Major body damage - repair

Where serious damage has occurred or large areas need renewal due to neglect, it means that completely new sections or panels will need welding in, and this is best left to professionals. If the damage is due to impact, it will also be necessary to completely check the alignment of the bodyshell structure. Due to the principle of construction, the strength and shape of the whole car can be affected by damage to one part. In such instances the service of a dealer with specialist checking jigs are essential. If a body is left misaligned, it is first of all dangerous, as the car will not handle properly, and secondly uneven stresses will be imposed on the steering, engine and transmission, causing abnormal wear or complete failure. Tyre wear may also be excessive.

    See also:

    Throttle cable - removal, refitting and adjustment
    Removal 1 Disconnect the battery negative lead. 2 Working inside the vehicle, remove the lower facia panel from the driver’s side. 3 Prise off the securing clip and disconnect the end of the thro ...

    Crankshaft rear oil seal - renewal
    Note: New flywheel/driveplate bolts must be used on refitting. 1 Remove the flywheel/driveplate and the engine adapter plate. 2 Extract the seal using an oil seal removal tool if available. It ma ...

    Alternator drivebelt check (Every 6000 miles or 6 months)
    1 A conventional vee drivebelt is used to drive both the alternators and water pump pulleys on OHV and HCS engines, and the alternator pulley only on CVH engines, power being transmitted via a pul ...