Ciao Ragazzi, since I have a lot of involuntary free time at home right now, I decided to start a major on my car. So far I got the drivetrain out with no real issues but I struggle to remove the bellhousing. 89 TR US For two days now I tried, I searched and I asked around. No results. I read that other people as well had trouble to free the bellhousing for a clutch inspection but I found no solution. Starter is removed as well as the other nine nuts and washers. I eventually took off the rear gear unit to see if something was keeping the bellhousing from loosening but I didn’t see anything. Rubber hammer and a prybar didn’t do anything. I broke two wooden bars already. It barely moves on the outside perimeter (where it was bolted to the engine) but does not seem to move off of the clutch assembly at all. Is there a trick to it? Did I miss something? I really do not want to break the housing or anything else. The rear gears could have remained in place, correct? Also on a different note, I found this in the rear reduction gear. Does not seem to be metal and I have no idea how it got there. Could it just be dirt? Thank you! Image Unavailable, Please Login
I tried to push it in with a bar going through the air vents at the center of the housing... I made a mess with the hydraulic fluid squirting all over - but no luck on the housing. This morning I have sprayed WD40 on all the perimeter and also inside the bell towards the center at the bearing assembly, no change. Is there more to it holding it down? 3 bolts, nine nuts and nothing else, right?
For what it's worth, I'm just putting the clutch assembly back together on my 1990 TR. The bell housing is a very tight fit and must come off straight or it binds. I used a long-handled screw driver and starting at the air vents, worked my way around the bell housing - very gently. Gradually it started to separate, and then you need to keep working in a consistent manner all around. So as I mentioned, you need to move around the bell housing and not work from one spot. And as you probably now know full well - good idea to drain the hydraulic fluid beforehand. Been there done that before, so you are not alone there LOL.
Oh, and another thought - remove the spacers as well as the nuts. May sound silly but when I left two on (they were pretty tight and I figured they would come off with the housing) and tried to move the bell housing, it wouldn't budge. Removed the spacers and worked as I said above and no problem. HTH.
Thank you. I removed all washers as well. I was hammering to the point of getting scared to break anything. I tried to get a screwdriver in between the housing and the engine, but didn’t get enough space to actually get in between. I can see it moving when I pry with a bar at the air vents, but only so slightly. Might it be stuck at the clutch itself, meaning in the center at the bearing?
There are 2 nuts hidden under the bottom of the bell housing just behined the transfer gear housing. You need a wrench to remove, not a socket..its possible you didnt see those. If those are removed and it's still stuck, its likely stuck on the dowels. If I remember they are located at 3 and 9 o'clock positions on the housing. Use a dead blow plastic mallet and tap the sides of the housing where the dowels are while applying rear word pressure..its should come loose.
Those I removed. I counted nine overall plus three bolts on the starter and that coincides with what I found in other threads explaining clutch jobs and also the WSM. I didn’t know there where dowels. I couldn’t find any in the WSM and I didn’t see any when I peeked in between the housings.
I don't know if this applies, but I had a similar problem on my Pontiac. I washed the engine bay prior to removal and the clutch rusted itself to the flywheel. I had to start it in gear several times to have the assembly break free. It was ON there.
Move the flywheel around too. I’d spin it 180°. You may have some sealant at the bottom too. Around the tubes for the output shaft.
Shouldn't be. There are two splined shafts - one for the clutch and one for the transmission. I see also that you have the engine out. That may change dyanics slightly. My reason, my 1980 GMC pickup has a full-floating rear axle and if that alignment isn't perfect, you cannot get the axle shaft back in when doing a brake job. I think the problem is that you need to support the axles close to the transmission. Silly to think about it but that internal transmission shaft may be the problem with the binding (due to the overall weight of the entire assembly). I have a 1980 GMC pickup with a full floating rear axle and unless there is no load on the axles and they are perfectly straight, I have a ***** of a job to do a brake overhaul and re-assembly. Align everything and it comes together. Again, just You are good with the bolt and nut count. The one that gets forgotten can be at 180 degrees from the top. But, you got that. I think that part of the problem is that the engine is out of the car and you may still have the drive shafts attached. I think the problem is that you need to support the axles close to the transmission. Silly to think about it but that internal transmission shaft may be the problem with the binding (due to the overall weight of the entire assembly). I have a 1980 GMC pickup with a full floating rear axle and unless there is no load on the axles and they are perfectly straight, I have a ***** of a job to do a brake overhaul and re-assembly. Take the load off, align everything and it comes together like a hot knife through butterr. Again, for what it's worth. HTH.
Oh, and typos drive me crazy. So the extra "r" in butter. How many "r"'s are there in beer late in the evening LOL.
here are the 2 dowels, no. 49 https://www.ricambiamerica.com/car-diagrams/ferrari/v12/testarossa-group/testarossa-1987/crankcase.html try to find out if the problem of removing the housing comes from the top ( so clutch ) or from the bottom ( input shaft ) or from the dowels. I think the problem comes from the dowels. had this problem also several times if nothing works try to remove the single studs ( sure, can not remove all ) or look if they move a little in the housing. may be there is all rusty inside? yes
I think that turbo-joe and I are thinking along the same lines, but from slightly different directions. You need to decrease the weight on the clutch shaft and transmission input shafts. That would also decrease the pressure on the dowels. So, two things to try: 1) anchor the frame so the engine doesn't go up; 2) ensure there is no downward pressure on the clutch and transmission shafts. That will also relieve pressure on the dowels. If I was working on one of my Trans-Ams, no problem. But the TR with the transmission under the engine is a new game.
Still no luck on the bellhousing. I could, however see, that it flexes when I pry at the vents. It moves off of the engine case but not enough to insert anything between. The bolts seem “free” as I can see flex around them als well. We tried with two people today, bent a steel prybar and broke more wooden bars. I suspect it to be stuck in the center at the flywheel or the shaft.
Tried a pulley system and tied it to the center vents in order to get more pull than anyone could by hand. Nothing. Image Unavailable, Please Login Peeking inside it sure looks like a lot of corrosion. Anything I could do to free the clutch assembly? Image Unavailable, Please Login
I tried to remove the bolts, three I got, on the rest I don’t have enough room to apply sufficient force. But the housing seems free at those remaining. what I could do with the dowels, I don’t know though. The main transmission shaft is removed. So that can’t be it.
That’s what my helping hand said. No mechanic either, but enough common sense to see that something is not how it’s supposed to be.
Likely these words are redundant... but it is the best I can offer. Assuming it is mechanically free, I’d suggest hitting it with Kroil... WD40 is not so good. Focus on the studs running thru the aluminum. The white on your studs is corrosion and it bonds steel to aluminum quite well. After the Kroil soaks for a half hour or so, hit the aluminum with mapp gas torch with a heat resistant sleeve wrapped around the stud. While heating, hit it in multiple directions with a large dead blow mallet - you are looking for heavy internal vibrations in the aluminum... not for deformation or force of movement. Work all around the housing at each individual stud. The heat and blows will help the Kroil work into the area around the studs and dissolve/loosen the corrosion. Next, more Kroil... then heat the studs with a pair of nuts bound together at the stud’s top. Hit the nuts head-on to again vibrate the system.... don’t beat on it. Vibrate the Kroil into the gap. Leave your tension straps in place and under tension as you use heat/Kroil/dead blows. This is not a one time event. Every couple of hours... Presumably you do not see any glue or sealant between engine and housing. Can you feel any lash in your gear? Might the splines be frozen to the clutch plate? Was the car running recently? https://www.amazon.com/Tool-International-KTI70440-Torch-Shield/dp/B000WZVYRQ/ref=sr_1_19?dchild=1&keywords=Flame+proof+cloth&qid=1588189595&sr=8-19 https://www.amazon.com/Kano-Aerokroil-Penetrating-aerosol-AEROKROIL/dp/B000F09CEA/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Kroil&qid=1588189657&sr=8-1 https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Grade-61375-4-Pound-Dead-Hammer/dp/B00F5WJS1K/ref=sr_1_4?crid=UJ0A6H9G0EUW&dchild=1&keywords=dead+blow+hammer&qid=1588189702&sprefix=Dead+blow%2Caps%2C238&sr=8-4 Best Wishes - Don’t beat it to death$$$$$$$$ Image Unavailable, Please Login
