A couple more questions/problems 71 Super Autostick.

I called my mechanic and he seems to think ti is the fanbelt. It is loose and when I get a chance I will tighen it up. he said to up do the top bolt and put in a shim and then thighten it up. If that does werk well have to have a new fan belt.

To tighten, you take a shim *out* from between the pulley halves (and put it back on under the main nut and washer for safekeeping. Taking shims out makes the pulley sides closer together and forces the fan belt to ride higher in the resulting v-shape.

Smoke from a short? Not good. Look at the wires along the steering column and inside the hood for melting.

I think the smoke was from the engine over heating. I'll check it out sometime next week. Have to work tomorrow.

I may watch the Bug me Video tonight on tightening the fan belt. I need to get a extra fan belt and the right tools to change it incase one breaks while driving.

Thanks for all the advise.

Hi Steve.

Your fan belt is a number one prioity for the engine life - its not like in a water cooled car. Your engine depends upon it, almost from when you start up and drive off. You should NEVER drive if you think the fan belt is broken or slipping.

As for the smoke - that would be my number one prioity for the life of the bug ! ANY smoke should be investigated - and dont drive anywhere until you are SURE where it is comming from AND have fixed the problem ! Do you carry a fire extinguisher ? and if you do is it at least 2Kg ? the little ones dont have enough in to put out most car fires !

Sorry to sound all serious - but it IS ! Rich

I took the nut off the fan belt and added shims removed shims but still loose. DO I need to add more shim to make it tighter or remove shims?

Thanks Steven

Remove shims. That will draw the 2 halves of the pulley closer together. The excess shims get "stored" on the outer end of the shaft.

If that won't do it, the belt is stretched or the wrong part.

Speedy Jim

I took all the shims off and tighened it up. I then turned the top pulley by hand and it seemed to tighen up. I started it up and the oil light stays off but in Netural the Generator light is faintly on (Was bairly lit). I put it in first and drove it in the back yard a bit and the light went completly off. It faintly came on when I had it back in netural. I check the Fan Belt and it was still spinning properly.

Will not get it back on the road till I get a spare fan belt and double check to make sure everything is working right.

Thanks for all the help.

Thanks Steven

drove her to Gould today (8 Miles South from where I live) to fill her up with gas. She drove down their fine. Hitting speeds of 65 MPH. But when I slowed down to go into the gas station the oil light came ona nd she quit. I filled her with gas and was able to drive her to a parking space so I could look at the engine. I was goign to m,es with the fan belt but it was too hot.

I tried to crank it back up and get in reverse but it kept wanting to go forward and then would quit. Then she wouldn't start at all. I called a friend and he took me home to get my truck to tow her. When I got back I tried to crack her she tired to start but then wouldn't. I towed her to my friends house and I cracked her up once before I left and she cranked fine andidled fine in netural with out the oil light coming on. I then shut her off.

Going to have my dad tow her back to my mechanic and he is going to check the pints, timing, fan belt and maybe change the RPMs to make them higher. And since it is insured and has tags he will drive it around soem and test it out.

I got a new fan belt today and it has the teeth on the inside. The guy at the parts store said that was better becuase they didn't wear as much. Is this true?

I have on driver side mirror but it si really small and I'd like to replcae it and put a matching one on the passager side that is bigger. If I goto a junk yard and find ones I like on any car or truck. What's the best way to mout it to my car?

Thanks for all the hlep and sorry for so many questions.

Thanks Steven