The 'E' Type Forum

I removed the engine from the body this weekend, and revealed this ragged hole

is there any classic reason why this would have been done to the car...?...a known botch modification of some sort to do with replacing a clutch perhaps

gearbox is likely to be original as it is dated stamped 1/1/63 and the car is a March 63 build



thoughts welcomed
Jonathan

Had to imagine it was done for a repair. Too small and pointless in any case. I would guess either some sort of clutch failure threw something out and it broke the casting or, far less probable, something struck the under side although it is very hard to imagine what and how it stuck there. Obviously a long time ago. I guess a trip to an ally welder/fabrication specialist would be in order.

As cactusman suggests, so sort of clutch failure is most likely behind this. I once had the springs work their way out of the driven plate on my MGA's clutch, and while everything stayed inside, there was considerable "machining" done to the inside of the bell housing. There's not much clearance between the rotating bits and the housing, so if something gets wedged there will be damage.

Thanks guys.. Let me have a good look at the clutch mechanism and see what I can discover.. That must have made some bang when it happened..!

It looks to me like the damage came from something within the housing as the hole is wider on the outside than the inside.

I would agree with Neil. Something inside failed..I would guess a long time ago as there are no bright metal faces so presumably all other evidence has been removed in replacing the clutch. Bet it made a pretty dreadful bang.

Had that happen to me many years ago in a S2. Throw out bearing came apart and went through the bell housing. Drove home without releasing the clutch.

As others have said it's old damage from something breaking and cutting loose at speed.

I'd get it welded up.

i took the clutch cover off this evening

flywheel is original, with the same numbering as shown on the cylinder head, and with a discoloured and slightly pitted surface to both it and the pressure plate (i hope i have that name correct)

the friction plate doesn't look particularly worn, with around 4/5mm thickness on each of the two disc rings, and having MADE in SPAIN on its pale blue coloured surface is not original I am guessing....not sure whether this is the original cover assembly, as the friction plate measures just under 10 inches in diameter

is this a better design than the original 9 inch design and should I revert back to 9 inches....and is it acceptable to have the flywheel and pressure plate surface skimmed to be perfectly flat and clean












thanks all
Jonathan

i took the clutch cover off this evening

flywheel is original, with the same numbering as shown on the cylinder head, and with a discoloured and slightly pitted surface to both it and the pressure plate 9i hope i have that name correct)

the friction plate doesn't look particularly worn, with around 4/5mm thickness on each of the two disc rings, and having MADE in SPAIN on its pale blue coloured surface is not original I am guessing....not sure whether this is the original cover assembly, as the friction plate measures just under 10 inches in diameter

is this a better design than the original 9 inch design and should I revert back to 9 inches....and is it acceptable to have the flywheel and pressure plate surface skimmed to be perfectly flat and clean












thanks all
Jonathan

Your clutch was changed by a gorilla Johnathan. The hole is from beating the clutch fork pivot shaft out from inside via an underneath hole. You can confirm this by a probable lack of long circumferential gouges that would result from a rotating debris accident. Check the pivot pin lugs for cracks and the bushes and pin for damage.

The only thickness that matters on the driven plate is the amount of material proud of the rivet heads. This should be about 1.5 mm but the pressure plate is the obsolete spring type. The diaphragm style is both lighter in operation and stronger in clamping force (which is why diaphragms are universal today) . The pressure plate is also harder to grind/skim than the flywheel because it sits below the cover. For both these reasons I would not use it. You would need to change the release bearing if you switch to diaphragm and although your driven plate looks like a modern grooved style you may as well change the entire clutch assembly with a 3-piece kit.

Pete

thanks Peter
i cleaned the inside of the bell housing this evening to try and find out more and found a number of scratch/gouge marks...the most visible just around the ends of this mystery hole, which correspondent to a bend outwards of the edge of the metal when viewed externally









the pin pivots are perfect, no marks at all....




so I am thinking its looking more likely to have been an internal eruption of some sort

thanks for the pointers about the clutch mechanism....sounds like a new assembly is the ticket

regards
Jonathan

I think they may be drift marks or slippage but it's moot without seeing the whole bell in person. The other guys are probably right.

Pete