Update on the 68 Midget in Dodge City:
Yesterday the brother-in-law and I tore into the midget with the
intent of replacing the tranny tail piece and drive shaft. (Thanks
Paul A. & Frank!) We had the engine out pretty quickly this time
(circa 90 minutes - I know that's a snails pace, Frank...).
When I pulled off the tail piece I found the shim against the rear
main bearing bent and crumpled. It looked as if it had never been in
it's proper place against the main output bearing but had got twisted
and pinched between the case and the bearing. I suspect that may have
been what caused the whole mess. Also the worm drive for the speedo
was loose on the shaft and the lock washer holding its nut looked as
if it had been peened over with two rounds out of a 44 magnum. No
wonder the speedo didn't work!!
Fortunately nothing major damaged (I hope!). I replaced the shim with
one of the proper thickness for the new tail piece with its new brass
output bushing then trimmed down the lock washer, tightened the nut
snug and peened the washer in a different place neatly with a cold
chisel. It all went back together easily (thanks for the tip on
twisting it, Paul!).
We then replaced the short rubber hydraulic hose on the clutch line to
the slave cylinder and tried to bleed the clutch. Yeech! The new hose
came without a copper washer and the slave gave out during bleeding.
brake fluid everywhwere! Inspection of the slave bore showed it to be
badly pitted in the bore.
Since I have only today to work on it again, I raced home and called
PPP who has a slave cylinder and copper washer in overnight for me and
I am now awaiting its arrival along with the arrival of a plumber to
fix a couple of things around the house I couldn't get to because of
the car.
Hopefully by afternoon we'll have the new slave cylinder in, the
clutch bled and the car back together so I can drive it the 30 miles
home from the brother-in-laws shop.
One lesson learned here (aside from never trust the work done by other
people!) is that the
drive shaft goes back into the tranny MUCH easier when you undo its
flange at the diff. This allows you to pull the yoke forward through
the shifter hole allow you to stab it into the tranny easily via the
shifter hole! No need for tape or newspaper or styrofoam in the front
U-joint and plenty of room for your hand! Just lower the engine and
tranny into the bay and when the shifter tower reaches the edge of the
shifter hole, stab the drive shaft into the tranny. As you then bring
engine and tranny into place, the rear of the drive shaft slides
easily out the back of the tunnel on its own ready to be reattached to
the diff flange!
Cheers!!
Jim
--
1964 R60/2 BMW
1968 MG Midget
1976 R90/6 BMW
1990 K100LT BMW
**"Blankity Blank Blank Blank Chinese Blankity Blank!!" - overheard
from Frank Clarici from deep inside Buster's Sprite**
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