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BROKEN BELL HOUSING, get welded or replace? Also has anyone seen this happen?

yeti

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Joined
Oct 13, 2010
Messages
803
Location
san diego california
This is the worst thing that’s ever happened in my 10 years of owning this car and I’m just so sad at this point.

I took the time to do the work myself and installed a brand new XTD flywheel PP and clutch and while shifting from 3-4 I must have Misshifted or something because I got locked in gear and was revving at its limit, it took a few seconds for me to get it out of gear and I put it back into 5th and limped home.

I pull over to find this, my PP is striking my bell housing and turned it into glitter.. it’s still touching it so I got the car towed after pulling off the highway in hopes of not destroying the tranny case completely.

Any guesses as to what happened? I triple checked bolts with lock tight and shitty torque wrench upon installation, the car can still be put in gear while off and driven but the clutch is dragging completely.

I took so much time from work I won’t be able to touch the car for at least a few months . But what should I do when I do pull it down?

Can I have this transmission welded? I’ve found a few 1g AWD tranny cases for sale for $110-$230 shipped should I order one of those and attempt to swap internals?

Do I order new clutch from NOT EBAY? Use old clutch that just most likely came apart? ( obviously probably not )
Fork in me potatoes.


 
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gvr4ever

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Joined
Aug 6, 2002
Messages
6,190
Location
central Indiana
What is your rev limit?

click

I personally wouldn't try to weld that one, but others might chime in. Shouldn't be too hard to find a used one in good shape.

Don't want to skimp on clutch or flywheel's if you're revving high enough to do that.
 

yeti

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Oct 13, 2010
Messages
803
Location
san diego california
I’ll have to check my Ecm link settings but that’s a big fear I had later in the night is that I possibly spun a rod bearing or something. I’m hoping around 8000rpm ( which i really wish I had it set to 7500)
I didn’t hear any tapping from the motor while driving afterwards or restarting it. I’m just hoping when I have time to replace this transmission and clutch the motor doesn't have an instant tap within 500 miles

Thanks for the input.

I know I shouldn’t of cheaped out on the clutch parts , my tuner recommended the XTD brand claiming that he spent good money on an ACT just for it to break.

The mechanic that helped me get her ready said I should of went competition clutch, realllly wish I would of listened to his advice.

ALSO now that I think of it the dowels on the new flywheel I installed where skinny enough to allow the PP to fit on in any configuration, also allowing a ton of wiggle room. I read someone stating that the dowels receive all the force from the motor not the PP bolts. So I’m guessing that little wiggle room exploded at high speed.
 

gvr4ever

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Joined
Aug 6, 2002
Messages
6,190
Location
central Indiana
As long as your head is up to the task (valve springs), but bottom end shouldn't fail due to high revs. Unless you had a oil starvation problem too. You got lucky if the flying bits didn't hit anything major. I've seen some horrible pictures over the years. Exploding flywheels can do a lot of damage.
 

yeti

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Joined
Oct 13, 2010
Messages
803
Location
san diego california
Ya I did some research on exploding flywheels and oh boy did I get the best end of stick for sure.

That’s good to hear, I built the motor from scratch and it only has maybe 3000 miles on the fresh build. Hoping for the best.

This was my first ever misshift and by golly it was the scariest thing in the forkin world.

I switched to the 1g dsm shifter and I’m so not use to the throw or size of it, much easier to selec correct gear with the stock gvr4 shifter.

Right before I got on the highway I told the person in the car I was gonna swap back the stock shifter because this one was too tight.
 

tektic

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Joined
Dec 19, 2012
Messages
1,497
Location
ronkonkoma, ny
That looks like an exit hole not a stress fracture. If it’s still the same shape I suppose a weld can close it up. The clutch probably exploded. Get a better clutch.
 

yeti

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Oct 13, 2010
Messages
803
Location
san diego california
By still the same shape you mean the piece that popped out? That turned into glitter and I don’t have any of the pieces, should someone be able to fill in that hole by welding? Sorry if that’s dumb I don’t really understand welding.

Also ya exit hole seems correct, the Pp is backed up against the bell housing.
 

yubh8tn

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Joined
Aug 21, 2019
Messages
223
Location
coeur d alene, idaho
Yeah, someone could probably weld a piece of metal into that hole. Welding is, very basically, melting multiple pieces of metal together so they become one piece. Not sure how important that area is to structural strength, though.

This would be a good opportunity to rebuild your tranny or buy a new one if the syncros were going out.
 
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transparentdsm

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Jul 27, 2011
Messages
3,690
Location
Cherry Hill, NJ
that hole looks to be the size of one of your pucks from the disc. id pull the trans and pressure plate and see what that clutch looks like.
 

yeti

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Joined
Oct 13, 2010
Messages
803
Location
san diego california
Yessir ,I’m not driving it at all right now.

I’m actually towing it to a flat street to do the work as my street and driveway is very slanted, Im afraid I’ll hurt more of my bellhousing trying to move it.

So aluminum jb weld out of the option <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
 

yeti

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Joined
Oct 13, 2010
Messages
803
Location
san diego california
Pressure plate exploded and disassembled itself, and there’s 2 holes and a lot of grindage inside the bell housing.

The clutch disc itself seems to be fine, the flywheel is a bit chewed up around the edges but all in all ok.

After having this happen I kind of just want to ditch the XTD parts all together.

Recommendations for a clutch around 450whp?
I think I’m leaning towards unsprung as I’m terrified of having a spring pop out and having to drop tranny ( even tho I’m damn fast at it now)

I called a radiator shop today they said after talking on phone could be around $120-300 per hole.

Should I trust them? Could it peel open more to complete failure during repair?






 

yubh8tn

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Joined
Aug 21, 2019
Messages
223
Location
coeur d alene, idaho
If it were me, I would just replace that housing / tranny. $300 is near the price I paid for my rebuilt tranny. It's just a matter of finding one.
Also, the likelihood of a spring popping out of a nice clutch is extremely low, but if you'd prefer an unsprung disk then go for it.
 

yeti

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Joined
Oct 13, 2010
Messages
803
Location
san diego california
If you know of a complete transmission for $300 I’m all in, cheapest one I can find is $1000

I’ve sourced a few bellhousing but they are about $300 and that would require a rebuild as the bellhousing contains races, a type of bearing.

Also are we able to use 2g trannys? Just swap shift linkage and accessories? As long as the spline count in the transfercase matches up of course.

I talked to my local buddy he said to take it elsewhere he recommended a spot said it should be like $100 bones. Fingers crossed.

Also should I duct tape some rags or some type of plugs into the axle holes on the transmission to avoid the welder dropping material inside of it ?
 

yeti

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 13, 2010
Messages
803
Location
san diego california
Also anyone know of a captured spring design for our clutches?

Here’s a pic of an example, but I’m just worried aboot the springs leaving me stranded and feeling like a dip sh*t.

My local buddy is telling me that he’s never had a spring pop out and unsprung disc fail more often because they crack.

All in all I’m going to probably be going with a act 2600 pp with 6 puck ceramic sprung disc as my buddy has one that’s only been bolted up and idled, and it’s local. Along with a ACT streetlight flywheel as my other buddy has a new one for $100


 
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yeti

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Joined
Oct 13, 2010
Messages
803
Location
san diego california
Also local muffler shop said $150 to cover both holes, I’ve dropped off the tranny today

Should be all done tomorrow and ill be install a act 2600 sprung 6 puck with either a resurfaced stock flywheel or something not eBay.

I’ll have Post pics when done &amp;#127867;&amp;#127867;
 
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