Needs help on what to do with bent steel cover between belt housing and starter motor. I have taken down the belt housing to do a clutch replacement. However, the cover sandwiched between the belt housing and starter motor was bent when pushing the belt housing into the engine block. The situation is that the cover was bent towards the engine side. The bolt from the front cannot reach the starter motor due to a 1 cm gap. I was trying to tighten the gap by tightening the backside. I also note that the starter motor is fastened to at 3 points, 1 front bolt, 1 back bolt at a lower position and a third point that is next to the front bolt as a guide. As a result of the gap, I cannot use the original bolt to tighten from the front. The space is very tight at the back and cannot use any vise grip to close the gap before threading in the front bolt.

If I take down the belt housing again, will I be able to take this cover off and flaten with a hammer. This cover seems to sandwich between the belt housing and the engine block. Is this correct?

Ideally need to know which engine.

Puzzled at first, but I think you mean 'bell' housing. There is no belt at the rear of the engine to be housed.
The housing for the flywheel and clutch is called a bell housing. Something to do with its shape I guess, but I doubt we'd get much of a decent note from it.

Most engines have a backplate on the rear of the block, onto which the bell housing/gearbox mounts. This can be a steel plate, or cast alloy. Alloy plates do not bend well, usually cracking.

The integrity of this plate is essential for correct alignment of the gearbox. If it is bent, rather than try to straighten it, a replacement is best, either new, or used if in good condition.

If the plate is bent, the gearbox input shaft may not be properly aligned with the engine crankshaft. It needs to be exactly aligned. Any misalignment will cause the clutch centreplate to flex, which will tear it apart in a very short time. Occasionally the bottom of the plate can get hit on objects or animals, and clutch failure is usually very soon afterwards. I've also seen failed clutches where alignment dowels have been missed out, or forced into the gearbox making an oval hole, so care is needed when refitting the gearbox.

If you are certain that the only bend is at the starter, and gearbox alignment is unaffected, then straightening the plate may be feasible. Pulling it into position using starter mounting bolts is not a good idea, as it may misalign the starter, which could cause the starter pinion and flywheel teeth to wear quickly.
Really, you need to remove the plate from the engine to properly straighten it. That means flywheel off. Might be a good idea to replace the rear crank seal at that point, and necessary if mounted in the plate.

I'm guessing auto-correct is as reliable as ever

I'm also guessing you mean this, the upper bell-housing cover plate?

(left image is on my 1.2 Panda, right is from a 16v Punto - couldn't find 8v FIRE but it looks about the same)

If so, I don't think it's critical if it's slightly bent. It's only a thin bit of tin and shouldn't be anywhere near the input shaft.

They're a bit of a pig to get to stay in place when getting the gearbox back on. I suspect I also bent mine slightly trying to get it back in place.

The only way I can see it stopping the bell-housing from mating back up with the engine is if that plate has slipped and is blocking something.

It needs to be sitting on the two lugs visible in the picture.

You might need to slide the 'box back off and make sure the plate is sitting correctly.

I also agree with portland_bill, good idea to check for any signs of oil leak around the flywheel. It was oil leaking from the crankshaft main rear seal that was causing my clutch to slip.

It's also worth checking the input shaft for play, as this seal can also leak.

That is the one cover plate. There is no sign of oil leaking there. The bell housing has also already been bolted back to the engine block alright. That is why I am hesitated to take it down just to fix the plate. I guess if I have alignment right for the starter motor then I am ok to pull the starter motor in with a longer bolt. In a way, also pulling straight the cover plate by the bolt.

The arrow is the guide for alignment of starter motor. The cross indicated where it was bent towards the engine block.

portland_bill said:

Puzzled at first, but I think you mean 'bell' housing.

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Easy mistake to make. I've edited the thread title so that anyone searching the forum in years to come isn't confused.

So if I understand correctly, the gearbox went back on ok and is mated back up to the engine block?

Is it just a bent corner of the bell-housing cover plate that's preventing you from getting one of the starter motor bolts in place?

If so, yes I imagine it would be fine to use a longer bolt to draw the starter motor back on. And maybe replace it with the original bolt once everything is tightened up (if you can be bothered).

that is my plan, will report back. since this is the second taking apart the bellowing, I am more lucky in mating back bellowing to the engine block.

dtwkwok said:

bellowing to the engine block.

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I know just how you feel

I report back that all works well. I managed to pull the bent bell housing cover between the starter motor and the bell housing with the original bolt. What I did manage to do was to squeeze my hand behind the bell housing from the front and pulled the starter motor to meet up with the bolt from the front. Once the bolt threaded in, it then just pull the starter motor in and eventually straighten up the bent cover as well.