To be honest, I think I’m in denial regarding the serviceability of the drive plate….unless the middle boss in the torque converter is just a locator.
You do. Setting the end float is the same whether it's a flywheel or the auto plate. Most often in my experience swapping flywheels doesn't change the end float, those things were made to a tolerance and that part of the plate would have been made to the same dimensions. Best to check though.
Replacement drive plate received and fitted….no change in the shims required. It was good to get in the garage, away from the relative, if only for an hour!
Engine and gearbox re-united and everything turns as it should. Lowered the bus once engine was roughly in position so that the gearbox and engine were better aligned. Pressed and turned torque converter to ensure it was fully located, but I’m convinced that the damage drive plate wasn’t locating properly and jamming things up. Now to start putting all the ancillaries back on.
Just read through your thread. Reminded me of my engine refresh a few years ago. Sounds like you had some grief with that drive plate bolt. Don’t forget the piston ring bed in process when you get it back on the road. Need to get some pressure behind the rings so they bed into the cylinders. Find a quiet road with a speed limit 50 or above. Lock the auto box into 2nd. 3/4 or so throttle up to about 40-45mph then foot off & let it coast back down to about 20-25mph. Do this about 3-4 times and your sorted.
Today I’ve been fitting the heat exchangers…. was able to fit with copper nuts on the offside one, but had to reuse the old 12mm head steel ones on the bottom studs of the nearside heat exchanger …. ground down a open ended spanner to tighten… but one is not tightened up enough in my opinion. As the heat exchangers are repro, do I need to start grinding the casting or do I need a “special “ tool ?
Grind them if it needs it. If you can't turn the nut because of the casting... Top tip - get the silencer semi fitted too before you tighten any bolts on the heat exchangers.
Bit of grinding, now all but one have a 13mm head brass / copper nuts, just one needs the slimmer 12mm head one. Turns over ok, now put battery back on charge to ensure it’s full and an attempt to start after lunch.