1978/79 GTS

[GTSPhil]

I decided to remove the clutch in situ and the flywheel housing cover.


   


Upon trying to remove the flywheel housing cover out the engine bay, it just could not be done, with exhaust and gearbox selector and steady still connected.


   


So once again the engine was completely removed and disconnected.
I then removed the flywheel housing cover and the idler gear etc, looked in good condition....
Initially I could not determine what the noise was being caused by, till I turned the 1st motion input shaft on the gearbox.. that had about 2mm of play.  My best guess is that the 1st motion shaft bearing has finally had it, after about 7 years of feeding the gearbox the power from the engine.  So


   


I had found the best way to remove this bearing and re-use it was with this bearing separator and puller.


   


Then I needed to remove the 1st motion nut, normally when I strip gearboxes I do not remove this nut from the 1st motion shaft and also then do not need to tighten it.  The multi-spline 29mm socket that I have used in the past to do this did not work in this instance, so I phoned around looking for a 1 1/8 socket which is the correct sae size, BUT you cannot find such a item and it is special order, so a 29mm 6 point socket was sourced and this worked a treat.

New 1st motion bearing and 14mm bearing later, I had the gearbox back together and yes the original 1st motion bearing had sooo much play in it.


   

   

I then re-shimmed the idler gear end float again, due to a different thickness gasket being used again.  After cleaning all mating surfaces and cleaning the gearbox out of all oil etc.  Finally the engine and box was back together again.