Bellhousing bolt size

[ALAN COCHRANE]

Hi Everyone

I'm preparing to take out the engine and gearbox over the winter to sort out a number of problems including the clutch release bearing. I have a 3.8l engine mated to the later 4 speed all synchro Jaguar gearbox can anyone tell me the size of the bolts that connect the two? I suspect they will be 5/16 UNF but have been told that the size varies between those that fit through the "sleeves" in the bell and the shorter ones that are secured by a nut on the engine side.
Second question and this is a bit of a long shot- does anyone know what the diameter of the bell housing is? The reason I ask is that my engine stand can cope with a maximum engine back plate diameter of approximately 41cm so it would be good to know if this is large enough to cope.
Lastly can you mount the engine on a stand with the flywheel still in situ? The eight fixing bolts are apparently grouped very closely together and a normal socket will not fit over them-is this true?
I was looking to get four 4" long high tensile bolts to fix to the engine.

So not needing much information then! Here's hoping.

Thanks in advance

Alan

[265bhp]

Alan

Yes...2 sizes of bolts

On my 3.8 litre....

But they are UFB.137/23 which is 3/8" diameter and 2 7/8 long that go into the block plus /11 size that go into the lower brackets and need nuts....these are 1 3/8 long

Check out the pages for Clutch Controls within the Spare Parts Catalogue....within the knowledge section if you dont have one yourself

Can't say about the ability to mount with flywheel in place for sure...but looking at the way mine is mounted at the moment I would say not

So it isnt 5/16... but rather 3/8 bolts to mount engine onto stand

Have a look at the photos on my restoration thread of the block on the stand....which should help hopefully


Regards
Jonathan

[E600]

Hi Alan

As I recall there are 3 bolt sizes relevant to the bell housing. All of the bolts that secure the bellhousing to the engine are 3/8 unf, length varies depending if fitted to brackets or into the block. The cover plate is secured via 1/4 unc and the bellhousing to gearbox uses 7/16 unf,secured via lock tabs or lock wire.
Regards
Pat

[JagWaugh]

Second question and this is a bit of a long shot- does anyone know what the diameter of the bell housing is? The reason I ask is that my engine stand can cope with a maximum engine back plate diameter of approximately 41cm so it would be good to know if this is large enough to cope.

I've never been happy with that long block hanging out and have always made a strut to support the far end. Recently I ran across a pic of a generic engine stand with an XK fitted sideways with just the usual bits from the stand (rather than welding up a bracket). I think I'll try this next time if it looks like the engine can still be swung.

[steve3.8]

I don't like the idea of hanging an xk engine one ended on a stand .
I do like this solution to the engine stand though as seen on Jim Tester's Engineering web pages , totally safe , it's even got a drip tray ! .

[ALAN COCHRANE]

Thanks for all the replies.

Jonathan

That is a very impressive restoration thread you have, well done.
I still think there is a chance that I can mount my engine on the stand with the flywheel attached. I have longer spacers on the mounting bracket legs than the ones you show. They are three inches long so thinking about it 5 inch long bolts would be more the order of the day.
I would also be unhappy with the long overhang and would probably chock the engine up in a similar fashion to the way you've shown.
A friend, who has done this last year, said that when he turned the engine upside down he supported it with his engine hoist to guard against any tipping over. He also warned me that oil will escape from every possible orifice while you're doing it!
I have the luxury of a four post lift so have been experimenting with the idea of removing the engine without the use of my hoist or the removal of the bonnet. Initial trials have shown that I can jack up the front of the car on the main picture frame using two axle stands sitting in a (very) sturdy crossbeam laid across the two ramp runners. This will then allow me to place my specially built engine trolley under the car, lower it until the sump is sitting on said trolley. It would then just be a case of disconnecting the engine and gearbox mounts and raising the car leaving the engine and gearbox sitting pretty on the trolley. It has been done already as you can see on this Youtube video:-

Two things surprise me about this video-
1. I didn't think this was possible with a two post lift with the resultant weight transfer once the engine was out
2. The torsion bars are completely removed which to my mind would mean having to reset the ride height. I intend only splitting the top ball joints and tapping the other end of the torsion bars clear of the reaction plate to allow me to remove it. Again this is what my friend had done. Anything for an easy life.

I also like the idea of the side mount although it appears that it's only fixed with two bolts or am I missing something.

One last thing how difficult is it to remove the flywheel bolts if I need to and what's the best way to stop it rotating in the process?



Thans Again

Alan

[Mich7920]

Hi Alan,

For the flywheel bolts or other rotary parts bolts using a air Impact Wrench Gun Tool is absolutly THE solution.

Mich

[265bhp]

Hi Alan

Wish I had a 2/4 post lift that would be wonderful.....

I had no particular problem in un-doing flywheel bolts in fact....

the idea of raising and lowering the car is a great one...and if I actually invest in a scissor type lift for the car to help with assembly I plan on doing something similar talk the engine....

My engine now has the sump fixed and I have placed 8 dense concrete blocks under it...in 2 stacks of 4....which I shall then pack out with softwood to take the weight of the engine.....before I add the head...I will leave the engine stand attached...just in case

Once the head is in place..I have an engine hoist which I will use to take the weight of the total engine and gradually lower it back down to floor level...onto my wooden trolley.....

Although the engine was bottom heavy on the stand it isn't that difficult to rotate....

I have to say I stopped worrying about the engine cantilevering off the stand....except now that I am adding the head...!

Best
Jonathan

[ALAN COCHRANE]

Jonathan

I would strongly recommend a four post lift. The main advantage is that you don't have to worry about weight transfer if you're involved in removing large items like the engine. There are obvious disadvantages as well-
It's much more difficult to dismantle the suspension but not impossible as I've proved.
The other big advantage and the main reason I bought it is that you can stack two cars if the garage has the height. I can now store three cars in my two car garage. Much cheaper than building another garage.
I am lucky that I have access to very heavy gauge steel cross arms returned from 11,000V overhead line rebuilds. The yard at my office is full of scrap ones along with the poles they came from. I have bolted two of these L shaped channels together and spaced them wide enough apart to allow axle stands to sit in them.
In addition the poles when cut up, make excellent log walls for the garden. Total recycling!

Cheers

Alan