Bellhousing explosion <insert expletives here>!!

[spandit]

Was underneath the Pinz today with the engine running, to check for exhaust leaks etc. Suddenly noticed I could see the flywheel/clutch going around



When off-roading a few weeks back, I heard something rattling but couldn't tell where it was coming from and it soon stopped - thought it might have been a pebble caught in the muffler but now thinking it might have been a nut/bolt thrown from inside the bellhousing.

I'm guessing the area this crack is in wasn't originally filled with oil, so once I've checked/replaced any bolts etc. inside, I suppose I'll have to get it welded up. Any good tutorials on removing it?

Needless to say, I'm not best pleased...

[spandit]

Further investigation (putting my fingers inside the hole - I hasten to add without the engine running) found the culprit:



The one on the right is a 6mm hex key, mounted in a 3/8" drive socket (although it was in 2 pieces when I fished it out). The one on the left is a different one from the same set for comparison. Some idiot* must have dropped it inside the bellhousing whilst working on the starter motor. Since my, I mean, the idiot's work on the starter, the Pinz has done about 1500 miles so apart from the bellhousing, it doesn't seem like there is a huge amount of damage.

A back of the envelope calculation shows that the outer rim of the flywheel at 4,000rpm is about 150mph so you can understand the impact.


Since starting the procedure to remove the gearbox, I've noticed another crack around the top fixing bolt - if this gets much worse there won't be a lot supporting the gearbox (which has a bit of a leak from the rear so could do with coming out anyway and it doesn't look like that bad a job). Looking for a replacement bellhousing...






* me

[cronapress]

What a bummer !! I'd want someone's guts on a plate for that! Trouble is, who's going to own up ?? The previous owner ? The owner before that ??

Whoever did it MUST have realised what they've done and decided to keep quiet. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Commiserations Robin.

Mike
712M

[spandit]

Mike,

I know exactly who it was and he has agreed to pay for any parts required (bellhousing £180...) plus do all of the work. Problem is, he shares both my name and my bank account

[krick3tt]

Didn't need Scotland Yard for this one! A simple mirror will do.

[spandit]

Not sure whether it's worth trying to weld it or just replace. Either way, it will need to come off

[Pinzgauer Pete]

Drill a hole at the end of the crack to keep it from spreading thengrind a chanel around the length of the crack, weld the crack shut and weld a small plate over the hole..you will be fine with that.

[Heed]

I dunno Robin...

That looks like a 'Swiss Government-Issued' tool to me!

It must have been the last Army mechanic that worked on it

[spandit]

That is a much more plausible explanation. I recall now that my hex key set didn't come with a 6mm bit...

[spandit]

Well, I finally managed to drop the gearbox off this evening, mostly in the dark and without the tools I'd ordered because the ****ers neglected to tell me that one item was out of stock despite the website saying my order had been dispatched...

Damage isn't as great as I'd feared. Large crack at the bottom as already shown and a small crack at the top (which I knew about) but other than that, a few dents/scratches. The clutch bearing seems fine - spins freely so I'll clean it up and put it back. The flywheel has a few dents on it, but no damage to the ring gear, thank goodness.

Haven't taken the clutch off yet (it's a Sachs unit) but the release springs were undamaged and it hadn't given me any trouble.

Only real problem (apart from putting it all back together again!) is that where the top stud sits in the engine casing, there is a small crack - whether this was as a result of the damage or when I removed the gearbox, I don't know. I'll bleed some JB Weld into it and I think it will be OK