Didn't seem to go through the first or second time, so I am resending this in
two parts.
Very Long, delete now if no interest - Warning #1.
While I need not confirm that this is possible (thanks to David Council, Jim
Stuart, Chris Kotting, etc) I want to let you know that is it nearly done. . .
I said nearly. . .
BTW: Does anyone have a good used clutch lever they can part with??? You'll
see why if you read on.
For the benefit of others, here is what I did:
(It gets pretty detailed after this so hit delete now or forever hold your
peace) Last and final warning.
WHY Underneath?
Let me first say that I really wanted to avoid having to pull the engine. To
me pulling an engine for a clutch job is like taking your pants down to raise
your socks. Why go though all the disconnects, reconnects, realignments, etc.
if you only want to replace a few parts? I understand the need to remove the
engine to assess other parts that may need repairs, but if the goal is only to
replace the clutch plate (as mine was), or there is no access to an engine
hoist (again my condition) I think this is an equal alternative.
Tools used:
For at least 50 percent of the job I was using Craftsman 1/2 and 9/16 wrenches.
I have three types. Closed ends (full circles - used on almost every 1/2 inch
bolt), the new Craftsman flare nut wrenches (these are the new design with an
open cut allowing you to get the wrench onto nuts inaccessible via a closed
wrench (they also perfectly fit the MG nuts minimizing the chance of
stripping), and the regular open end style wrench. I also used my SK and Husky
1/2 inch and 9/16 1/2-inch sockets. These are the "Big Boys!" and were used to
uncrack nuts and add extra wrenching power that I could not get with the
Craftsman wrenches. On a side note: ALL wrenches and sockets I have purchased
at flea markets for a few bucks apiece. I have a FULL SET of SK 1/2 inch
sockets I pick up for just $20! And ALL the Craftsman tools cost less than $2
each. I strongly recommend a flea market hunt for any quality tool on a
budget. I have even picked up MAC tools at VERY reasonable prices.
On to the fun stuff:
What did I do?
Friday night I spend a few hours looking over my books, catalogues, articles,
etc. This is "mental preparation." All this work was/is being done on "my
side" of our two-car garage. I have about 2 feet around one side of the car
and lots of room where the second car rests.
Saturday 10:00-11:00 AM. Lift the car. I was able to get the car about 20
inches off the ground. This is about 20 inches at the fixed crossmember. It is
up pretty high and while I cannot get it any higher, it is plenty of room to
comfortably work under the car. I have 4, 6,000-pound axle stands. Two under
the rear springs, and two under the front crossmember (and the pivots). I knew
I would be rocking the car a bit so I put additional jacks under the rear axle
and another jack (both 4,000 pound) under the front crossmember. This gives me
both wide support and center support at the axles. I also put another jack
(6,000 pounds) with a 4X4 piece of treated lumber running the length of the
fixed crossmember under the center of the car. Can you say anal on the
support! But better safe than sorry!!
BEFORE I STARTED I sprayed many of the bolts with PB Blaster - highly highly
recommended. I also sprayed most of the bolts just after I cracked them. This
made unbolting a lot easier and the chance of stripping less likely. I also
made a conscious effort to go slow. I wanted to mentally tackle this in steps
so that I could write this LONG note.
11:00 - Start the unbolting.
ON TOP: I started with taking out the gearshift from the inside. Simple enough
just don't loose the screws. They can fall into the fixed crossmember and are
a bear to retrieve along with other surprises you can find inside the
crossbember.
UNDERNEATH: I unscrewed the "cap" at the front of the drive shaft and then
unbolted the Drive shaft at the rear axle end. I kept a leg against the rear
wheel which helped to keep the shaft from rotating giving me extra support to
uncrack the nuts. The drive shaft slipped out without a problem. I then
started to unbolt the shaft from the front end and after the second screw
stopped and thought "Why." There is no need to do this, and keeping this part
on would make alignment easier when putting it all back together. I forgot to
mark the rear shaft position, and next time (ugh!) I'll remember to do this.
But with the front part of the shaft in place it should be easier. I just have
to remember to align the points parallel.
At this point it was about 12:00 noon.
I removed the bolted crossmember in a fairly short time. But I did find that
most of the underside was caked with road tar. I'm not talking about just road
tar. It looks like someone tried to pave the whole inside with road tar and
gravel. It smelled like road tar (you know the kind they use to fill chuck
holes and it was about 1/4 inch thick across the WHOLE inside bottom!! Yechh!
The rubber pads were melted into the bolts and rather nasty. Where the hell
was this car in another life (DPO)???
I then tackled unbolting the trans. I put another jack under the transmission
with a 2X4 piece of lumber lengthwise. My concern here was not dropping the
transmission, but it slipping down while I unbolted the screws at the top of
the engine side and losing a few digits. I started at the easy end - the
bottom of the car. The screws on the bottom end came off easily. At this
point, I also unbolted the starter at the bottom. Then I made my way to the
topside. The uppermost screws were pretty easy, and the top started bolt came
out fine. The two screws at the transmission end however were a real bear --
This is the two bolts that are at the very top of the transmission. It is a
very confined space and my fingers were pretty contorted trying to wrench even
1/4 turns. I also needed to add a wrench at the back end on the farmost bolt,
which took FOREVER to unbolt. I unbolted ALL the screws from the passenger
side of the engine bay. There was not enough room and too much of a confined
space to work from atop the engine bay on the driver side. Like I said the
last transmission bolt, directly over the driver side was the most difficult to
get. You need to have a second wrench on the nut end and unless I had the
flare nut wrench that perfectly fit the nut I do not this it would be possible.
I tried to get at many of the botts with my sockets but there is just not
enough room even for my thin walled husky's. So after about 20 minutes on just
this one killer bolt I finally got it out.
It was about 1:30 at this point. - But I'm not certain.
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