How to remove tailshaft in an 83 GTV???

[DomenicC1]

Anyone got any helpful hints for the easiest way to remove the tailshaft in an 83 GTV as I need to replace the rear engine mount on the bell housing? Had a quick look and it's obvious that I need to drop the exhaust to get the bell housing off but am curious whether the tailshaft will come out easy without much of a fight.

If anyone has done this before your shared knowledge with be appreciated!

Cheers
Domenic

[Storm_X]

Done it many and many of times.  But I thought changing that mount toucan still do with the tail shaft installed ?

[DomenicC1]

To my knowledge the mount is a pressed into the bell housing, I'm sure it could be changed without removing the bell housing but I imagine it would be one hell of a struggle to do it while still mounted to the car. I need to remove the bell housing as I have a spare bell housing with a new mount already pressed into it so the one on the car must be removed.

[martym00se72]

I would have thought that you have to pull the engine to get the bell housing off. I would have thought also that pulling the tail shaft back, losening the front mounts and jacking the front of the engine up would force the back of the engine down enough for you to get at the mount. I would hate to try and get my arm up in there to undo bolts that hold the bell housing on...

But having never done any of that (yet - engine swap after Alfas in clover...  ) I could be very wrong, but worth a shot I reckon

[Evan Bottcher]

[DomenicC1]

Hmm...

[Evan Bottcher]

Sorry, I hate it when it does that 

[DomenicC1]

Haha...made me chuckle 

[LukeC]

You do not need to remove or unbolt the tailshaft. But from memory, you need to undo the front of the exhaust (where it bolts on to the manifolds) this will allow you to jack the front of the engine and therefore move the rear mount down for access.

I used to apply some heat to the rear of the bellhousing with the blue lady (gas-axe, oxy-acetylene) and use a hammer and drift to punch it out sideways. It is a bit tight, but there is room.

The mount is pretty much size on size (not really a press fit). Clean the area up, using scotch-bright on the I.D. Then heat it again (to hot to touch, but not excessively so) using the oxy, get the new mount that has had the outside lightly oiled and slip it in from the side before it grips.

You have have gloves on and be quick, getting the alignment pretty much right first go. you can't really rotate it once its in.

Easy on a hoist with a gas-axe. Any decent alfa workshop with transaxle skills should be able to do it in under an hour.

[DomenicC1]

Thanks for all the info...much appreciated! I think I've got enough to go by and give it a go!

Cheers

[Beatle]

If you ever have the exhaust removed, get it to a shop and have them replace slip joints with flanged joints.  That makes removal so much easier and then a tailshaft removal should only take a week.................

[MD]

My suggestion would be to make a puller for it and leave most things in situ.