Engine drop / Clutch replacement

[TX911SC]

Back to the forum for help. Need help from you engine drop / clutch Gurus. Gentlemen, I've read forum posts, Wayne’s book and Bentley on engine drop / clutch replacement procedures extensively as preparation. I’m removing the engine only (not transmission) to replace the clutch. Last night my buddy and I started turning wrenches. We've run into 4 problem areas where I need to ask for your help.

1. Engine-to-transmission studs/nuts: We located and removed 3 of the 4 fifteen mm nuts; Laying under the car looking to the rear; the barrel nut above the starter at the 10 o’clock position; the nut below it at the 8 o’clock position; and the nut at the 1 o’clock position. The 4th nut, the one at the 4 o’clock position is the one giving us trouble. There’s no easy way to get to it from under the car. I can’t get a socket on it because there is some sort of bracket blocking access. I can almost get a box end wrench on it from the rear driver side wheel well, but can’t get any leverage on it. Any suggestions please.

2. Clutch/throw-bearing arms/helper spring: The procedure calls for removing the small arm by first removing the circ-clip. Then supposedly the arm just comes off with a little help from a screw driver. Not the case for me. My plan is to try a puller next, then BFH. My question is this. My buddy doesn’t think this arm has to come off to remove the engine/separate the engine/transmission. But every procedure I’ve read says it DOES have to come off. Why? How? Does the large arm also have to come off? Does the helper spring have to come off? Do these have to come off BEFORE removing the engine or AFTER.

3. Reverse Backup Switch: Procedure says to disconnect reverse backup switch from Transmission. I can’t locate it. What’s it look like? Where is it located specifically?

4. Accelerator linkage: Procedures says to, “disconnect the accelerator linkage from the motor… The rod is connected using a small ball joint end that snaps into a rocker. The ball end of the rod should simply snap off of the rocker… We’ve tried prying the socket end off the ball with no luck. Don’t want to damage this mechanisms. Again, any suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

[NoYouRelax]

I just finished a clutch replacement and I am getting ready to reinstall the engine. Take the transmission out with the engine as I was advised by the wealth of Pelican knowledge here. I can't imagine putting the engine back in and trying to mate it back to an installed transmission. There is enough "while you're in there" stuff to do on the transmission anyway. Best of luck.

[boyt911sc]

TX911SC,

If you think you are having difficulties taking the engine off and leaving the transmission in place, wait when you install the engine back again. Your buddy probably has not done this work before and you are being mislead. If you don't remove the clutch release lever/arm, how do you expect to pull the engine out? The clutch release fork has to swing freely in order to separate the engine that has the release bearing.

The back-up light switch is located at the nose of the transmission where two (2) wires are plugged to the switch. These wires are part of the engine wire harness.

Do yourself a favor and drop the engine/trans combo. Dropping the engine and trans is so easy that I do it for free. Not actually free because I need something to snack while working.

Contact NoYouRelax (Bill). He recently dropped his engine/trans like a pro.

Tony

[yelcab1]

I don't get it. Why leave the gear box in? I can drop the whole thing in 2 hours. You are not saving any time at all and just creating more work for yourself. Trust me on this. 80% of us who do this take the engine and transmission out together. The 20% that don't will soon convert.

[blucille]

agree.

I just did this same thing, dropped the motor from my '79 SC to do a clutch swap, the bill grew a bit when I decided to do a few other tasks....I had a set of early heat exchangers, grabbed a 2-in 2-out M&K muffler, did a valve adjustment, found every hose clamp on the CIS air intake was loose, and found the connector for the cold start valve was completely broken, which explains my horrible idle.....found the throttle plate completely gummed up, so I'm looking forward to driving her again when she goes back together.....a couple of weeks for now I'll be ready for a run.

I think the extra few minutes in takes to disconnect the shifter, drop the CV joints is time well spent to get everything down on the bench and give it all a once over.

now, having a lift, a hydraulic high-lift table, and an engine stand, these are items I would absolutely require anytime I would do this job.

[NoYouRelax]

Tony... Just because I dropped my engine without making a loud noise/bang doesn't make me a pro...LOL I am just a P car trainee, and a real curious engineer.

[zippy_gg]

Originally Posted by TX911SC

Back to the forum for help. Need help from you engine drop / clutch Gurus. Gentlemen, I've read forum posts, Wayne’s book and Bentley on engine drop / clutch replacement procedures extensively as preparation. I’m removing the engine only (not transmission) to replace the clutch.

As many already suggested you should remove the transmission as you will find that your car also needs a clutch release fork, guide tube, seals, etc... Also a good time to check your shift fork guide by removing the bottom plate of the transmission; it is held by 3 nuts that tend to get loose or just be gone. Case in point, all 3 of mine were loose, and one of them was half way gone.
All this is not work you want to do with the transmission in the car.
Since everything is out you have an opportunity to check your starter and connections, including your transmission ground strap.
Good time to replace your transmission and engine mounts perhaps?
The "While you're there" never ends...

[ZOA NOM]

Originally Posted by yelcab1

I don't get it. Why leave the gear box in? I can drop the whole thing in 2 hours. You are not saving any time at all and just creating more work for yourself. Trust me on this. 80% of us who do this take the engine and transmission out together. The 20% that don't will soon convert.

+1

ask me how I know...

yelcab helped me drop my motor for the first time

[rusnak]

Dont forget to change out the oil pressure switch, oil thermostat o-ring, maybe the oil cooler o-rings, and also the crankshaft oil seal after you get the flywheel off. Use new pilot and TO bearings, new flywheel bolts, and don't forget to use the special grease on the tranny input splines.

As for #4, try unbolting the linkage shaft from the transmission instead, then when you get the linkage loose from up top, pull the whole thing down and out.

[timmy2]

+1 for dropping the engine and tranny as a unit for all the reasons listed.

To undo the throttle linkage I wedge a flat screwdriver blade between the ball and socket and then turn the blade. It will pop off.

[Smoove1010]

Originally Posted by TX911SC

4. Accelerator linkage: Procedures says to, “disconnect the accelerator linkage from the motor… The rod is connected using a small ball joint end that snaps into a rocker. The ball end of the rod should simply snap off of the rocker… We’ve tried prying the socket end off the ball with no luck. Don’t want to damage this mechanisms. Again, any suggestions.
Thanks in advance!

Don't force that accelerator linkage. Here are pics of mine. There's a tiny wire clip wrapped around the collar of the socket that's hard to see from above. You can see that a PO pried mine off until part of the socket broke. If the wire clip is removed as shown, it comes apart easily.





On the drop - consider doing the small-drop. The ATV jack method is tried-and-true, but I didn't want another jack to store, so I followed the method outlined in my drop thread, recommended by a few other pelicans. It's described in the first entry, and there's a link to another user's description that's even better.
87 Drop Top - Drop-n-Top End
Having to drop just 3" made for a very low-stress drop that was easily done single-handed.

Good luck!
GK

[boyt911sc]

Check very closely if the ball fitting/connection has the lock shown by Smoove. The earlier cars have no pin on it but the later models have. So check it if the fitting does not pop off easily. I fell victim too for not carefully inspecting the pin and spent a good deal of time trying to pop if off until I noticed this tiny spring lock.

Tony

[Smoove1010]

Good point Tony - the pics I posted were from my 87. I had a rare moment of patience when I removed this. Working on this car has taught me to stop and investigate before forcing anything. I've found that if it seems like I'm pushing too hard, I'm probably not disassembling the thing in the manner intended.
GK

[boyt911sc]

GK,

That's the same car and model that humilated me. I dropped the '87 engine to inspect the clutch before the cross country drive last fall. I felt dumb and stupid for not realizing the presence of this tiny spring lock. It took me about 30 mins. trying to disconnect this ball fitting with no luck until I gave up. On my second or third attempt, something prompted me to take a close look at it and there it was!!!! Took a long nose plier and pulled the spring out and the fitting pop off easily.

Tony