Type 9 Gearbox Fitting

[Guest iank]

So... my next dumb question ......

 

I'm fitting a type 9 gearbox to the Zetec engine in my Zero. I've done a trial fitting today and expected I may have to shave off part of the outermost lug on the exhaust side of the bell housing, as is done with the MT75.

 

In fact I found there was plenty of room between the lug and the frame. My problem is the huge lump that houses fresh air behind the starter motor mounting is fouling the frame (pics attached) . The net result is the front end of the engine is 15mm off centre.

 

Before I go slicing off a huge lump from the nice new bell housing, can I ask how others who have fitted a type 9 box have overcome this.

 

Ian

[Guest iank]

Forget to mention the odd thing I noticed when doing the trial fit is that even with the bell housing fouling the frame and putting the engine off centre, the engine mounts were actually in the same position on each side. i.e. the distance from the mount to the edge of the frame was the same on both sides!

[sj-bradley]

Hi,

 

That is quite a bulge on that bell housing. I compared it with the MT75 I fitted and your starter motor bulge is quite big.

 

If your engine mounts are equally spaced - is the engine twisted in the frame? I.e you align the geabox mounting point and the centre of the crank shaft pulley to the centre of the cross member in front of the pulley. If that is not possible because of the bulge in the bellhousing, I'm stumped for an answer I'm afraid, short of a different bellhousing or trying to modify the one you have.

 

Anyone else?

 

Simon.

[Guest iank]

I think the answer is going to be 'cut the bell housing', I can find one other blog where the builder has done just that. Just want to make certain there's nothing I've missed before doing something irreversible.

 

It is the only way I can see to bring the engine back onto the centreline.

 

Ian

[Guest steve775]

A type 9 in a standard Zero Chassis (don't know about the wide body) requires a modification to the starter motor housing ..... in simple terms this means taking and angle grinder to it. most people remove this section on an angle and fix a cover over the opening

[Guest iank]

In case its of use to anyone else searching the forum for reassurance. Sorry Mr Perks.. had to be done..

 

The mod to the bell housing is shown below.

 

For some strange reason reminds me of one of those pirate movies where someone has a head injury fixed with a metal plate screwed to the skull.

[Stewart]

Check out my photo`s you will see a photo of me on my hands and knees cutting the bell housing, the bulge was for the old Bendix starter motor.

[Guest iank]

I bet that took some time ,looks like the original steel bell housing.

 

Ian

[gncgray]

Morning

 

Yeah I had to cut the back end of the bell housing too and put a plate on it.

 

Graham

[Guest mem360]

what is the starter motor you have used as I have a lrs707 starter but it will not match up to the bolt holes on the bellhousing

[Guest iank]

I used the small starter motor supplied by GBS. Just tried to look for any identifiers on the pictures I have but I cant see any.

[Guest 2bchris]

If the gearbox is already bolted up to the engine do you need to remove the starter motor before cutting?

[Guest iank]

You would be better removing it and preferably separate the gearbox from the engine - that way you can clean out all the bits that will fall inside when you cut the bell housing.

 

P.S. I also had to shave the bell housing lug AND the starter motor lug that is closest to the the bottom rail. You can just see on the picture where I shaved the bell housing, don't have a picture of the same on the starter motor - but you get the point.

 

Ian