Just a public service announcement: This hole is right below the ref and speed sensors, and right next to the ground stud on the top of the bellhousing. This has got to be one of THE WORST designs I've ever seen, because there's no cover for the hole. I dropped the ground stud nut and couldn't find it so I assumed it went into the flywheel housing. I removed the starter to try to get to it, but it turns out the bolt had fallen on the side of the engine. (Lucky!) This has happened to a fair number of people here, so if you're working in that area of the engine bay, tape over this hole.

 

+++++++++++ found that one out the hard way myself, taking the cover and clutch off is much easier the second time...!@#$%^&*()

 

I once dropped a 10mm 1/4" drive socket in there...

 

It's a right of passage.........

 

Yikes! I once dropped something in there but it fell out through the starter hole..... WHEW!

 

What about loosening the bolt that holds down the mount for the line to the brake booster and having coolant go allover the back of the engine?

 

Coolant destroys clutch material!

 

shhh don't say anything.

 

I dropped the ground stud in there. Removed the starter and had to turn the engine over. Then it just stuck!! I was thinking i was gonna have to pull the whole thing apart. Turned out i forgot to remove the plugs. Ha, just hit compression. I turned it more and it was lodged perfectly in between clutch and fly! Popped right out. That was a great day.

 

You act as if the entire engine isn't ridiculous. Imagine if you worked on a turbo, then you would really be shocked. E.G. the turbo is on the other side of the car combined with the most ridiculous exhaust sytem of all time.

 

LOL, plumber's license required, right? The rest of the engine may have it's quirks, but the only thing that would have made this hole in the bellhousing worse is a funnel.

 

Let's be fair now. I could remove and replace the spark plugs, cap, and rotor on a 944 in the time it would take to simply remove the cap on a Volvo 740 (distributor mounted on the rear of the cam, facing the firewall).

 

Why is the distributor cap designed so that the bottom screw is so close to the headlight bar that you have to use a stubby screwdriver and a pair of vice grips to get it out and certainly back in if the distributor cap is even remotely new. Like I said, ridiculous.

 

I've dropped stuff in that damn hole 2x. Once right after I finished a clutch job on my n/a and the next when I was putting the ground nut on right after I put the engine in on the 951 Thankfully nothing happened (knock on wood)

I was ecstatic the first time I got the bottom screw in on my first try.. Unfortunately, I decided to see if I could do it 2x in a row 15 minutes later it was on again and not coming off.

 

Oh come on, that's half the fun. while trying to pull the engine out my dad was just sitting there scratching his head. He couldn't believe it was so difficult to pull out. Then again he was comparing it to the old mustang he worked on.

I've come to like the oddities and quirks. It makes it more interesting.




oh and yes, i did drop something in that hole. The engine was half in, and a bolt fell in there. Couldn't get it out, so the engine got pulled back out and the bell housing came off.