Manufacturing defect on McLeod scatter shield...
Manufacturing defect on McLeod scatter shield... Today I was helping a friend get her T56 back in (95 Z28). After we got the input shaft snug and started tightening up the trans to bellhousing bolts, I noticed one giving me trouble and when I looked around the other side, I found the problem. The bolt thread just underneath the clutch fork only goes halfway into the bellhousing material and also comes up about 1/2" short too. Not sure how we missed this, but I had only given the parts a cursory look-over when they came in. Even more alarmingly, how did McCleod QC miss this? 
In any case, here are the pics. This shows what it looks like looking towards the front of the car:
And then this is what we found on the other side of the clutch fork area:
Is there any hope of salvaging this somehow (maybe having someone weld up that hole as much as possible and then re-tap it?) or should she just deal with undoing it all and having McLeod send her a new part?
In any case, here are the pics. This shows what it looks like looking towards the front of the car:
And then this is what we found on the other side of the clutch fork area:
Is there any hope of salvaging this somehow (maybe having someone weld up that hole as much as possible and then re-tap it?) or should she just deal with undoing it all and having McLeod send her a new part?
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Joined: Dec 2009
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does the hole line up with the transmission or is it cocked sideways?
does the bolt screw all the way in and bottom out from lack of thread depth or does it start dragging like the hole is drilled and tapped crooked?
can you get a picture from the starting side of the bolt, how far into the sidewall of the bellhousing are the threads?
you could talk to a machinist and see if he could locate you a drill bushing for locating in the existing hole and drill it a little deeper then tap it.. if you go this route be damned careful tapping it ,go slow, and backout very often.. the shadetree method would involve a die grinder or pencil grinder, carefully grinding a radius past the end of the threads so the bolt can pass through.. think the shadtree method would be better since you already have it installed, be a pain getting a drill motor in there..
i seen this posted on another forum also.
i still cant get over that weld, i would almost send it back for that instead of the bolthole.. they must get a massive pile of sfi stickers at one time, would love to see a rollcage certify with a weld like that.. evidently a clutch or flywheel exploding isnt as dangerous.. not knocking your car, from the looks of the bottom of the car its a nice ride and the clean block and canton pan look nice.. think i would send some pics to mcleod and see what they say before i go grinding or drilling..
does the bolt screw all the way in and bottom out from lack of thread depth or does it start dragging like the hole is drilled and tapped crooked?
can you get a picture from the starting side of the bolt, how far into the sidewall of the bellhousing are the threads?
you could talk to a machinist and see if he could locate you a drill bushing for locating in the existing hole and drill it a little deeper then tap it.. if you go this route be damned careful tapping it ,go slow, and backout very often.. the shadetree method would involve a die grinder or pencil grinder, carefully grinding a radius past the end of the threads so the bolt can pass through.. think the shadtree method would be better since you already have it installed, be a pain getting a drill motor in there..
i seen this posted on another forum also.
i still cant get over that weld, i would almost send it back for that instead of the bolthole.. they must get a massive pile of sfi stickers at one time, would love to see a rollcage certify with a weld like that.. evidently a clutch or flywheel exploding isnt as dangerous.. not knocking your car, from the looks of the bottom of the car its a nice ride and the clean block and canton pan look nice.. think i would send some pics to mcleod and see what they say before i go grinding or drilling..
You could try to run a tap through there and clean it up some. Contacting mcleod woulnd be a good thing to do aswell. I doubt theyll just send you a new one. Atleast that way tho hopefully there QC will have there eyes abit more open.
Aslong as the holes line up good. I wouldnt worry about it to much. as stated above, if worse comes to worse. Get a shorter bolt
Aslong as the holes line up good. I wouldnt worry about it to much. as stated above, if worse comes to worse. Get a shorter bolt
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