Bob:
Just to add a snippet of advice regarding gearbox removal - yes it can be
done, with the engine in situ (mine is currently!) and you should find that
the brackets that secure the gearbox cross shaft to the frame can be slid
inboard along the round steel supporting tube to facilitate this. The LH
bracket is located on the tube by a pointed-end bolt, which, when removed
should allow that particular bracket to slide as mentioned.
Regards
Dick Morbey
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-mg-mmm@Autox.Team.Net [mailto:owner-mg-mmm@Autox.Team.Net] On
Behalf Of William Putnam
Sent: 09 November 2004 19:47
To: Bob Grunau; MG-MMM
Subject: Re: PA-0531
Bob Grunau <grunau.garage@sympatico.ca> wrote:
I need some advice on PA-0531. The car is making a "clanking" noise when the
starter is engaged. .... Any suggestions as
to what the noise might be? I fear a loose flywheel or crankshaft flange as
the last person to work on the engine rebuild is a known "under-tightener"
of nuts and bolts. Help!!
...Bob Grunau
Dear Bob,
I can't give you specific suggestions on the clanking noise, but if the
previous build was done by a known "under-tightener" I would pull all
critical components of the car apart, check to make sure fasteners are the
right size, grade, and in good condition, and re assemble. I have seen too
many scary set ups on these cars due mainly to incompetent backyard
mechanics to trust that everything is ok. Some examples include track rod
ends with no split pins holding the threaded cups, steering worm bearings
missing in steering boxes, 1/4" grade 3 hardware store bolts with flat
washers for U-Joint couplings (where 5/16" should have been used), rod bolts
with brass washers under the nuts and no split pins (which I believe
contributed to the large hole in the side of the block), brake cables with
less than 1/2 the original inner wire strands intact, the list goes on.
This is does not touch the issues of cracks in critical pieces such as
steering drop arms and spindles.
I had a friend who bought a "fully restored" TF at a premium price. He was
quite dismayed when the steering wheel came off in his hands while driving
(the nut attaching the steering wheel to the steering column was an
incorrect size and thread), and following that he lost steering again when
all the bolts in the coupling between the steering column and rack fell
out-again this was an undersized hardware store grade fastener without the
split pins and castellated nuts per original. Finally he agreed to let us
look over the car to see what else was likely to fall off.
The gearbox supports the rear of the engine on a PA, so unlike a J2 where
you can pull the gearbox without touching the engine you'll need to support
the bottom of the engine to pull the gearbox. Do a search of the archives
for more explanation of the gear box cross tube removal on the PA.
With the cold weather coming to your area this would be a good time to do a
little disassembly of the PA to check on critical components.
Bill Putnam
J 3488
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