Bell housing blues... please help

Killercanary

The car that set the bar.
Founding Member
Nov 29, 1999
5,676
1
76
Altoona, PA
OK, to make a long story short I recently installed a new clutch setup in my car. I had indexed the bell housing back when I put the TKO in the car. I re-checked it when I put the clutch in but my magnetic base was accting up and I couldn't get a true reading... it came out about 7 thousandths and I knew I was right at 5 thousandths when I first put it in. I dial-indicated the bell using lakewood offset dowel pins, I don't remember the part number but they have a 7 stamped in the back of them. Anyway, since installing the clutch I haven't been able to hit 2nd gear at the track in my last 3 times out. I ripped it all apart and found that my clutch fork was bent and was hitting the bell housing when it was disengaged. So I got a new clutch fork today and decided to re-check the bell. Well... I have problems. Attached is a VERY POOR QUALITY drawing I made of the four measurements I took. I took measurements starting at the 6 o'clock position, then 3, 12, and 9. I set the dowel pins with there greatest offset (their highest point) at the 12 o'clock position, took my measurements, loosened the bell bolts, turned the dowels to the 9 o'clock and repeated this until I had moved the dowels from 12, 9, 6, and 3. I took my measurements by setting my dial indicator at 0 at the 6 o'clock position and took readings at the the 3, 12, and 9 o'clock position. I then repeated it just to make sure the magnetic base didn't move. The arrow in the diagram shows where the high side of the dowel pin was positioned, and the numbers are my measurements taken at their repsective positions. the 1st number in each set was the first reading I got, the second one was the one taken on the second go around. You can see where the base moved a little, but overall it was consistent.

My question is what do I do now. I'm only allowed 5 thousandths MAX and I'm a good bit above that. Do I buy a new bell? I have the aluminum tremec bell now. Or do they make even more offset dowel pins? Any help is appreciated. I have my last race of the season next weekend and I HAVE to have the car back together by then. Please help in anyway you can...

bellhousingindex.jpg
 
No, this is the aluminum tremec bell that D&D, and the TTC engineers told me that shouldn't need to be indexed. AFter I took out an input bearing in the first 300 miles, I decided to check it and sure enough it was off. The lakewood is the one that is notorious for having this problem.
 
Yah my thoughts exactly about the lakewood...any links for this indexing stuff?

My Tremec alum bell showed up today...lol

I sent you 2 emails on your msn account with questions about the tko, and Spec thingy...but never heard from you

Chris
 
Chris, my hotmail account is THE WORST email address I think anyone could ever have. I only get like 1/2 of my emails, normal email goes into the junk folder and is deleted if I forget to look at it... it just sucks! I appologize. If you still have it send it again and let me know when you do here and I'll let you know if I get it. Sorry!

For info on indexing the bell (WHICH YOU HAVE TO DO Chris!) check out this link...

http://www.mustangworks.com/articles/drivetrain/Bellhousing.html
 
Damn Paul you are forever having problems with your gearboxes! :mad: You would think you were running some expierimental style tranny.
I have the Tremec 3550 witha bh from D&D and a Spec 3 and have no problems thank god, but I had my shop do it b/c I was too lazy.
I hope you get this fixed and make it to the track man. :nice:
 
paul i'll be around tonight call me if you need help indexing i might be able to shed some light on it for you by having another set of eyes look at the problem .my car might be done tonight if the other parts came today . :shrug:
 
Well, it turns out I'm OK. I am .010" off in the bottom left handed picture above (0 to -90 is 10 thousandths). I called Kevin the engineer I delt with before on my TKO and he said I'm at the maximum runout I can have, but its within spec. So, it goes back together tonight, wish me luck!