Opinions, is this fixable?

[oldschool eighty8]

I'm not really sure where to post this, but I can't be the only one to have something like this happen. Normally i would just throw it away and grab another short block. This has a lot of time and money in it over sized pistons ect. and only 500 miles on it..


On to the picture. Long story short my pressure plate came apart and caused a lot of damage.

[9aba16vt]

I might be wrong but... i would think that you can get someone to weld a piece and get it tapped...

That sucks man

[Bruno_GTi]

Dude is there any unusual excessive torke on gearbox bolt?

U can fix it, but i recomend a magnaflux test after the repair , cuz u need to know how is the other parts of the block.

Did you notice any vibration on idle?

[oldschool eighty8]

No vibrations what so ever. I was at wot in 3rd gear, pressure plate separated and shattered the flywheel and bell housing.

[Bruno_GTi]

My friend,

This look like sompe fixing problem whith the flywheel, with excessive torque.

Did you use used original fixing bolts or ARP ?

The gearbox and cluth were propely installed ?

The damage was so wide open on overall fixxing surface... You "defently" (dont know how 2 write) need to check the integrity of the block with magnaflux. It´s the only way to check if it´s worth it to fix this block ok?

And the next one , check out the crank-inside gearbox bearing to fit propely on your new bottom end.

[Bruno_GTi]

Do you have pics of the flywheel fixing bolt location?

[8716vrocco]

As long as the block is fine you could definitely have that bolt hole fixed. A buddy of mine had something similar happen to his 350, bolt hole cracked off where the starter holes were. Once he got it checked out at a machine shop he had a friend weld it up and just drilled and tapped it.

[oldschool eighty8]

Thanks guys.
I think the block is fine other then the broken tab, when the clutch came apart it all seemed to go forward( towards the front of the car). I'm going to bring it back to the machine shop that did all the work.

Bruno to answer your question all the bolts were replaced with OEM, torqued to spec. I was using a Spec stg1 clutch, with a oem weight flywheel.

[antichristonwheels]

Wow I bet that was LOUD.

You already found and broke the weakest link.
More than 1/2 of the hole still exists. You could make a copper bolt to facilitate welding over the break but I think you would end up with a mess.

I would investigate a 90 degree angle iron "patch" with a welded on nut and slightly longer bolt.
Take some heavy 2" angle iron and cut a length of it slightly shorter than the outter edges of the break. This is to leave enough room for a weld. The other side of the angle iron would wrap around the front of the remaining flange. Grind the broken edge a bit to get it closer to flat. Fit it, mark it where the bolt would hit it, drill it out and weld a 10mm nut for the bolt to pull against. clean up the remaining hole with a tap. Put the patch over the break and pull it tight with the bolt. Weld the patch to the block.

Some clever machinist can probably make it work somehow. You got nothing to loose.

[oldschool eighty8]

Wow I bet that was LOUD.

You already found and broke the weakest link.
More than 1/2 of the hole still exists. You could make a copper bolt to facilitate welding over the break but I think you would end up with a mess.

I would investigate a 90 degree angle iron "patch" with a welded on nut and slightly longer bolt.
Take some heavy 2" angle iron and cut a length of it slightly shorter than the outter edges of the break. This is to leave enough room for a weld. The other side of the angle iron would wrap around the front of the remaining flange. Grind the broken edge a bit to get it closer to flat. Fit it, mark it where the bolt would hit it, drill it out and weld a 10mm nut for the bolt to pull against. clean up the remaining hole with a tap. Put the patch over the break and pull it tight with the bolt. Weld the patch to the block.

Some clever machinist can probably make it work somehow. You got nothing to loose.

Yeah it was quite loud, still can't believe that happen. I'm going to be bringing it back to the shop soon, I will post up what they tell me in case anyone else has this happen.

[Bruno_GTi]

I makes no sense man ,

If you replaced for new studs with spec torque values , it shouldn´t gone wrong like it happened.

Go check this block with magnaflux test @ the shop , after that , if it´s all good , make the repair of the gearbox fixxing bolts ...

Check the crankshaft too.

Wish you luck ok ?

[Sparknock]

how many rpms where you turning when all that happend? if you where close to top rpm and part of the clutch gave way i could this happening.

i would be looking at the crank real good and a magnafux of the block is in order. thats a lot of stress!!!

good luck with the repair!

[oldschool eighty8]

It was well into the upper rpm range when I herd it come apart

I haven't had time to drop it off yet, hopefully in the next few weeks.

[Glegor]

HOLY FU**

did you re-use your flywheel bolts by chance?

that boss that broke off, that isnt even threaded. just weld some material back to it, and drill it..

make sure its good and strong tho, because those 2 bosses on the front of the engine are what the starter bolts to, and the bell housing..

[soch naungayan]

Man thats a lot of damage. When you say the pp broke...did it rip in 2 with half of it attached to the crank and the other just flying around in the bell housing with the flywheel attached?. I had a similar thing happen with a unbalanced crank.
Also why not just get another block...they are a dime a dozen and boring etc only runs $150....at least in socal.

[oldschool eighty8]

Man thats a lot of damage. When you say the pp broke...did it rip in 2 with half of it attached to the crank and the other just flying around in the bell housing with the flywheel attached?. I had a similar thing happen with a unbalanced crank.
Also why not just get another block...they are a dime a dozen and boring etc only runs $150....at least in socal.

The pressure plate disc is what came off and bounced around. Machine work is not cheap to have done right up here. I have another block but Id rather save this one, it was built before I owned a house and still had disposable income.

[ALLGORIMSHOW]

Spec again! The stage1 doesn't even use a Luc or Sachs Clutch. My friend and I couldn't even find a brand name and worst of all it was out of round by 2.5-3mm. That would have let go at some point in the higher rpm range. Spec

[Bruno_GTi]

Man thats a lot of damage. When you say the pp broke...did it rip in 2 with half of it attached to the crank and the other just flying around in the bell housing with the flywheel attached?. I had a similar thing happen with a unbalanced crank.
Also why not just get another block...they are a dime a dozen and boring etc only runs $150....at least in socal.

I´m impressed how easy is to buy a block and machine it with low cost.

Here , it´s really hard to find and so expensive , ( crank cost - 2000 dolars ).

God bless u all !

[soch naungayan]

I´m impressed how easy is to buy a block and machine it with low cost.

Here , it´s really hard to find and so expensive , ( crank cost - 2000 dolars ).

God bless u all !

crank cost 2000 dollars...is that in U.S. currency....just curious. I could buy a complete bottom end here in the states for $100...and ship it for just a few hundred dollars. Hell I can get a crank knife edged and fully balanced for $500...lmk ...i'd love to help out

[Mtl-Marc]

Spec again! The stage1 doesn't even use a Luc or Sachs Clutch. My friend and I couldn't even find a brand name and worst of all it was out of round by 2.5-3mm. That would have let go at some point in the higher rpm range. Spec

This is what I'm running...

[TooClutchVW]

spec had a bad run of pressure plates years back, I guess this is one of them. Sorry it had to take out almost everything. you should be able to weld it and tap it. If you know someone who can weld cast iron you should be good to go