Perhaps everyone will remember that several weeks ago I noted that my '79
Midget (1500) had this knock that I could not locate. Well last week the
knock got louder and worse. Noted that it changed pitch when the clutch was
depressed. I felt it had somethng to do with the clutch, although I did not
rule out a rod. Sooooo. . .this week I set about pulling the engine to find
the problem. Dropped the oil pan and pulled the caps--bearings showed a
little wear, not serious though, just a little movement in the rods--all
bearings, mains and rods, were +0.10. Thrust washer just scuffed a little,
std size.
Pulled the engine and VIOLA!!!! The flywheel was flopping about like a wet
goose! The DSOBPO's DSOB mechanic had installed the clutch disc BACKWARDS,
and it had eaten the springs inthe disc up, and they in turn had loosed all
the flywheel bolts. Result--a floppy flywheel!!! And a hell of a lot of
noise!!!
So after I order SICP's special 3 part clutch kit for $78 bucks tomorrow,
along with new bearings and thrust washers (same size as those I
removed--+.010 Bearings and Std. Thrust Washers), Taz (My Midget) will be well
on the way to recovery.
MY QUESTION!! When I removed the rear main cap to check the thrust washers,
the lower thrust washer had 3 rivets through it by which it was attached to
the cap while the upper thrust washer was free to float. My old-line British
car mechanic said he had never seen anything like this. SHOULD there be 3
rivets securing the lower thrust washer inthe 1500 engine, or was this yet
another lamebrainstorm of the DSOBPO's DSOB mechanic? It seems to me that if
the thrust washer were to wear just a bit there would be 3 steel rivets
gouging their way into the crank. Does the lower thrust washer for the 1500
COME with 3 holes to fit over the rivets? I will appreciate expediency in
your answers, as I am ordering tomorrow and rebuilding Thursday night. Thanks
guys!!!!
--------David
'67 Sprite, aka Vicky, Under Restoraton
'79 Midget, aka, Taz, Hospitalized
'92 Ford Ranger 4x4, my runner
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