GT6 gearbox removal GT6+

[19_again]

The bell housing is not coming off after I've pulled the engine. I don't know enough yet about how the clutch actually works and suspect it may be bound up. Cars been sitting for 20 years, I put it in first in preparation for removal of engine. If the tranny's still in gear will that restrict removal of the housing?
I'm learning as I'm going, this is my first look at a gearbox up close and personal.

 

[Andrew Mace]

No, in gear or out of gear should make no difference. I'll assume all the bolts are out, so perhaps what's causing the hangup is a dowel pin at the top (IIRC). You might need to resort to carefully "wedging" it apart, but I'd use a wood wedge to avoid either bending the backplate or cracking the alloy bellhousing.

 

[19_again]

Andy, I can get a razor blade in between the backplate and housing, that was why I suspected something inside must be hung up. The clutch may be compressed into place after all this time? The slave had nothing but white-ish/yellowish powder inside when I removed it.
Mike

 

[sail]

I would guess the pressure plate is stuck to the flywheel after all that time.

 

[19_again]

Recommendations?

 

[sail]

Sorry, you can't do what I did which was take off in first gear and hope.

 

[TR3driver]

The bellhousing and pressure plate aren't attached to each other (since one spins and the other does not). I agree with Andy, I think the dowel pins (should be two of them, I think) are stuck/corroded in place.

I'd probably start by soaking the ends of the dowels and the joint near them in PB Blaster or SiliKroil (either of which is far better than Liquid Wrench or WD40) for a day or two and some rapping with a brass hammer.

If no joy, then I'd try some gentle wedging as Andy suggests. If you can get on the end of the pin with a pin punch, some firm raps with a BFH might help loosen the joint as well.

As an absolute last resort (short of destroying the bellhousing, which might be a more attractive option); look for plans to build an EDM machine. I've got several (plans that is) and will probably be trying them out when I try to disassemble that Stag motor.

This isn't the one I plan to try, but is an example of the genre.
https://homebuiltedm.tripod.com/

 

[dklawson]

If the input splines are frozen to the friction disk you will likely have great difficulty. However, you might be lucky and only be dealing with stuck dowels as Andy suggested.

In your situation (with the engine already out) I'd find a method to anchor the engine to a pallet or similar so the tranny is cantilevered off the well supported engine. Then I'd lift and lower the output flange of the gearbox in a gentle rocking motion to work the bellhousing off the dowels and hopefully free the splines. I would, however, have some blocks of wood under the bellhousing so it couldn't drop more than about 1/4" when and if you do work it off the back plate.

 

[19_again]

Thanks guys, I've been gently rocking it with the top three nuts still in place (to prevent dropping it if it did come loose) but backed off enough to see any progress. I'll keep working at and try to avoid building an EDM machine. My primary concern is working against the machine and breaking soemthing, but easy as she goes is more mt speed. AS for the EDM machine, I think I'd rather build a time machine and jump ahead to when this part of the restoration is done!! :banana:

 

[Andrew Mace]

If the input splines are frozen to the friction disk you will likely have great difficulty....

At the same time, though, if there's been enough moisture to fuse the input shaft splines to the clutch disc, I suspect you'll find many and worse problems due to that same moisture once you do separate the two. Having the clutch disc stick to the flywheel is amazingly common, and I've seen it happen on cars subjected to only a couple months' storage. But as noted, that won't keep the gearbox held tight to the engine!

 

[19_again]

Got it loose, no sign of any rust. Just time. Now to inspect the clutch and see what's inside. Thanks again, knowing that a little gentle rocking wouldn't damage anything made all the difference. Once again our forum come through.