Crankshaft Assembly Proceedure

Dan1950

Dan1950

1974 MK II Roadster
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I have the crank journals polished and the sludge traps cleaned. I have new studs and nuts and I'm ready to reassemble the crankshaft. Any particular procedure that makes the process easier?
 
I just undertook this job the other day.

It’s pretty straight forward. If you have the video, Mick Hemmings does go over the procedure.

One of the tips he provides is to pre bend the tabs on the plates. It makes much easier to finish the job (vs trying get a screwdriver or punch underneath to pry).

I also found with the studs that they won’t go in with the crank assembled. You’ll have to pre-insert the studs and then assemble.
 
Last edited:
SEd27 said:
I just undertook this job the other day.

It’s pretty straight forward. If you have the video, Mick Hemmings does go over the procedure.

One of the tips he provides is to pre bend the tabs on the plates. It makes much easier to finish the job (vs trying get a screwdriver or punch underneath to pry).

I also found with the studs that they won’t go in with the crank assembled. You’ll have to pre-insert the studs and then assemble.
Click to expand...
Does it mention the oil drilling blanking screw removal on the TS crank web?

Be doing mine shortly and that LOOKS like it might-be a PIA.
 
Paul (850 Commando.) said:
I'd rather check/clean it out it TBH.
In my mind centrifugal force will send everything outwards, eventually blocking the oil gallery.
Click to expand...
If that were completely full is would have no effect! Once you have the crank out, take a good look at what is was for. Oil under pressure goes in the end of the crank, past that hole and down into the center of the crank cheek. If you really want to open it, then you'll need to drill out the punches to unlock it before trying to unscrew it.
 
Paul (850 Commando.) said:
Does it mention the oil drilling blanking screw removal on the TS crank web?

Be doing mine shortly and that LOOKS like it might-be a PIA.
Click to expand...
It is nerve wracking . Mine was staked in three places so I had to drill out with undersized bit through center then manually pick out remaining blanking screw material , then chase threads .
I set cheek up on riser block and drilled with the mill .
BACDACE3-6F2A-4D19-8C04-8F8EC2D210CD.jpeg
 
marshg246 said:
If that were completely full is would have no effect! Once you have the crank out, take a good look at what is was for. Oil under pressure goes in the end of the crank, past that hole and down into the center of the crank cheek. If you really want to open it, then you'll need to drill out the punches to unlock it before trying to unscrew it.
Click to expand...
Certainly I'll take a good look, but my first thoughts are that the drilling takes the oil that is fed into the end of the crank, up the crank cheek through the big end and across to the other big end.

If the oil passes that hole/drilling, surely there's another drilling somewhere?
Am I missing something?
 
You don't need to remove that screw (picture in Thread #10)
You could use a bent wire or pick and poke around from the inside to try and clean it , but it is not nessesary to remove it. A number of flushes of brake clean and a good thorough washing with hot water and dish soap. Once clean pull it out and using compressed air blow off any hot water left and then hit it with oil to stop any flash rust.
You are now ready to re-assemble.
Make sure you have the dowel pin in the flywheel. (Flywheel in the correct orientation with punch marks on one cheek and side of F/W when you dissassembled it) Use studs and nuts or bolts and nut sets with the lock tabs pre bent as per Mick Hemmings, he puts the bolts through the drive side half. If you use the stud and nut set, pay attention to stud lengths. Longest nuts to the top.
 
Paul (850 Commando.) said:
Certainly I'll take a good look, but my first thoughts are that the drilling takes the oil that is fed into the end of the crank, up the crank cheek through the big end and across to the other big end.

If the oil passes that hole/drilling, surely there's another drilling somewhere?
Am I missing something?
Click to expand...
Yes, the hole through the end of the crank stops after the other end of that hole. That hole is drilled though the hole in the end of the crank down into the center of the crank. That hole has no purpose once drilled. If it were not sealed, as much oil as goes into the crank would squirt out of it cutting oil pressure about in half.

There is a similar drill way in the crankcase bottom timing side.

If you decide that you can't stand not removing it, just be damned sure it's sealed and can't come out when you put the new on in, and don't try to reuse the old one!
 
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Fast Eddie said:
IMHO removing those plugs (what were not intended to be removed) quite probably introduces more potential issues than it resolves.
Click to expand...
I think the risk is in damaging the threads in the web/cheek if drilling is necessary. Certainly true and if you are uncomfortable doing this then perhaps the poking and prodding is best - however, nothing will be better than having a straight through access to the oilway in the web which requires the blanking screw removal .
A new blanking screw and RE - STAKING will prevent the screw from coming adrift due to centrifugal force.
 
Richard Tool said:
I think the risk is in damaging the threads in the web/cheek if drilling is necessary. Certainly true and if you are uncomfortable doing this then perhaps the poking and prodding is best - however, nothing will be better than having a straight through access to the oilway in the web which requires the blanking screw removal .
A new blanking screw and RE - STAKING will prevent the screw from coming adrift due to centrifugal force.
Click to expand...
Your logic is good. However, the screw is small, normally recessed, staked 2-3 times and if you get it out, there is probably room to stake it once more. If someone before you did it and used red Loctite with stakes, it may not be possible to get out. In that case the screw will have to be drilled out, and tapped for a larger screw. Doable, but silly, IMHO. Like Fast Eddie said, not meant to come out.
 
The Hemmings video covers the procedure well, though I set mine up in the lathe for torquing to help ensure parallelism
 

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