silent running

I'm at the stage on my engine build where it's time to fit the engine back in the bay. Can anyone help me out with a step by step walkthrough of how it's done. I think I've pretty much got it (well I took the engine out myself and rebuilt it so I've done OK so far...) but it always hear the tricks of the trade. Also is it possible as a one-man job?

I'm gonna clean up the clutch a bit first with some spray clutch cleaner - any areas I should avoid? Then once that's done bolt my clutch onto the flywheel as soon as the engine's up on a crane rather than on the stand. My release bearing stayed attached to the clutch when I split the engine and gearbox, was this correct? It bent one of the 'ears' that the fork goes into, so should I just bend the ear back or junk it?

Seems like the order is: clutch to flywheel, jack gearbox at the front, align clutch onto the gearbox shaft, don't fit the lower gearbox studs through or the engine mounts until the very end? Anything that can go badly wrong with all that? When does the clutch fork need aligning into the bearing? Just before you close everything up? Presumably then the pivot can be wiggled in once it's all in place?

Cheers!

Badbird

prety mutch thats it exept in my experience you need to get the bottom studs in befour you get the engine up to the box or they wont go past the inner cv joints and into the holes, Anyone else found this,
brake cleaner is ok everywhere as its a degreaser, straighten the ear unless its stupidly bent..put them together and when its bolted up you can get the clutch fork into the ears and put in the shaft....remember to put the fork in the bell housing befour putting the engine up to it as it wont go in after it dont fit through the hole...importantly you diddnt mention it so i will....bolting the clutch to the flywheel the clutch disk must be perfectly alligned usualy using an aligning kit or a dummy shaft fail to do this and your in a world of pain........good luck

silent running

OK, so the clutch alignment thing is something I've never done before. I'm guessing that the problem is if you just bolt the clutch onto the flywheel so it looks right, you could end up with it slightly off centre, meaning the gearbox shaft won't go through?

If that's right, can it be done with any old shaft? A broom handle that was the right size for example? Or a big socket?

And, can it be done easily as a one-man operation; the craning and slotting in the gearbox I mean?

his-n-her-scoobs

iTrader: (5)

There are tools on the market for aligning the clutch but I centralised mine by eye. If you check that the pressure plate overlaps the clutch plate evenly all the way round you won't be far out.

Don't forget to lubricate the splines and the clutch release arm pivot. I used a smear of graphite grease. Others may have different ideas here.

Have you replaced the pilot bearing in the flywheel? Well worth doing for a few quid.

It is a one man job but two men makes it easier.

Good luck Impressed with your work so far, especially for a novice


Are you going to post a Youtube vid? Would love to see it running

ticky

It can be done with one man but it always mean checking have far to lower the engine when mating it to the gearbox. A friend will just make it easier.

Clutch aligned on flywheel. I prefer to have the clutch bearing separated from the clutch.
Place the clutch bearing onto the clutch fork arm and push the arm forwards so the bearing is resting on the back of the gearbox (on shaft) Then tie down the fork so the bearing stays in place. This way you don't damage the bearing when mating the engine to gearbox. Ive tried the method with the bearing attached to the clutch and its so much easier the other way. Once everything is together you just pull the fork back and you will hear the bearing click/lock into the clutch.

Raise the gearbox so its creates an angle when your mounting the engine. As long as the engine mount bolts clear the subframe you should have no problems.

Try to tie the engine so it lifts straight, if you get this angle correct the engine will just slide onto the gearbox.

The last thing make sure you don't catch the lower cover plate that is just under the flywheel.

Ticky

ticky

I hope this link works: chop shop clutch alignment

YouTube - Chop Shop - The Clutch

silent running

Great stuff, many thanks! Let's hope I get some dry weather this weekend then! I've got half a sachet of ARP's moly lube that came with my head bolts. Will this do the job for the clutch release bearing or should I get something else? Presumably not copper grease?

jeansmechanic

As ticky said, release bearing mated to clutch fork inside bell housing, once you have engine bolted to the box, push the fork towards the bulk head and you should hear a click as the bearing locates into the clutch. When you press the clutch pedal it will go to the floor first time, lift the pedal up and it will then be perfect. I didnt realise this when refitting mine and had the engine out 3 times before i realised i just had to lift the pedal! good luck mate. get another person to be your eyes when trying to line everything up

jeansmechanic

just use a smear of copper grease on the shaft the release bearing runs on. i would replce the bearing if its slightly bent, wouldnt want all the hard work putting the thing back to together for a relatively cheap bearing to fail and have to take it all apart again