Chim/Griff bellhousing bolts - how do you get to them?

[Chris71]

Quick question to people who've removed the engine on their Chim or Griff: How did you get the bellhousing bolts off? I've managed most of them off from below with an extension and a universal joint on a socket, but just can't get to a couple of them. Is there a trick to it?

[clive f]

is it the top ones you are trying to get too?

also if you have a T5 gearbox, you can remove the box from the bellhousing first making things easier.

or you can remove the gearbox support and support safely on a jack, lower the jack off a little, don`t let the back of the plenum touch the baulhead, then you have clear access to the top bolts.

[Chris71]

I've done the very top ones. It's the higher ones on the side (if that makes sense) which are proving a real pain. Since had a couple of replies in the Chim section and the consensus seems to be I am going about it the right way, using a long extension and a socket. It's not easy, though - assuming you can get a decent amount of force on the ratchet end, half the time the UJ ends up flexing rather than turning the bolt.

[DarkMatter]

Rather than a UJ I use one of those 'wobble' 1/2" drive adaptors, and I have to use different length extensions depending on which bolt I'm undoing - and I've only done it working underneath with the prop, gearbox itself, and prop all off.

[Chris71]

It did eventually come out!





It took three days of working between the showers to get the damn thing out. In the end I had to drop the engine and get a very long bar on a socket fed from above to get the upper bellhousing bolts off. I could - just about - get access from below, but somebody had massively overtightened the bolts and I couldn't get enough force on the linkage to undo them. Anyway, now it's out!