way, for anyone removing a fanbelt remember to loosen the screw bolt at the end of the adjusting slot or you can't move the alternator towards the engine.
Boiling over caused by damaged rubber washer on radiator cap. (I hope so)
Thanks to the information about the instrument lights it is a relief to know that it's low oil and not low oil pressure.

- (#9951) Andrew Brazier, 7 Apr 04 12:10

Nice to see you are enjoying the quirks of the Townace. Some would raise their hand in horror and sell it on..
May the Ace be with you.

- (#9951) Clive (Bristol), 7 Apr 04 14:14

Andrew - welcome and I'm glad you find the online manual so helpful.

Surely the belts can only be totally removed in strict order - pas, fan, aircon, but I agree that to slacken/tighten the pas one it helps (but is not essential) to remove the fan and its pulley first (4 bolts). You can remove the fan and pulley, and (just, if necessary) put it back, without moving the alternator to slacken the fanbelt(s) themselves.

No, you can't get the fanbelt(s) right off until the pas belt is slack and off the crankshaft pulley.

- (#9951) Dave Mason (Sussex), 8 Apr 04 04:19

andrew,

i had my masterace 4x4 since 1998 and back then we had no bok only confusion and greedy garages who would only look at the beast for amonths wages and then tell you cant get the parts,when i discovered this website
(about 2 years ago)and started to get the support and very good advice it was then that i decided to keep my masterace for afew more year.

welcome
dennis

- (#9951) dennis, 8 Apr 04 13:51

andrew concerning the windows ihad a problem that when i opened the front powered windows the glass seemed to drag forward i tried everything to sort it out including bending the runners not a good idea.
the solution was a can of silicon spray lubricant sprayed on the rubbers of the window runners hope this helps

- (#9951) keith wright, 23 Apr 04 05:27