Tips/tricks for re-installing a 348 clutch housing?

As mentioned in the thread - I couldn't feel any contact at all until it twigged I needed to make sure the TO bearing was all the way back (so your not fighting against the splines).

This left me at the stage where you appear to be at ie. you can only get the pumpki so far on then it sticks. What cracked it for me was gettig it on as far as I could but then using a slotted screwdriver poked through to rotate the shaft whilst apply pressure to the housing. All of a sudden it just slipped on.

 

This is sort of what happens when lots of cooks in kitchen and the baker is baking his 1st pie. The OP in the original thread posts exactly what Jeff is doing in this last post just 2 completely different ways of doing it. The concepts are the same.

My guess is the PP fingers killed the new oring as the big splines are not engaging the clutch shaft and the OP bounced the pumpkin around hanging it off the shafts. That darn thing is heavy. Clutch shaft has to slide in 1st partly then the input shaft to FW. A 3rd way to get the clutch shaft to align is if the pumpkin is a no go then pull it out turn the shaft to move the splines in a new position and try again. That's why with a little wiggle it usually will slide in and the comments about sometimes it just slides right in happens. There are only 11 splines on the clutch shaft so the coarseness of that creates this problem.

 

It also helps if you put it in 5th gear and get someone to move / rock the rear wheels as you try and slide it on.

Edit - You've tried that..doh!

 

Have you tried cursing at it?

 

I have done it a few mounths ago, it's a *****t. The first time I just tried it, and the pumpkin slide over the shaft, after moving the starterring with my fingers.

Within a week my clutch bearing started to leak oil. I had to take the pumkpin off again, and after fixing the oil leak, it wouldn't slide over the shaft. What a #$%#

What I did:

I took the clutch out of the pumpkin.

Put the pumpkin on the shaft. The flywheel will slide over the shaft.
Now find some rags and push the in the holes in the back of the pumpkin.
Put them in tight! So the will hold the flywheel in it's place.
There are 8 holes. Use them al. Fill them up and lock that flywheel sucker.
http://exoticautorecycling.com/wp-content/uploads/imported/Ferrari-348-Clutch-Housing-Only-PN-143279-301010968849.jpg

Now gently pull the pumpkin of, and try to keep the flywheel in it's place,
without turning it a single milimeter.

Now built the clutch back on the flywheel, but be really gentle. Dont move the flywheel!

Now put it back on and your done! Ow dont forget to pull the rags!

Good luck

 

Its nearly 2 years ago since I did it so may have the details wrong but IIRC once youve got the initial engagement you cant rotate the shaft you want unless you do what I did and manually move it using the end of a screwdriver. - see pic below.

NB Just to reiterate this was done after loosening off the bleed nipple so I could push the TO bearing as far as possible towards the gearbox.

Very frustrating job to do until you realise whats preventing you from doing it.
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I can't think of what weird thing is holding you up. If we saw it the answer is probably obvious. One thing it sounds like others do that I never do is dink with the T/O bearing. I only force it in and out in an attempt to bleed it before I put the pumpkin on. It makes life so much easier before you final bleed. Getting the pumpkin on is only part of the battle. Air likes to collect at the top of the system. In fact I don't use the crossover pipe down to the left side of the pumpkin. I remove this whole piece and put the bleeder at the top of the gearbox case. I did this because I had clear path line of site because my 348 was a gutted racecar with straight tubes no mufflers in it's final years of life. I never try and lock the T/O bearing fully toward the engine. There is no need for this. That is what bugs me. It sounds from your description as if the T/O bearing and PP fingers are coming together too much to spring you off the clutchshaft splines. That is weird. The pumpkin should sit cockeyed on the shafts. Then do the Jeff tweek, Vincinso's swearing, Bruces pull tug, my wiggling and the pumpkin should drop right on the splines and just sit there with no springing back. Then a bit more widget and the FW should index with the input shaft and slide about 1/2" from the gearbox. Then you can pull it all home with nuts.

So something is weird like a really bad angle on things or other weird set-up. You FW is within spec, your plates are within spec, PP fingers move fine, and your T/O bearing moves freely, both discs in the right direction not flipped right? I can't remember if the discs are symmetrical. Twin disc/single disc, flange and T/O bearing compatibility? I'm just trying to think about silly errors.

How close are you to Daytona? I race there in 5 weeks if you give up.

 

I had to remove my bumper and muffler on my 355 to remove the clutch. I swapped the seals on the TO and never touched the clutch. My car was on a lift Like you, I fought like hell trying to get the pumpkin back on. Read tons of posts.

After what seemed like a full on gym workout hauling the clutch from the bench to the car I finally got it to drop into position. I lowered the car onto the ground and moved the car back and forth a little while pushing the clutch on. I don't recall if it was in gear or not. I swear there was something magical about having the car on the ground and not in the air.

Don't let it beat you! Keep at it. Sometimes walking away for a while will make the part fit better!

 

Since you are that far apart maybe put the bellhouse with FW home just to get the feel for that. Then add in the clutch and PP and see if you can get it home. You are probably mismatching splines or having face of BH not 90 degrees to the shafts, IE you are cocked like having a press fit bearing that won't go home because it is cocked.

 

I know this won't be much help, but I throw it out there just in case. Having hooked up drivelines on equipment my whole life, it isn't only the line up clockwise but also the vertical and lateral direction. If it is going in at a little angle the splines will bind. Just like hooking up a PTO on a tractor, you have to jiggle it as you rotate it. A little lube helps too. Try cleaning the splines with a toothbrush and applying a very light oil.

I think that is why it is easier with the car on the ground, you get a better angle to jiggle it and move the car back and forth. Keep us posted.

 

Is that clutch nearly worn Wade? Looks close to the rivets in that pic mate.

 

Not mine but there's quite a comprehensive list of instructions on replacing clutch here

My Ferrari 348 - 348 Clutch Replacement Part 6 Re-assembly of the Clutch

May be worth reading through in case you spot something youve missed????