Easy enough to do on jack stands and a few hours. All my bolts on 85 S2 Auto came out very easily - without cutting off anything. See last picture. What and how did those things get in there???

 

All I see in the last picture is the forward torque tube bearing. Also, you need to use a dial gauge to measure the crank end play to beyond the first decimal place. Don't let the digital caliper convince you otherwise. I agree with others that this is something to fix, not check every year. Just noticed in your 2nd photo the splines are clearly showing more than the "normal" amount of pull out.

 

Annual check is just so stupid. There are solutions which fix this problem. Checking every 365 days can mean load is on 364 days.

 

Fit a Ritech clamp and forget about it.

 

What is a "Ritech clamp"?

 

An auxiliary clamp that bolts over the existing to lock it in place.

Rgds

Fred

 

Here we go Mike:
https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...er-to-tbf.html

 

Sorry to say this, but you're looking at the wrong end.

Before you touch anything on the flexplate, check the rear pinch bolt, just in front of the transmission. Can just about guarantee that it will be jamming the central shaft in a forward position (flexing the flexplate), and the pinch bolt will be bent. (Not going into the dynamics of why).

This topic has been beaten to death here, with many owners reporting exactly the above, with pics of the damaged bolts.

My experience was that I initially followed the crowd and released the front pinch bolt. Whew - no more thrust bearing load. A year or two later I found a little flexplate flex, and immediately concluded the front collar had migrated on the splines. Grrrr.
But as I was getting ready to release the pinch bolt, it dawned on me that if I were to continue this process, then the central shaft would have moved so far forwards that the splines would be clear of the collar??? Huh???

Conclusion: Something else must be at play, of which I'm not aware. (And there was).

Bruce Buchanan - JET951 - decades of 928 servicing, explained the problem of the loosening of the rear pinch bolt and the effect on the flexplate.

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...y-check-2.html #25

I immediately checked my rear pinch bolt: it was jammed as Bruce described, and when I got it out the it was bent in the centre, with gouge marks on its shaft.

Back to the flexplate: it was no longer flexed. I released the collar in order to allow the central shaft to slide back to its original position so the (new) rear pinch bolt could be fitted.

There has been much discussion around this topic (link below), but I think it's fair to say that ckecking/removing/replacing the rear pinch bolt is good a first step

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...heck-em-3.html

 

Thanks,
I have the Porken clamp, he doesn't sell them now?

 

Interesting...I have the Porken clamp, too. I just clicked the PK link in Bertrand's signature. Looks like it's not available anymore.

 

Welcome.

I have the PKlamp also.
It's doing the job perfectly well.

+1 on checking the back first.

Right Jon.
It looks that it's not available anymore.

 

I thought "Bill Ball's" 2007 write up took care of this. Looks like Rear Pinch Bolt is somewhat overlooked - as in my case. I'll get on it. For 85 S2 Auto, I'm reading I'm going behind the resonator heat shield for access. Do I have to drop rear pipes?

 

with an auto the heat shields need to be moved out of the way this is usually enough to gain access

 

http://jenniskens.livedsl.nl/Technic...8/MyTip818.htm
http://jenniskens.livedsl.nl/Webshopmanager/Index.php

That's cheapest option I would trust.