datsun-roadsters
[Top] [All Lists]

Possible answer: inspection hole in bellhousing

To: datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
Subject: Possible answer: inspection hole in bellhousing
From: "John F Sandhoff" <sandhoff@csus.edu>
Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2001 14:15:26 -0700
Warning: Roadster content follows :-)

Remember a couple weeks ago, there was discussion about a PO that
drilled a big hole in the bellhousing? Well, I suspect I now know why!

My starter went out on Friday. (I'm getting darn good at swapping them, and
on a late car with headers and the 2L shorty I can have it out in minutes. I'll
take pictures and post a 'how-to' soon). Anyways, I swapped in another unit
Saturday and was back on the road - or so I thought. Sunday while running
errands we stopped at one place and couldn't get going again. A strange
half-click, half-clunk, half-grind. Good thing my son was with me, a good hard
push and we were running again.

Back home, I yank the starter and find THE NOSEPIECE MISSING. Just
had the tip of the armature shaft kinda hanging there! ARGGH! So now I
had a chunk of cast aluminum waiting to chuck itself into the clutch
assembly! The question: How to get it out?!!

I tried fishing it out from the starter hole but no way could I even get a
look-see (using a fiberscope no less), let alone figure out how to snag it.
Boy, did I think about drilling my own 'inspection hole'!

So that's what I surmise happened - the other guy lost a chunk of something
or other - his starter detonated too, or he dropped a bolt or a wrench or his
pet Chihuahua down there, and needed to get it out. Boy, a hole in the
bellhousing sure would have been NICE! Maybe at the next clutch job
I'll cut the block cover plate so the lower portion can be unbolted and
removed!

-- John
     John F Sandhoff   sandhoff@csus.edu   Sacramento, CA

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>