I am in the process of stripping the engine to free off seized pistons and am at the point of removing the crankshaft. As the engine is seized I cannot get to all of the bolts to remove the torque converter. Consequently it is difficult to access the rear oil seal housing fixings and I am particularly concerned about the possibility of rounding off the allen key screws which hold the two halfs together.Having failed to find any information elsewhere I am hoping some one here can tell me the size of Allen key to use.
Thanks for reading this.
Guess You’re doing it “in situ” …
Thanks for your interest Lesio.
The engine is out of the car and I am attempting to remove the crankshaft with the flywheel and torque converter in situ ie still attached to the crank.
Photos of the difficulty always help us help you with resolving a problem. You can learn from our mistakes, instead of making your own!
Would like to post a photo of the screw,but due to it’s location it is just not possible to take a picture.
The screw in question is one of two screws that hold together the two parts of the crankshaft rear oil seal carrier.This engine has the original rope seal.
Thanks for your interests
And what’s the benefit of purposeful not detaching the converter ?
In my '58 XK 3.4 I fail to see any Allens there … edit … OK got them, 3/16 fits nice but head might take some cleaning first… dirt !
Once again thank you for the reply.
Leaving the torque converter and flywheel attached to the crank is not out of choice but of necessity.As you will know the torque converter is bolted to the flywheel from the rear of the flywheel. The space between the flywheel and the engine block is less than 2cm so no chance of getting a tool to the bolts.
So very grateful to you for going to so much trouble and I am pleased to say that
I have successfully removed the oil seal housing using a 3/16 allen key.
Sorry should have emphasised that the engine is seized.
That’s it Mike. A picture makes it oh so easy to explain.
Thank you
Hmmm, I was in similar situation 2 weeks ago - engine seized and hanging on a lift with converter on.
It was easy removing converter using flat-12-point (combination ?) wrench, first undoing the bolt protectors.
Possibly the torque converter is different on your early 3.4 On my 420 of 1967 vintage the heads of the bolts are deeply recessed and a flat combination spanner of any ilk wouldn’t get anywhere near them.
Do you have a plan for freeing off the pistons(assuming that is the problem)
Regards and keep safe
[quote=“Rakaaw, post:12, topic:389358”]
the heads of the bolts are deeply recessed
[/quote] That makes sense.
As for the seizure - all I did was 2 week soaking of piston tops in kerosene, while hoping that the seizure will be at the bottom end. No further steps done yet.
Wondered whether you have discovered location of the seizure.In my case it was the pistons.They were all seized and whilst five responded to moderate hammering via a wood block, the sixth will not budge. The engine is inverted and I have poured all manner of potions into the cylinder without any apparent success. Latest attempt involves a puller attached to the con rod,butso far this has not made any difference.
Regards
No luck yet in removing the final piston but meanwhile I have been looking at the others and it seems they maybe scrap.The gap between the top ring and it’s groove,on at least two of the pistons is 15 thousand whereas it should no more than 003” I believe.
The pistons are marked “ C28087 J Front S 14.Now I think the J indicates the piston is standard but I do not know what C28087 and S14 stand for. Any guidance would be much appreciated.
Gregory
My MK10 4.2 bore also was well worn same as yours and toyed with just putting new rings , finally did a rebore, it went from STD to plus 30.
Use calipers to measure the bore size to find out what size you have but.
Good luck with frozen piston
Id just scrap them all, break up the frozen one, bore it and use new pistons.
Ring land clearance should be less than a 0.001"
the rings seize in the land, then rust to the bore
I have even had them fail with a sledgehammer and hardwood cylinder
in which case I had to drill holes near the the piston edge an break it with a cold chisel
Ditto: a brutal process.
Would an air chisel/hammer crack that piston wide open?
Gerard
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