The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Clutch cover removal

Hello,

New to sight. Have read from this site for days and have learned an enormous amount. I have been given a '51 CHEVY 1/2 Ton from my grandfather.(I have been waiting on this since I was a kid, he is 90 and I am 52) I have worked on vehicles for years but nothing major. The body is perfect but I have decided to rebuild the 216. Engine and transmission removal went smooth but I have my first need for help. I'm to pulling the clutch and thought this would be simple but from reading from other posts I see that the bellhousing cannot be removed to allow better access to clutch cover. Looks like cover has 6 bolts and I cannot get a wrench on the top 2 after I removed the plate from top of bellhousing. Can someone who has experienced this give advise on what tool would be used?


Thanks, and I look forward to talking to you guys.

rex,

Welcome to the new "Bolt". If you turn the engine over using the flywheel and a screwdriver, the 'top' bolts will become the 'bottom' bolts, and will be easy to access. Was this the question?

Stuart

Just did this myself last night on my 216.Do as Stuart says. Not too hard really. Just back them out slowly and alternate because of clutch spring pressure.Now I'm dealing with the flywheel which is a little harder to to do because of bolt torque specs,locking tabs and trying to keep the flywheel from turning. Looks like I have to purchase a flywheel wrench that grabs the ring gear.

Stuart,

They say there are no stupid questions but after getting your reply I think this one came pretty close. It's the advise that I needed. Feel silly that I did not think of it myself.

Thanks, for your patience

Rex

Stuart,

I had been asking the same question for my 1958 235 engine, however I guess I didnot follow when you said "turn the engine over using the flywheel and a screwdriver", what does that really mean. My bell housing is just one peice of it and everyone says remove the flywheel first before I take the bell housing. Please throw some light.

Thanks
Ganesh

Ganesh,
Two (I think) of the bolts that hold the bell housing to the engine are behind the flywheel. You have to remove the flywheel to access those bolts.

Ganesh,

REX is trying to remove the pressure plate, or as he refers to it, the clutch cover. Instead of trying to reach up into the bellhousing to get to these six bolts, it's a simple matter to rotate the flywheel and brings the bolts into easy reach.

You can do this with a bar, a screwdriver or a flywheel 'turner'...any means to roll those bolts down to the bottom.

The clutch, pressure plate and flywheel must be removed to gain access to the upper bolts that hold the bellhousing to the block. Jeff has already mentioned this above. Does this make it more clear to you.

Stuart

Ok I have to figure out how to remove the flywheel, but still curious on what Stuart said

Ganesh

Yes sir, now I get it, thanks Stuart appreciated