I think you are correct about the sensors being the culprit. Perhaps you can adjust them down a little at a time, rotate engine by hand, try a little more, etc. I think if you pull the plugs out and turn the engine carefully by hand, you can avoid damaging the sensors if they're in too far. Good luck. I admire your perserverance on getting that bellhousing off. I might have been reaching for the sledgehammer after breaking that bolt off....

 

Hehe. I might have been reaching for the sledgehammer as well, only
1) I don't have a sledgehammer, and
2) this is-or rather, was--my daily driver. I'm looking forward to the day when I will again have personal transportation.

 

Have you tried bending a go/ no go type gauge through the square hole that eats bolts? I gapped mine before I put the bellhousing back on so I've never tried it like this. You can loosen the bracket bolts and try to fit an 8mm gage between the teeth and sensor until the bracket won't move down any more; tighten it at that point and pull the gauge out; it would be impossible for the sensor to touch the teeth at that point. If that wont work, trial and error might be your only option without trying to pull the sensor. If it's any consolation. when I installed my sensors (bellhousing off) and moved the bracket all the way down, it still didn't hit either the starter teeth or the set screws on the flywheel at it's lowest position. I'm not sure if this is a universal truth though, it's just how my 83 was when I did the clutch. Oh yeah don't drop the gauge, sounds like a good place for those skinny nose vise grips! Hope you get it sorted out.

 

Yes, 2tight, this is what I meant by "feeler gauge." (device that looks like a pocketknife but has varying thicknesses of metal instead of tools.) I was just trying to find out if anyone had ever been able to do this, or if I was barking up the wrong tree on this one. Especially because I'd hate to go out and buy a feeler gauge, then have that hole eat it. (wait, that sounds bad.) Good to know that it might not be able to hit the sensors, though, as you say, this may not be universal.

 

Another option is try to find some .8mm wire and make your own gauge bent to a workable angle. It couldn't cost that much 'if' you can find it. You could always use MIG wire in .030" (.77mm) or .035" (.89mm); that would get you pretty close.

 

Sweet! That's a great idea!

For anyone reading this thread who doesn't know, the spec on that sensor is 0.8 mm plus or minus 0.3 mm.