Clutch Fork Pin Removal - Another Thread...

[pfarah]

Hey Guys,

So I decided to beat myself up really well by tackling three jobs at once... Repairing the lower balance shaft housing oil leak and replacing both the clutch and torque tube. I really must be nuts!

Anyway, I'm at the point where the bloody fork pin has to come out and after trying to perform the bolt-in and turn method, as well as the pull out through a spacer process unsuccessfully, I decided to figure out a method using my slide hammer. I purchased the Maddox Slide Hammer (MB16-1) from HF but couldn't figure a way to incorporate the kit bits to match my situation. I don't own a welder to simply tack on a bolt to a provided adaptor so this what I did:

1. I needed to find a very strong bolt and I just happened to have a couple Allen-Head, cam-cover bolts lying around from my spare engine.
2. Using a 19/64" drill bit, I drilled out a larger hole in the threaded cap adaptor supplied in the slide hammer kit.
3. I then used a 8mmx1.25 tap in the newly-formed hole.
4. After moving the flat washer from the cam-cover bolt, I simply screwed in the bolt into the cap, screwed it into the pin, then screwed on the slide hammer.
5. It took about 20-30 whacks of the slide hammer but the pin came out without incident!
Cam cover bolt:


8mm x 1.25 tap:


Threaded cap/bolt assembly on extracted pin:


Slide hammer assembly:


Just figured I'd share this as it may help someone down the road.

[GHEN]

That's pretty ingenious. I hope I never need to refer to this thread lol.

GHEN

[pfarah]

Thanks.

[IdahoDoug]

Well done. Wise to use a larger slide hammer that's built well like that one. I had the same struggle and bought a smaller one figuring 'how hard can that thing be in there'. Well I should have continued that thought with '....after 34 continuous years?' It was a struggle and I bent and damaged the slide hammer's connections but the pin finally gave. Fortunately its a hobby car for me so I was able to spray Kroil on it and let it sit.

Yes, this is a part of that job worthy of respect, patience, and not to be rushed.

[pfarah]

I think I watched Jurgen and Van Svenson's tutorial several times each prior to picking up the first wrench, thanks guys!!!!

Rear main seal and pilot bearing removal is next. I did purchase the proper pilot bearing removal tool a while back and the Arnnworx rear main seal insertion tool arrived over the weekend (just another excuse to buy good tools...).



BTW: It was a real bugger removing the bellhousing, partially because I missed one of the starter cable clamps located near the top drivers side and offset from the reference sensor mounting plate. Imagine my surprise when I pulled the clutch and found this:



There's still some meat left but the throwout bearing was tired and noisy. Besides, the torque tube was whining but I guess after 35yrs and 133k miles, I'd be whining too...

[pfarah]

Continuing work:

1. Flywheel out for re-surfacing; the thickness is currently at 14.25mm so it should be fine after machining:


2. Rear main seal and pilot bearing out:



3. Engine cleaned up:


4. Lower balance shaft removed, found a crack in one of the bearings:

[pfarah]

Flywheel came back from the machine shop today!
about 0.004 was cut leaving over 14mm thickness (well within spec).

[GHEN]

May I ask how much the machine shop charged you?

GHEN

[pfarah]

$65.00

[IdahoDoug]

How do you think the crack formed? Was it an original factory bearing? Good catch.

[pfarah]

No idea but it appears that this clutch is the original one unless it was replaced very early in the car's life. What amazes me is that the rubber center is still intact and in pretty good shape for a 35+ year old car with 133k miles.

[pfarah]

Work completed today:
Pilot bearing & RMS installed; I used the Arnnworx RMS tool which made the install quite easy.


Flywheel installed:


Clutch disc & pressure plate mounted and installed:


Replaced fork needle bearings:

[pfarah]

Not much happened this week but I did get the exhaust headers bead blasted and ceramic coated and the balance shaft bearings arrived yesterday.

[jjeffries]

Excellent work...quality garage ethic very evident. John (NE Connecticut)

[pfarah]

Thanks. My OCD gets the best of me everytime! Besides, nothing's worse than having a couple/few extra parts when finished...

[pfarah]

Question Guys: I'm ready to install the bellhousing and it's getting hung up on the ref sensor boss, up in the tunnel. Is there some trick to do this? Removing it was also a bear but got it done... I'm missing something and appreciate any input.

[pfarah]

Never mind, I figured out that if I tilt the front of the engine just a bit, the bellhousing goes on without too much hassle.


With new pin & locking bolt/nut:


Even had some time to install the balance shaft/housing; re-installing the motor mount bracket was such a joy!

[pfarah]

Spent some time with her yesterday so I buttoned up the front...


Re-installed the ground wires; can someone please let me know if this orientation is correct? I neglected to document this prior to disassembly, thanks!

[IdahoDoug]

Crap, mine's in storage or I'd take a look. Offhandedly, I don't recall that heavy woven copper cable up on the firewall like that. Is that the battery ground? I feel like it goes down on the engine block. Hopefully others will chime in.

[pfarah]

Thanks Doug for responding; I actually had a buddy of mine with the same year look at his and the smaller brown insulated ground cable secures to the clutch bellhousing and not against the firewall - Location B (and thanks for whomever posted this online picture).