25 replies to this topic

[babsbrown]

Morning everyone, I'm just replacing my verto clutch, and are trying to reach the last couple of cover bolts. I know about jacking it up once the engine mount is released, but are there any other tips, eg using crow's feet?'different spanners etc...? Thanks in advance, Luke

[nicklouse]

Nothing more than you have said other than you may find changing the angle of the wrench to allow better fit ant of the head.

[jaysmini1983]

as you have said, i always have a set of crows feet as you never know.

Also you may be lucky and its been done before and the bolts are either not in place or the cover has been notched to allow removal without removing the whole bolt.

[babsbrown]

Thanks guys, gonna have to just persevere with this one! Must be on the list of annoying jobs, just like the Speedo cable haha. The clutch lasted long thought, almost 100k

[GraemeC]

Bending a ring spanner can help, as can the 'old fashioned' type offset ring spanner or hinged box spanners

 

Something like this:

https://www.amazon.c...5/dp/B00LD3Z24M

 

Just depends what you have to hand really as buying something to then find they don't quite fit is particularly annoying!

 

 

Being a verto I presume it has the 7/16" AF headed screws rather than the 1/2" ones, which at least makes it a little easier.

[RooBoonix]

I seem to remember a ratchet spanner helping me, I got some in my halfords pro set. They're metric but they worked for me. They are a pain though, 1 click of the ratchet spanner at a time

[babsbrown]

Cheers guys, I will have a look at what I can either make or buy, I'm just terrified of rounding one of the buggers haha

[MatthewsDad]

Drill a hole through the subframe for the one at six o'clock . And as above, bend a spanner to a right angle for the ones at the back.

[MiniMadRacer]

I remove the rad  (side Rad on my Minis) and losen off the rad side engine mount bolts but do not take the bolt off the nut... then jack the flywheel side of the engine as high as it can go until the exhaust and or gear linkage just touches the floor of the car/// this give a bit more room around the wok.. the rest is as the guys above have said, I have used a small ratched with a U/J or wobble joint and it can be successful if using 3 /8 drive or smaller if you can get the correct socket size to fit the drive////

[Cooperman]

On rally cars it is common to drill some 3/4"  holes in the sub-frame web lining up with those bolts, so that a 3/8" sq drive 1/2" AF socket on a 5" extension bar will go through. The very back one is always difficult, but when you re-assemble and leave that bolt out. There are 7 others to provide the necessary strength.

[babsbrown]

Thanks for your help and insights guys, learning so much. I now have all the bolts out. The engine mount nut is just spinning so once I remove the engine mount nuts I'm hoping the wok comes off. The only problem I foresee at the minute is that I can't remove the flywheel cover bolts, as they foul on the body, and subframe when fully unscrewed. Even when lifting the engine, I imagine it would have to be lifted a good FT to allow for the bolts to come out.

[nicklouse]

Thanks for your help and insights guys, learning so much. I now have all the bolts out. The engine mount nut is just spinning so once I remove the engine mount nuts I'm hoping the wok comes off. The only problem I foresee at the minute is that I can't remove the flywheel cover bolts, as they foul on the body, and subframe when fully unscrewed. Even when lifting the engine, I imagine it would have to be lifted a good FT to allow for the bolts to come out.

You say you have the cover (wok) bolts out but then you say you foresee that you will not be able to remove them!  
 

your terminology may be wrong. 
 

after removing the wok there is only one bolt and keyed washer to remove before you pull the flywheel. 

[babsbrown]

Apologies, there are still two bolts that are still sat in the wok cover, however they ar loosened all the way out. I've loosened them as far as I can physically go, but I can't physically remove them out the hole they are In, because the subframe or general body is in the way. I'm hoping that they're just held in the cover at the minute, and the whole threaded part of the bolt has exited the threaded part of the block. When I remove the remaining part of the engine mount tomorrow, I'm hoping the wok just lifts out with the bolts just sitting in the holes they are in.

[nicklouse]

Got you.

[jaysmini1983]

Thanks for your help and insights guys, learning so much. I now have all the bolts out. The engine mount nut is just spinning so once I remove the engine mount nuts I'm hoping the wok comes off. The only problem I foresee at the minute is that I can't remove the flywheel cover bolts, as they foul on the body, and subframe when fully unscrewed. Even when lifting the engine, I imagine it would have to be lifted a good FT to allow for the bolts to come out.

you may have to grind the head off the bolt if the captive nut in the engine mount is spinning. 

when you jack up the engine the cover will come away and the 2 bolts should come with it.