Engine dies when clutch operated.

Dwight

RCR GT 40 Gulf Livery 347 Eight Stack injection
Update
Block hot tanked and thoroughly cleaned. All oil gallery rodded with round wire brushes.
Oil pan cleaned.
All parts cleaned.
Crank, rods, pistons installed into block.
Next week heads and the rest of the motor.
My machinist has 30 years of experience building engines and race cars.
We are going to check the endplay of the crankshaft after we mate the transaxle to the motor.
The pitot bearing adapter was not sealed deep enough into the crankshaft. That was the problem.
 

Howard Jones

Supporter
Glad you found the problem. I had the same thing happen to me 25 years ago. That's how we learn I guess............. sorry it happened to you but at least you know what happened. lets see some pictures of your car when you get a chance. Everybody loves pictures.
 

Dwight

RCR GT 40 Gulf Livery 347 Eight Stack injection
IMG_3082.JPG
 
Hi Howard thanks for the advice.

A 1/8th inch would be plenty and less than a 1/16 and I would start some deep thinking on that along with a series of careful measurements to be sure that the input shaft is NOT bottoming out in the piolet bearing bore. As long as the input shaft is fully inserted into the roller bearing and not bottoming out against the end of the bearing adapter and does not bind when turned you have a pretty good place to start from.
Will be checking even more but an initial inspection before engine removal showed plenty of clearance.

If the clutch is aligned correctly ( you must use the correct clutch alignment tool) it all should slide right on.
I had a bespoke alignment tool machined up.

If the input shaft has any binding it will not work and will result in trust-bearing failure. Be aware this only takes a few min at idle when you start it up to ruin them if they are loaded. They are not meant to remain under load for anything other than clutch engagement cycles as you change gears as well as stop light stuff.
Absolutely, the car did 500 miles before the issue.

I do not recommend installing the engine into the car first and then fighting the gearbox onto the engine. I have been removing the entire power train as a unit for near twenty years after fighting this gearbox install thing at first.
Was wondering whether to try this so thank you.
 

Howard Jones

Supporter
It looks like you are quite a ways along. Good on you for keeping at it. Sometimes you just need to step back and access things. Once you have a clear way forward then step up and go again. You did the right thing working out what was happening. Now you can correct the issue fully and it won't always be in the back of your mind as to what happened. That in itself is a lot. Good luck and keep the thread going as you have time. Any more questions, just ask and I'm sure somebody will be able to help ya.

The thing about preassembling the powertrain prior to installing it is you can be sure it all has gone together correctly before you put it into the car. And it's not really any more difficult once the rear clam is off. You have to take it off anyway so there you go.
 
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