Hello everyone, I am trying to remove the bell housing on my '85 Mondial QV (Euro version). I have successfully removed the gear cover and the middle and lower gears. I have also removed the rings, spacer and bearing from the lower gear. I think I am now only one small step away from being able to take off the bell housing. The problem is, I can't seem to remove the pin that holds the clutch control lever to the push rod fork. I have removed the cotter pin, have applied "Release-All", but I'm having no success. I can rotate the pin but cannot get it to slide out. Is there a trick to this? Thank you.
The pin is held only by the cotter pin. The pin should slide out. The push rod has a bushing, which is a pain to put the pin back in. You'll know what I mean when you put it back together. Maybe the pin is rusted to the bushing and it is the actual bushing that is rotating and not the pin?
Hi there, if you go to the Mondial do it yourself thread 4th down from the top of this page, in there you will find Bell Blokes resource thread, there is a detailed clutch replace video in there. Ps. The YouTube account name is 'thehelidoctor' lots of Ferrari Mondial work videos in there.
Thank you. I have removed the cotter pin, but I didn't think about the possibility that the pin may be rusted to the bushing - though I'm not sure how that changes my approach to removing the pin. I have looked through the Helidoctor's videos and a few other descriptions related to clutch repair. While most of them mention the necessity of removing anything attached to the bell housing before removal, I haven't found one yet that details what exactly should be removed or how. I will check out Bell Blokes resource thread, in case there is something there that may help out. I'm very reluctant to apply heat to the pin given all the other wires/tubes in near vicinity.
It was a terrible pain to reinstall mine. I don't remember pulling it apart. I think part of the challenge is that there is some tension between the two. Maybe have someone depress the clutch a bit so you can get a feel for the action and see where any tension might be at that joint so you might be able to minimize it. Then maybe with a pair of slidelock pliers you can get to both sides and try to get it out, mimicking the idea of a puller or press. Wrap something around the jaws of the pliers so you don't scar anything. I doubt these pictures will be of any help but I'm home and the engine is out of the car so I thought it couldn't hurt. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Yes PV Dirk, that's precisely where I'm having issues. It seems that the pin is well and truly stuck to the ball joint/bushing in the lever. The pin and bushing rotate quite merrily together, but will not budge apart. I did have someone release the tension by pressing lightly on the clutch pedal, but to no avail. I've even tried using a metal C-clamp placed directly on the pin on the cotter pin side and placed over a couple of large diameter washers on the head side, with no luck. I think the only thing left to do is try and cut through the pin on both side between the pushrod and the lever, trying hard not to mark up anything but the pin (and maybe the bushing).... after I first source new ones!
If you cut off the ends, the rusted part of the pin will still be stuck in the middle and you will have no extra leverage to get it out. May I suggest removing the push rod from the slave cylinder and leave it hanging on the clutch arm. Use the C-clamp on the slave cylinder so the piston does not pop loose. You want to avoid bleeding, it is more painful than removing that pin. Once the bell housing is on the bench, you can use a vise to apply more pressure on the pin.
Suggest you get a clamp of some kind, and on the "head" side of the pin add a ring (or nut) that goes over the head but still sits on the fork. Then when you screw up the clamp, all the force is applied to the "dowel" end of the pin, thus pushing it out. If it stops halfway you canadd a ball bearing to the mix to continue pushing the dowel end. Ill draw a piccy if that makes no sense.
I think I had to put a Cresent wrench on the shaft end of the lever and push the lever up or down to take the pressure off of the pin. The pin may also have a bit of a groove worn into it that is making it difficult to slide the pin out of the push rod. There isn't much room to work so it is a challenge for sure. Good luck, Jerry
Ben - I did try exactly what you suggested, using two large diameter washers. I gained extra leverage by using a wrench over the end of the screw handle on the c-clamp .... and bent handle! Richard - is removing the push rod fairly straightforward and does reinstalling pose any difficulties?
The push rod is resting on the piston. The boot holds the rod in place when not installed Pull the boot down. You will see the piston and the rod. If you pull down on the arm, the rod should come out. Not sure how much travel is required to clear the rod from the cavity in the piston Or, loosen the slave cylinder for more room My main concern is if that piston pops loose. You'll have to deal with a brake fluid spill plus putting the piston back in plus bleeding Though per the trouble you are going through removing that pin in the in the car, I would try to dislodge the push rod next Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
if you are sure there is no petrol vapours anyweher you could try heat too. those portable mini soldering irons are good for local heating on tiny parts, then some more loosening oil. Good luck, sounds like you are making progress with some of these methods.
Well, in the end I gave up trying to remove the pin and instead, unbolted the slave cylinder. Because mine had the interior circle, there was no concern with the piston falling out. With the push rod finally free, removing the bell housing went smoothly. The clutch plate is well below the wear limit and the pressure plate is quite rusty. Also, the bell housing and the part behind the flywheel are covered with an impressive layer of black gunk, which will take a bit of cleaning. In addition to needing a new clutch plate and pressure plate, I also think I will need a new flywheel given the striations I can see. I've included a few pics of the various parts, along with a shot of the drained gear oil. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Don't give up on your flywheel. In the hands of a competent machine shop it becomes a light weight flywheel. Small heat cracks are never an issue. Cast iron gets hot and cracks. now big gapping cracks are a horse of a different color. I got my clutch kit from AW Italian. Complete kit with bearings and o rings for around 600 dollars. Hope this helps.
Flywheel looks fine, see my video on how I cleaned mine up and saw the little cracks go. Regards Bell
