The BORA

I am in the process of disconnecting the gearbox linkage. The small screw that holds the u-joint is giving me trouble. The nut came out without any issues but the screw will not drift out. Are there any tricks to remove this screw?

Ivan

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It is a tapered pin and the nut is on the small end of the taper. Loosen the nut a couple of turns and try a c clamp. Maybe a little heat

 

Yes utilize the nut as a way to protect threads. Add a thin washer under the nut so that you don't bend it over when using a medium sledge hammer with a short handle to effect impact shock to break the grip. Support the joint in some fashion. from behind. I used something to the floor which means the pin needs to be vertical.
These are a real beotch to get out. Spraying some Kroil on them first and letting them soak for at least over night.
I think I bought new taper pins where needed and threaded the ends. Definitely put anti-seize on them.
Before removing the sliding portion that's under the headers see if it slides nicely. On my those two mounts were operating different planes so the shaft would bind which makes for crap shifting.
I used small shim washers to get them aligned and that work beautifully.
I also added a piece of straight silicone hose between the mounts to keep the sliding needle bearings from drying out due to the heat with slide seals on the outside ends. But you do need to add filtered vent just like with the CV boots because it all heats up.

Use silicone boots not the OEM crap. If you dig you can find them.

Did I mention this was a real beotch?

 

Ivan, both Eugene and Bob have good advice.

They are all tapered pins, remove them like a tiny ball joint. Mine were stuck so hard they got badly damaged. I bought replacement u-joints, tapered pins and a tapered drill bit from Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co.

When re-assembling, note that you do NOT need to torque that nut down hard AT ALL. Leave it just snug. I had to recondition the steering bars on Khamsin 1196 with the same tapered-pins at the under-dash U-joints. These came out with a light tap because they were installed "gently". That was a learning moment.
- Art

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Good morning all,

What is the general or specific location of an OEM voltage regulator in a 1975 Bora? I'm suddenly getting a weak Generator warning light and voltage gauge showing 10V when running the Bora. My first intent is to check that none of the wiring at the alternator has come apart, but I suspect the voltage regulator. Any other suggestions are welcome, but I'll start there.

Cheers,
- Art

 

I think it's up front LH side behind Head lamp bucket. That means removing the dreaded skin shredding wire grill in the luggage compartment.
There's a much more modern solid state Bosch for later than the Bora from a Mercedes. It's probably in the interchange list.

 

by this do you mean increase the size of the factory opening for reciculation? That would of course render the flap useless, although I see no reason why I wouldn't want some recirculation even if the fresh air vent is open.

Or is there another area to make a second hole?

I did what Ivan said and put a spacer to bring the front cover in the frunk a cm or so away from the firewall there and seems theres a bit more air flow. Will report back after driving on a hot day if it helps. I didn't do the separate circuit on a relay thingy yet.

 

Well I never actually did it to mine but let me describe how my friend discovered this issue. H was unhappy with the air flow through the vents and decided first to put in a more powerful squirrel cage fan. His son was in the trunk and when the fan was on high he was unable to pull the panel inside the trunk off because the suction was too great. So hiss deduction was the opening into cabin that it sucks from was undersized. I don't know where that opening is so you'll have to figure it out. Once he did that the system performed much better and he was utilizing the old York compressor with R12. I believe he had the roto-lock with O-rings connectors. The idea is to create more airflow when recirculating. He lived in a hotter part of the bay area climate and would regularly see 90-105F during the summer.

Hope that helps.

 

Update: After trying multiple things and failing, a friend suggested an air hammer. I bought a cheap one on Amazon plus a set of blunt bits. The pin was out in less that 15 seconds.

Ivan

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Congrats VICTORY!

If you attach a pair of large casters bolted to the front chassis mounts of the subframe, remove the shocks and springs then insert some pieces of 2x4in the A-arms to prevent them from collapsing you can easily wheel the entire subframe and engine around on the floor.

 

Fabulous. What winning looks like!

 

I was thinking of moving the subframe assembly around the garage but have now decided against it. My biggest concern is how to re-align everything when it comes time to install the subframe. The holes for the four bolts must be perfectly aligned. If I move the subframe then I will need to somehow be able to move it in all four directions in order for the holes to align. The body is in a fixed position and can't be moved; it only goes up and down. If I leave the subframe on the jack stands then by lowering the body the holes should still be aligned. At least that is the theory.
I should be able to pull the heads where the engine sits now.

Ivan

 

Let me just say as someone who's done this with taking everything apart, sandblasting it, having it powder coated, replated and then reassembling the engine plus transaxle on the subframe and subsequently lifting it back up again via a pair of floor jacks under a piece of plywood under the oil pan ... your fears are completely misguided. The main body and it's frame plus the subframe itself are so rigid and accurate in manufacture that alignment is not an issue.

This is totally different than my rear GOC's subframe and body which had solid aluminum mounts substituted for the rubber ones and that was a real SOB to do with me lying under the car on jack stands using both of my legs and arms to spread everything to get it all to align so that the bolts would go through. The Biturbo in Ghibli guise was still a sloppy and imprecisely manufactured car.

The Bora, at least mine is not. when I completed the subframe & engine structure I rolled it out onto my driveway in SF to take pictures of because it was so impressive looking. My driveway was not flat and indeed had many twist's and undulations as it crossed a 12 ft wide sidewalk and a 3 ft elevation change. That didn't torque anything out of alignment. But make sure the top cross brace over the transaxle is bolted firmly in place.

 

Perhaps I did not explain myself clearly. Of course the subframe is rigid and the mounting holes locations on the subframe will not change. What will change if I move the subframe around is the location of those holes with relation to the body that is sitting above it.

Ivan

 

How does one manually rotate a Bora engine? There is no nut in front of the crankshaft like most cars.

Ivan

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