Special bell housing bolts

[Gresley]

Hi guys,

Over the last couple of weeks my clutch has developed an very notchy pedal when the engine is hot. We are talking very notchy and jerky here

I was going to remove the gearbox and have a look, but I have just noticed the 'special bolts' made by LD for aligning the gearbox. As the clutch has been beatifully smooth for thousands of miles I cannot see how this would cure it in my particular case. Just wondered if anyone has any experience of this? Clutch out methinks...

Thanks
Brian

[richardthestag]

crap in the splines, slicky release bearing carrier, worn bushes on the cross shaft, worn grove in the bearing carrier, tired pins on the release fork and or all of the above.

Also while it is all apart make sure that the clutch cover bolts are not bottoming out in the flywheel threads, mine were!! ground a couple of threads off the end of each, paid a lot of attention to the splines so that the clutch plate could be slid up and down with a blast from my air gun, fitted new carrier and fork, and made sure that the fork pins fit cleanly around the grove on the carrier.

transformed mine, still feels a bit agricultural occasionally but certainly not more notchiness nor sticking

p.s. Oh and no I didn't go for any fancy special bolts. There are 2 or three bolt holes between bell housing and engine that need larger bolts, when the gearbox is on the deck these are easy to spot. find the bigger bolts and put them to one side - these should fit snuggly and will be the first you install. once these are in all the remaining 1/2" bolts (socket size that is) go in and it will all be lined up great.

While mine was off I also replaced the speedo drive seals to stop gear oil getting up to the speedo head. fitted new cotton reel mounts and also cross member mounts. It also worthwhile draining the oil and making sure that you can loosen the filler plug. I filled mine with 20/50 multigrade for a dead light gearstick.

[ethel]

p.s. Oh and no I didn't go for any fancy special bolts. There are 2 or three bolt holes between bell housing and engine that need larger bolts, when the gearbox is on the deck these are easy to spot. find the bigger bolts and put them to one side - these should fit snuggly and will be the first you install. once these are in all the remaining 1/2" bolts (socket size that is) go in and it will all be lined up great.

.

If I recall from doing my bellhousing bolts over the winter there are two 'fitted' bolts or 'dowel' bolts positioned at about 11 o'clock and 2 o'clock as you look from the rear of the car. There are also two larger dia bolts above and below the unused startermotor bulge on the right, but theses aren't 'fitted', just normal clearance.
John.

[Gresley]

Many thanks guys. Looks like a stripdown is the way forward, maybe there is some wear in there because as far as I know the gearbox is original and the car has done 132,000 miles. I'll build my muscles up and get the box off! I have heard of the dowel bolts, I wonder if mine even has them?

Brian

[richardthestag]

I think a 9/16 unf bolt fitted mine snug. most of the nuts and bolts are 1/2" while it is all apart should be easy enough to find.