rse

I'm following the examples on releasing the flex plate pressure, but the splines on my car look much longer than all the pictures I've seen. Does anyone know what is going on?
The car is an 86.5
BTW I've been unable to loosen the cover bolts, so I'm working thru the small cover hole.
Thanks.

Black Sea RD

Hi Ron,

It "looks" as if the rear drive shaft clamp bolt is not in the groove at the rear of the drive shaft. It would seem the drive shaft was pushed too far back into the torque tube and the rear clamp bolt was forced through at a point forward of the rear groove where the drive shaft necks down a bit before the splines.

Recommend you drop the front flex plate to inspect everything better at the front. Also remove the rear pinch bolt to see what you've got.

Hope that helps,

SeanR

^^ This

MainePorsche

You have to get the lower bell house cover off.
Use PB or Kroil penetrant.
If no, use a small torch to heat the bolts. Their torque is only 15 ft lb so shouldn't be that tough.
That is a lot of spline to show. You need to see if the flex plate is as bowed.
You will know once you get the cover off.
You will take a measurement and record it.
You will then release the tension by loosening the clamp.
You will now measure the new spline length and record.
You will check crank endplay.
See Dwayne's write up for guidance.

http://dwaynesgarage.norcal928.org/1...0Procedure.htm

oaros

check your rear pinch bolt it may look like this from bolt making contact with drive shaft

rse

Thanks for all the help, I really appreciate it.
I'll keep trying to get the cover off and also study the manuals etc, to understand better your references like "... the rear drive shaft clamp bolt is not in the groove at the rear of the drive shaft... " and "...rear pinch bolt..." - right now I have no clue.
I've trying for weeks to get the cover bolts off. I've got 3 that are stuck. The one I'm working on is getting messed up. I've used PB, Kroil, and other stuff with no luck. I guess I'll have to use a torch.
I'll update my progress. Thanks again.

Bertrand Daoust

One thing for sure, the drive shaft is way to far to the rear.

1) You will need to remove the rear clamp bolt.
To do this, if I remember well, you need to drop the exhaust. Then rotate the engine until you see the bolt head through the hole.

2) Loose the front clamp bolt. The one you see in your pic.

3) Pry the shaft to the front until everything is well aligned at the back. Where the arrow is pointing in the pic.
See post #7 here for how to move the shaft.
https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...inch-bolt.html

4) Put a new bolt and torque to 65 Ftlbs (if I remember well).

5) Then you will be good to do the front.

Two good threads on this:
https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...re-w-pics.html
https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...pictorial.html

Good luck and welcome to Rennlist.

oaros

Exactly what Bertrand has written, covers all that is needed.

I'll see if can find my photos of the rear pinch bolt location (i.e. a photo taken in the direction of the arrow in the schematic in Bertrand's post) showing what a misaligned shaft-clamp looks like with bolt removed.

kizziarpa

You have to get the lower bell house cover off.

Bertrand Daoust

Try an impact wrench for the stuck bolts. It should work.
Heat should do the trick too.

Drop the exhaust system to remove the two rear bolts and don't put them back there. A lot easier next time you want to remove the bell hosing cover for inspection.

rse

Hi again,
Thanks for the links. Regarding the posts, I’m not clear where the rear clamp bolt, rear of shaft etc… are. Specifically I’m not sure what section/assembly of the car to look at. I’m looking at the “KATALOG” pdf file diagrams and under my car, focusing on the casing behind where the exhaust pipes spread apart in the back.
re: . . .see the [rear] bolt head through the hole. . . I see a hole only on the side of the casing, is that it? I’ve attached pics of what I’m looking at.
It sounds pretty bad that the drive shaft is pushed backwards that much. The car did seem to run ok - I dont get how it could run; should’nt everything inside the rear casing be all broken?
Thanks, Ron

Schocki

Hola Ron,

the pinch bolt you are looking for sits in the rear portion of the torque tube. Position 23 in your attached diagram shows the plug that covers the hole for the bolt. Your picture shows the tranny or better the torque converter housing. You need to remove the exhaust and the heat shields in the back. This will give you access to the pinch bolt. Take the bolt out below the plug at 23 and untighten the flexplate clamp bolt. This should allow you to move the driveshaft inside the torque tube forward. Just to the position in post #7. The rear pinch bolt has to be inserted in the rear groove and tightend. After this your front flexplate splines will look "normal".

Donīt worry there is nothing broken, there is enough room in the direction to the torque converter...

rse

Hi Schocki,
thanks for clearing that up for me.
So there's no way around it, I have to drop the exhaust
It will take me a while for sure.

Schocki

The exhaust is not that difficult. Best with two persons. Remove the two clamps behind the cats.
Take two 13 mm wrenches and remove the center mounting bolts near the pre muffler. Do the same in the back or release the rubber mounts. Spray some WD40 on the clamps and the surface aereas nearby the cats. The mufflers will slide out of the cats, done.


Or if you want to take it out with the cats completely (in case the exahust has not been opened before), donīt forget to unplug the oxygen sensor first...

rse

I finally figured out the diagram from Bertrand's post. Just in time since I almost have the whole exhaust system down. Looks like I'm missing the center mounting bolts near the pre mufflers.
looking ahead to moving the drive shaft.
Using the procedure from the other referenced thread, does unbolting the flex plate from the flywheel and using it to pry the drive shaft forward pose any problems - i.e. gotchas - for a newbie ?