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Bellhousing alignment dowel missing...What to do?
Not a Cobra question, but close enough.
I am helping a friend put a clutch in his old truck. It is a FE. One of the alignment dowels in the back of the block is missing and the hole has been drilled to the point it will not hold a replacement dowel. There is not room to get a straight shot with a drill to try and drill a straight hole. I see we have two options to fix this truck; 1. put in the new clutch and attempt to use a dial indicator to center the bellhousing, then tighten everything up. I am not sure if it will move due to the engine torque or not. 2. Remove the engine, braze the hole shot and have a machine shop redrill the hole. Obviously removing the engine is a hassle. What do you engine experts say? Barry, Keith and others? John |
Try a longer dowel all the way to the bottom of the hole and/or try a shouldered bolt or two either side of the dowel. With one of the dowels still in place you shouldnt have too much trouble finding a happy sweet spot.
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Can you fit a shorten drill bit in a right angle adapter on the end of the drill? If you have room for that then I would make sure the bell is center, tighten all the bell bolts and drill the dowel hole the next size up to clean and make a good straight hole. Then have a new dowel made up and tap it home. Can you loosen the engine mounts a little so the engine can hang down a little at the back to give a better angle at the dowel hole?
Good luck. |
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Don't the bellhousing bolts line up the housing? If it's made it this long without the dowel pins..its most likely OK.
I got your beer...but I'm going to drink it while your tightening those bolts. |
I'm with Excal on this one. Line it up, check if its close, and go driving. The longer dowel/shouldered bolt idea ain't a bad one. I would not get too awfully stressed out.
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no expert but makes me wonder what made the dowel disappear in the first place. i would get it as close as possible then bolt it together, if there was a concern about movement and possible you could put a roll pin in somewhere. check the pilot bearing.
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I would measure the current size of the dowel pin hole then buy a reamer just large enough to clean it up. Then I would make a new dowel pin to tap into the block and use the same reamer to size the hole in the bell housing as well. You might find a drill where the shank is just the right diameter you're looking for. Don't do a half assed job. I've spent the last two years correcting dumb stuff the guy I bought my car from. It takes just as much time and only a few more dollars to do things right.
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Paul |
Timesert the hole
Grubby Time sert the hole and use a new bolt to screw into it. Cut the head off and you have a new dowel pin. Make sure you check the bellhousing to be centered on the back of the block and crank. Yes I have done this before, work fine. Rick L. P.s Use the bell housing as a guide to drill the hole out.
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