Two Steps Forward and One Back

Well the Renault transaxle is now bolted up to the Toyota twin cam and I dropped it into the Lotus Europa frame for the first time last night. Everything fits and it looks awesome.

One problem, I decided to replace the pressure plate to flywheel bolts after we had test assembled the engine and transaxle. I didn't think to spin the engine over after we did the final assembly. Guess what..........yup the new bolt heads must be a bit bigger than the originals and they foul with the bell housing in a couple of spots. I discovered this after the engine was bolted in place, axles connected and suspension attached. So my job tonight is to pull the engine, pull the transaxle and clearance the bell housing. I had to walk away last night

I know I'm an idiot but I needed to share my pain with people who'd understand.

Wayslow wrote: I know I'm an idiot but I needed to share my pain with people who'd understand.

AKA other idiots The good news is you'll NEVER do that again!

Not an idiot, at all.

Just an enthusiast with enough moxie (sp?) to attempt a hybrid drivetrain, good luck with the work, sounds very cool.

Eric G

Those kind of problem are self correcting. Fire it up and the machining will be done in a jiffy.

Or not.

LOLz from me, who once replaced a clutch in my Corvair van, put the engine and transaxle together and raised them into place, bolted everything together, hooked up the clutch linkage to the fork, rolled out from under the van and saw..........

the throwout bearing laying next to the tool tray.

Post up some pics!

[sarcasm] I don't understand your pain. I have never done anything like that myself. [/sarcasm]

If it makes you feel better, today I swapped from summer tires to all seasons. Driving through potential sleet and wintry mix tomorrow prompted this. Off came the 15" Kosei's, and the last 14" factory seven spoke just wouldn't mount up to my Miata. This perplexed the heck out of me, since they have been on the car before. Maybe not these exact seven spokes, but a set just like them. Anyways, I sat in the driveway for a bit, pulled the other rear off, figured out that one hub was somehow different than the other. Larger.

Then it hit me, the hubcentric ring was stuck on the final hub. took two paring knives to remove it. That one wheel took four times as long as the other three combined. Oh well.

I don't feel so bad now...

Popped the hood on the Miata today to check the oil before leaving for work. Totally overcast, so I removed my shades. Oil level was fine, so I drop the hood... Doesn't latch. Hmmm... It's never done this before, so I drop the hood a little harder. Still won't latch.

Two attempts later, I see a severely mangled ear-piece from my Oakley's slide down the nose of the car and land at my feet.

I had just done a timing belt onthe miata, the day before leaving for the gap. Go to start it up before going to bed to make sure it was ok to leave in the morning and notice the thermostat laying on the valve cover... Doh!

Joey

i hate it when this stuff happens.