Scatter sheild to crank alignment

[kman67rsss]

I have my motor apart and am trying to check the runout on the lakewood scatter sheild that i have. the problem is im clueless. i think the dial indicator is too large, it measures to 1 inch. The part im stuck on is dont you need to know the centerline of the crank shaft? Any help tricks or just a step by step method of how to do this would be great. thanks

[Mkelcy]

You don't need to know the centerline. With the crank in the block (mounted in the main bearings with the bearing caps properly torqued) the indicator mounted on a magnetic base on the flywheel flange, and the bellhousing installed, the indicator will rotate around the bell housing in the same relative postion as the crank is turned . Any change in readings on the dial indicator is the run out.

[dhardison]

I found this page to be extremely helpful when doing my manual conversion. It's Jeep related, but is chock full of excellent info on bellhousings (including alignment), clutches, pressure plates, clutch forks, throwout bearings, etc. It's well worth reading.

http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/clutches_etc.htm

[kman67rsss]

What size dial indicator did you use? I think part of my problem is the gauge is too large.

[Mkelcy]

Hopefully, you're measuring 0.020" or less.

[kman67rsss]

By too large i mean overall diameter of the guage and pointer.

[Mkelcy]

You could put the gauge at an angle above transmission mounting face of the bellhousing, but your measurements will be understated. If you remember your trig you can figure out the correction, or simply go for a lower variance side-to-side than is otherwise required.

[Mike72ss]

Here is a picture of a dial indiactor position within a bellhousing, about 2/3 down the page.
http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=74099&page=4&highlight=dial+indicator

Mike

[JimM]

Here is a picture of a dial indiactor position within a bellhousing, about 2/3 down the page.
http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=74099&page=4&highlight=dial+indic ator

Mike
[/URL]

Hey, that post is me!!! lol

The 1" dail indicator is fine. put the magnet on the flywheel, and arrange it so the dial indicator is as close to parallel to the face of the bell as possible, with the needle on the edge of the bellhousing hole, as shorn in the pic in that link. Set it so it's pushing in the plunger about halfway, and then turn the face so zero is at the current needle position. Then just turn the crank and note the needle reading every 45 degrees. Pay attention to if it goes negative or positive. It was easier for me to find the "lowest spot" and zero the scale there.

Write the readings down on a peice of paper, in a circle!

Take the DIFFERENCE between each pair oif reading 180 apart, and divide by half. you'll have 4 numbers. The largest is your runout, and WHICH 180 degree line it's on is the direction you need to move the bell.

Oh, BTW, Hi everyone. I'm Jim, and I haven't been here in awhile, and never posted here much. I hang at Team Camaro a lot, and I've been the electrical mod there for about 3 months now.