[Healeys] Rear main seal modification

[BJ8Healeys]

Hello, Healeyphiles -

 

A friend and I spent a good part of the day yesterday trying to remove the 4
socket-head screws that attach the two halves of the rear main seal retainer
to the engine block of my BJ8.  No go.  The screws are installed through the
threaded holes in the crankshaft aft flange that normally are used to attach
the flywheel to the crank.   In trying to remove these screws, it appeared
that the screw heads are just a bit too large to get them to go back through
the holes.  A slight interference might be O.K. when installing the screws
because they can be pushed through, but there is very little clearance
between the seal retainer and crank flange to grab the screws and apply
enough force to push them out again.

 

Anyone run into this problem before?

 

Yes, the holes in the crank flange are aligned with the screws

Yes, the screws are completely unscrewed - as far as they can be.  The heads
can be moved around quite a bit to align them with the holes, but it feels
as if there is still a thread attached although the screws spin without
backing out any more.  I believe the screw heads are just hitting the
flange, but clearance doesn't allow verifying that.

The engine is installed in the car.

I may try to file the heads a bit if the space available will allow it, or I
may give up and just leave well-enough alone.  The current seal is not
leaking but I was replacing it for convenience.  It's turning out to be not
so convenient...

 

Thanks for any experience or advice.

 

 

Steve Byers

HBJ8L/36666

BJ8 Registry

AHCA Delegate at Large

Havelock, NC