Hello,
Well I had another go at getting the bellhousing on earlier Today without success, so I tried to find a mobile mechanic to help. No-one was available, all busy. One has offered to help when he finishes work tomorrow if needed. However he did give me one vital pointer...
He said that when he installs a gearbox he uses the bellhousing bolts to locate the gearbox on the engine, starting with the top bolt at 12 o'clock...
However, when you're starting to install the box of course the box starts off a long way from the engine, so the bellhousing bolts are too short to reach the engine holes, so could I use longer substitute bolts from somewhere to guide the box onto the engine? Answer: Yes, the bolts holding up the front subframe are the same thread and diameter as the larger bellhousing bolts, but much longer. So I cleaned up the thread on a subframe bolt, and wiggled the gearbox around until the bolt slotted into the 12 o'clock bolt hole in the engine. That's your anchor/pivot point sorted. I then did the same with 2 other larger bolts on the bellhousing near the front of the car. I also managed to get one of the proper 13mm bellhousing bolts screwed into its engine hole. The box is still too far away - about 25mm - from the engine for 3 of the real bellhousing bolts ("i", "j", "k" in Notes for Novices) to reach the threaded part of their holes. BUT looking through the NS wheelarch, if I have 4 bolts screwed into the engine then, rotationally about an horizontal axis perpendicular to the engine/gearbox mating surfaces, the gearbox must be in it's correct position relative to the engine ie. 12 o'clock on the gearbox lines up with 12 o'clock on the engine etc.
I couldn't push the gearbox on any further, and I am not sure why not. Now the box doesn't wiggle around anymore.
Some questions:
- If the box is still 25mm from home, has the input shaft already successfully mated with the clutch plate?
- When people give the gearbox it's final push onto the engine, how far away is the gearbox from the engine at the start, and how far away after you've given it a push?
- Am I safe to continue tightening the bellhousing bolts, or does the resistance tell me that for instance the gearbox input shaft is meeting resistance/hasn't mated with the splined hole in the clutch plate, so I need to adjust something?
- The clutch lever is loose thoughout it's travel, does it tighten up as the release bearing meets resistance from the clutch fingers?
As for release bearing falling off - the LUK bearing has a square hook off the bottom bracket hooking around/under the lower fork arm, so once the bearing is installed I think it's impossible for it to fall off. I hope...
The clock is ticking... if I don't get the box on Today, it will probably take a full day to reassemble everything, I will have arrange a tow to a garage, which will cost god knows what...
Oh, forgot to mention... my lower back finally gave way last night. Forgot the danger of manipulating a heavy object with restricted access/your body in the wrong position relative to the load - until my back went. Taken some painkillers.