prongeron removal help

[mickmick]

further to my "i've knacked my sump" thread i have now aquired a sump, and will shortly be fitting it.

However, i know i will jave to remove the prongeron thingymabob, but for the life of me i cant find a write up on how to do it in the manuals i have downloaded.

So could some kind soul point me to either the right page for it, or to a writeup that someone else has done

Thanks in advance

Mick K

[Candles]

They've hidden it under starter motor removal in the electrical manual. Page 38, Section MJ.18.

Good luck, and make sure that car is well supported as the rear bolts can take some real welly.

Candles.

[Candles]

And photos of mine:

http://elan.250free.com/starter.htm

[donsladek]

I'm going to be replacing my beat-up prongeron and sump in the near future, and I'd like to know if it's best to have the car on jackstands at the front jacking points with wheels hanging free, or to have the front wheels on ramps?

Thanks!

Don Sladek

[Candles]

The weight of the car needs to be supported elsewhere if you remove the progeron as it holds the wheels together. Otherwise it will gradually squash downwards with the wheels being pushed outwards by the (enormous) weight of the engine block.

[Gordon]

A silly little question I suspect, so I thought I'd tag it on the end of here:

I'm I right that you don't have to remove the progeron to drop the radiator & radiator support frame? - it appears to bolt to the front of the progeron...

Gordon

[Enright]

Yes you're right (and no I don't mean you're right that it's a silly question ).

[Gordon]

Damn... I was using the progeron removal as an excuse for not doing my radiator fans... (or fan as it is at the moment...)

Thanks anyway! (and for deleting the double post - no idea how that happened!)

[Gordon]

Now I realize why you're not supposed to jack on the prongeron... I never have, always taken it on faith that you shouldnt, but mine has been (as I suspect many have!)

I'm pretty sure it's bent... (like upwards, under the sump...)

Should I be expecting everything to jump out of line when I undo the bolts between the prongeron and the rad frame? - Am I about to open a major can of worms here??

[Candles]

I don't think you have to remove the prongeron to get the radiator frame out. Just undo the bolts at the front.

Candles.

[muley]

A silly little question I suspect, so I thought I'd tag it on the end of here:

I'm I right that you don't have to remove the progeron to drop the radiator & radiator support frame? - it appears to bolt to the front of the progeron...

Gordon

Yes, you are right - you don't have to remove the prongeron; just the 3 small set screws right at the front of it.

Jim

[muley]

Now I realize why you're not supposed to jack on the prongeron... I never have, always taken it on faith that you shouldnt, but mine has been (as I suspect many have!)

I'm pretty sure it's bent... (like upwards, under the sump...)

Should I be expecting everything to jump out of line when I undo the bolts between the prongeron and the rad frame? - Am I about to open a major can of worms here??

In my experience, you may have to use a jack under the prongeron and sundry levers to get the prongeron to line up again (even if it hasn't been distorted in the past)

Jim

[Gordon]

Thanks Jim,

I've not yet undone the three bolts holding the front end of the prongeron to the rad frame, but I am concerned that the whole assembly looks bent...

I suspect the rad frame is under a fair degree of "preload" by the progeron pulling it up and back (if that makes sense) - This may well have something to do with why my rad has started leaking...

Has anyone else encountered bent radiator support frames caused by this? - I'll try and get some photos of it, as it's a bit hard to describe.

[nitroman]

Now I realize why you're not supposed to jack on the prongeron... I never have, always taken it on faith that you shouldnt, but mine has been (as I suspect many have!)

I'm pretty sure it's bent... (like upwards, under the sump...)

Should I be expecting everything to jump out of line when I undo the bolts between the prongeron and the rad frame? - Am I about to open a major can of worms here??

In my experience, you may have to use a jack under the prongeron and sundry levers to get the prongeron to line up again (even if it hasn't been distorted in the past)

Jim

I removed, cleaned & waxed, and reinstalled the prongeron with polished stainless bolts, nuts & washers on my white M100. I no no probs getting things to align. Just left the car up on jack-stands the whole time.