Getting back on the road

The hole in the bellhousing won't be a problem. There are loads about with the same hole cut in them, albeit mostly for a different reason, getting the remains of an inertia starter mechanism out after it has broken.
That’s reassuring to hear. Thanks Harvey.
 
I'm surprised you didn't seize the opportunity to take option one, and improve your personal best time taken to whip the engine and box in and out. :cool:
A day more in the garage when I went out for ten mins might have resulted in me being a single man again!
 
Yep. The twin cam really interests me though.

The 5-cylinder and 6-cylinder engines were being looked at before the P6 went into production. Both were trialled in road cars, and then shelved as the V8 came along.

The twin cam is a much later derivative of the 2200 engine, intended I believe, for the SD1 before they went with the 6-cylinder for the 2300/2600.
 
Well, I’ve finally flipped. I pulled the engine and gearbox again! Honest I had a real reason for it!!! When she warmed up the clutch judder was so bad I couldn’t face driving her more than seven miles. It felt like she was going to wreck herself. Also the gearbox whine was back, ugh. The final straw was the rubber foot coming off the top timing chain tensioner. I’ve had this happen with the bottom one before so recognized the noise instantly after a short drive. I could have just replaced the tensioner but I thought ‘sod it, it’s easier with the engine out’. So, I pulled the engine and gearbox on Wednesday. Stripped the gearbox on Thursday, reset the input shaft bearing (pretty sure it wasn’t 100% home after feeling the shim move). Pulled out the friction plate from the clutch.
There were two smoking guns for the bad judder on take off:
(1) 3 of the 4 rivets holding the hub assembly to the friction plate assembly were loose? And not just a little, it sounded like a tambourine when you shakes it!

(2) The zinc alloy threaded insert in the front cross member for the torque rod mount was stripped, the bolt no longer present. Pretty sure that was my fault. I noticed the insert spinning when I tightened it up last time.

So, I drilled out the remaining insert and welded a nut in place. Much stronger than before. Fortunately the other bolt hole had a thread cut into a steel insert so no problem there.

I had a choice of two clutch plates. Another AP similar to the failed on and an F&S German one. The F&S looked new and unused, it also had a more sophisticated hub mechanism with springs of varied force and leaf spring clips for lateral alignment.

She put up a hell of a fight when I was refitting the engine. Normally it just slips in. Yesterday took forever, I had to adjust the shifter rod finger a bit to get things in place but I finally won!

I’ve just come back from an extended test drive and I can say I’ve never driven such a smooth P6! My OCD has finally paid off.
Thanks for listening to my whitterings.
 

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Decided I should try and fit the new UJs on the prop shaft I’ve had sitting on the shelf for a year. Didn’t feel like there was anything wrong with them. Turned out I was wrong!

I pulled the shaft from the car and went to my basement lair. Removed the circlips on the shaft side of the yoke, followed by the old bearing cups. Came apart easily. Flange side: another story! Both circlip eyes snapped off on Borge sides, ugh. Pulled out my die grinder and made a small notch behind the groove, managed to remove them with a pick. Next was removing the cups. First try with the club hammer, didn’t move at all. Next with the bench vice. Crack! Vice decides today’s a good day to die (I wasn’t even cranking on it, honest)

So, 12 ton press it is then. I push the cup out one side, other cup comes with yoke, I then realise that it’s full of rust. After trying every Way possible I just take the angle grinder to the damn thing. Amazing thing was, it still rotated when assembled.

So, it’s eventually back together Test drive proved I know nothing as she feels smoother. (She felt pretty good before). ED3D6596-420D-41A2-8672-92A5A65CECC5.jpeg
 
I’m about ready to give up on Beryl. She’s been running great until I filled with fuel last week. Went to start her and there was a massive clunk from the starter. Fair enough I think. Pinion obviously got stuck when engaging. Put car in fourth, rock her back and forth. Starter engages and she starts no problem. Next cold start I hear a click every revolution of the crank when on the starter. Open the timing inspection cover and find a missing tooth. Oh FFS! So this will mean pulling the engine and box yet again this year. I’m really not enjoying any aspect of 2020.
 
I had that a little while ago, but my fitness level wasn't up to engine removal so I just took it to a garage and asked them to fix it. Not something I usually do but needs must sometimes. ;)
 
I'd drop the gearbox clutch and flywheel rather than removing the engine. Just my choice, but I always think that removing the engine makes a small job into a big one. Removing the engine probably takes a little longer than removing the box, but when it goes back in, lining up the clutch is more difficult, and then you have to bleed and leak test the cooling system which adds a lot of time.
 
I think you need more moral support, rather than technical with this one. You already know it, but i will remind you that these are 50 year old cars, and most of them had been through a hard lifetime. So it is no surprise that parts of them fail, sometimes more often than usual. I think all of us have accepted this, through the ownership and use. As long as we don't rely on them as a daily transport, there is no need to be stressed about it.
I think that inertia starters have a poor record with the Rover 4 cyl engine. Probably this is because a lot of times the engine tries to start, but not successfully, so it gives the pinion a hard time. I had an inertia pinion crack from such abuse. The pre-engaged starter solved this problem, but after a good few years also this gave up the ghost, so i went back to an inertia starter that i have kept as a spare. However now i am using iridium spark plugs, and engine always starts cleanly even after staying inactive for weeks, so the starter doesn't suffer.
 
I think that inertia starters have a poor record with the Rover 4 cyl engine. Probably this is because a lot of times the engine tries to start, but not successfully, so it gives the pinion a hard time. I had an inertia pinion crack from such abuse. The pre-engaged starter solved this problem, but after a good few years also this gave up the ghost, so i went back to an inertia starter that i have kept as a spare. However now i am using iridium spark plugs, and engine always starts cleanly even after staying inactive for weeks, so the starter doesn't suffer.
I think you’re right, I just need a Rover forum hug. Starting is fine. Just the mechanical pump takes a few seconds to fill the float chambers after a week resting.

@harveyp6 remeber I’ve been through trying to drop just the box on a RHD dual circuit brake system car this summer. I can tell you both engine and box is way easier.
 
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