More TR-8 questions and answers...
Jim TenCate writes...
> I read your excerpt from today...
>
>> clean. BIG MISTAKE!!! As I grabbed the push rod and wiped, the
>> push rod and clutch release lever fell off of the pivot bolt on
>> inside of the bell housing. If this happens to you, don't even
>> waste your time trying to make the easy fix, --due to the geometry
>> of the clutch assembly and bell housing, it is not possible to
>> reassemble the clutch release lever/throwout bearing/pivot bolt
>> assembly without removing the gearbox....
>
> I've always wondered if anyone had done that. Seems to me
> someone ought to make a tool that could fix that silly pushrod
> arrangement without removing the gearbox. The tool would be pretty
> weird looking probably but you could charge a lot for it too! Tim
> probably would've bought one if it were about $40 or so...
Once again, I must stress--the angle at which you must insert the
lever onto the pivot bolt would cause the lever to hit the clutch
cover. At the same time, you must fit the lever with its two small
metal "slipper plates" onto the throwout bearing assembly. Look on
p.24 (lower left) of the TRF catalog. You CAN NOT assemble this with
the gearbox in the car. Even if you could, the tool that you would
need would surely cost upwards of $400-500! Take my advice--don't pull
on the push rod to begin with! I learned the hard way...
In another note, he also writes...
> Mine does NOT have a heat shield either and I too noticed TRF's
> picture of one. Hmmmm.
>
> Question: Does you STARTER solenoid have a heat sheild? Mine doesn't
> and I think it ought to....
I don't have a heat shield on either the starter or its solenoid.
I think both should have one due to the heat in this area.
My father had a 1971 Pontiac that had eventually developed the same
hot starter syndrome that your 8 has. We replaced that starter a
number of times due the inability to start when hot. The solenoid
would pick up, and you would hear the motor trying to turn as it
brought the voltage down to nothing....all the lights would dim due to
the heavy current--I'm sure you are familiar with these symptoms! We
eventually fabricated a home-made heat shield using a coffee can and
some (horrors) asbestos to insulate the starter from the exhaust pipe
which passed close by. I don't remember if we placed the shield on
the starter or on the pipe itself. As I recall, this seemed to make a
difference.
Jim also writes...
> Steering wheel puller? Naw, I just got an ordinary puller from down
> at the you-rent-everything tool place. I just walked in knowing
> about what my steering wheel looks like and found a puller that would
> do the trick. Tim is right, the usual 'steering wheel pullers' don't
> seem to work. I noticed that it was QUITE easy to pull...I almost
> could've just yanked a little once I got the nut off. It didn't
> take much! However, some care SHOULD be exercised.
I was able to make a makeshift puller from two sections of angle
iron that I bolted together with a piece of threaded rod going through
the center to push on the steering shaft. I clamped the angle iron to
the hub flange and turned a nut on the threaded rod to force the
puller away from the shaft. I was also very surprised to see how
easily it came off the shaft--evidently the dried-up grease on the
shaft splines prevented the wheel from seizing to it. Hopefully I
lined up the splines correctly when I put everything back together as
my match marks got obliterated during the job.
end view side view
___________________|___________________
| |___________________|___________________|
| | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| nut | | nut | nut |
|____|___ | |_ __ __ __|__ __ __|__ __ __|__ __ __ _|
____|____| |__________|________|________|__________|
bolt ^ bolt washer bolt ^
nut
| <--threaded rod to push
^=hub flange contact points | on steering shaft
I used two C-Clamps to hold the puller |
against the hub flange, with a small |
piece of cardboard between them to
prevent marring.
He continues...
> Steering rack? Mines pretty leaky too. The other day I noticed
> that one of the gaiter clamps had just worked loose and fluid was
> squirting out the end along the rod! (Sigh). Mine also makes a
> groaning sound lately that I have to look into. I think I might
> actually have to put some grease in the rack (I've never done that
> before, either on an 8 or 7 so I think I'll ask for advice.) Anyway,
> removal of the steering rack on a 7 is REAL thirsty work. That's
> the sort of thing I usually decide to pay someone to do. I suspect
> the 8's may be even more messy but with a little time and some help,
> it may go OK. Good luck!
The left hand gaiter on my TR-8 had a large hole eaten through it
from the outside (probably due to an oil leak of some kind or from
something on the road) so I had to replace it. There were no fluid
leaks on my rack that I could detect, since the grease in the gaiter
was still in fairly good condition.
If your rack is groaning, you may be low on Power Steering fluid.
Due to extensive leaks along the valve seals, the level in my TR-8 was
extremely low and it made a lot of noise that changed frequency with
the engine RPM. MOOoooo! Addition of some fluid to the pump reservoir
eliminated this noise.
I don't know where you would grease the rack unless you remove a
plug in the plunger spring cover area and insert a zerk fitting there.
Does anybody have any ideas?
Tim Buja Cherry Valley, IL
ccm0b@vm.cc.purdue.edu
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