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Currently in the process of getting new pulleys... I lost one on the highway when it broke off the bolts. Not sure why, guess there may have been slippage? It was at the end of a couple long drives.
Either way I’m wondering if I should drill and re tap or take the e shaft bolt off to get the face off. I’m scared of messing up the spacers and bearings and such with the latter method, even with the brick on the clutch. But it sounds less risky than taking a drill to it.
Pics attached of broken bolts I need to get off. Obviously I can get two with a vise but the other two...
Any recommendations/ similar experiences?
The pulleys pictured are all my e shaft pulleys except for the one I lost on the highway along with one belt (I think it was the a/c compressor belt just based on remaining belt lengths but not 100%)
Last edited by dorrifto dorrito; 03-24-19 at 06:19 PM.
I've had this issue once, one of those 4x M6 bolts heads sheared off. Fortunately it made a loud knocking noise while idling, and I discovered it before the pulleys came loose. Anyway, I did it by removing the e-shaft bolt so I could take the pulley hub to a work bench for the bolt extraction, drill & tap operation. To do it this way on an FC, you'll need to do the following:
- Get something to hold the clutch to the floor, which prevents the front stack/torrington bearings from slipping loose when you remove the e-shaft bolt. I used a suitable length of 2X4 lumber, wedged tightly between the seat bottom frame and the clutch pedal. I cut a "V" at the end of the 2x4 so it would wedge around the clutch arm just above the pedal so it wouldn't walk off.
- You'll need to find something to lock up the flywheel to keep it from turning. Options there are a special tool (available from Mazdatrix & others) or getting creative with some angle iron, and rigging something up that does the same thing as the special tool.
- That e-shaft bolt will be TIGHT - use an air impact wrench if you got one, otherwise a big breaker bar will do.
I've had this issue once, one of those 4x M6 bolts heads sheared off. Fortunately it made a loud knocking noise while idling, and I discovered it before the pulleys came loose. Anyway, I did it by removing the e-shaft bolt so I could take the pulley hub to a work bench for the bolt extraction, drill & tap operation. To do it this way on an FC, you'll need to do the following:
- Get something to hold the clutch to the floor, which prevents the front stack/torrington bearings from slipping loose when you remove the e-shaft bolt. I used a suitable length of 2X4 lumber, wedged tightly between the seat bottom frame and the clutch pedal. I cut a "V" at the end of the 2x4 so it would wedge around the clutch arm just above the pedal so it wouldn't walk off.
- You'll need to find something to lock up the flywheel to keep it from turning. Options there are a special tool (available from Mazdatrix & others) or getting creative with some angle iron, and rigging something up that does the same thing as the special tool.
- That e-shaft bolt will be TIGHT - use an air impact wrench if you got one, otherwise a big breaker bar will do.
thanks so much
as long as the clutch stays wedged in, reinstallation should be as simple as the removal, right?
and my plan was to use a pry bar to keep the flywheel in place. any tips on getting to the flywheel? should i take the starter off?
thanks so much
as long as the clutch stays wedged in, reinstallation should be as simple as the removal, right?
and my plan was to use a pry bar to keep the flywheel in place. any tips on getting to the flywheel? should i take the starter off?
Installation is as simple as removal, just keep the clutch floored until the job is done & the e-shaft bolt is torqued back on (check FSM for torque specs - it's something like 90ft-lbs, IIRC).
To get to the flywheel, if it's a T2, just remove the inspection plate on the bottom of the tranny bell housing (4x M6 bolts). Don't remember if the NA tranny has a similar inspection plate, but if it doesn't, then you should be able to remove the starter and wedge a prybar in that way.
Tighten the bolt till the engine turns put it in 5th gear release the clutch and torque the bolt. Prybar not needed
the bolt hasn’t even been pulled off yet at all. Are you just talking about reinstallation?
I don’t see how I could remove/reinstall without locking the flywheel. Unless you just mean this 5th gear trick for reinstalling? I don’t wanna prematurely release clutch and risk damage to front stack
Yes, that is for reinstalling. Do the 2x4 trick, use a impact for removal, replace with a new pulley, install bolt then tighten till the engine turns, go to 5th, release peda andl torque to spec. I learned to do it that away from Aaron Cake (I believe) years ago, I'm not able to find it but theres a write up about it on here somewhere about removal/install
Thanks, that makes more sense. But, if I still have to lock the flywheel to get the bolt off, couldn’t I just leave it locked to put the e shaft bolt back on completely and then release clutch and unlock the flywheel?
All I really need is to get a new pulley and bolts. Do you know if a turbo s4 pulley would fit on my s4 n/a? Apparently the s5 turbo and n/a are interchangeable so I’d imagine it is for turbo and n/a s4 as well.
Yeah I was looking at that setup but it is a stop and go car for now. One day I’ll delete my air pump and get nice pulleys and belts. I didn’t know all the fc pulleys were all interchangeable, that’s good to know.
If you had told me yesterday I’d buy the factory ones off you but I just found some today. Thanks anyway!
Now to get new belts, make sure I have the bolts and nuts I need, loctite and get to trying to rip that e shaft bolt off.
03-24-19, 06:08 PM
