Rs2000 alloy bellhousing cracked, possible cause?

[Warrior]

I’ve removed my type 9 gearbox with rs2000 bellhousing to replace the clutch and oil seals in the box,

after cleaning it all up muddy water ect I’ve found a crack near where it bolts onto the gearbox, it’s the top bolt opposite side to the starter motor.

its running a pinto making 140 ish bhp I use it for drifting and trackdays, I run 225 wide kumho v70’s but wouldn’t have thought that was enough to stress it, was built 2000 miles ago 2 years ish around 1500 of them have been on track. And wasn’t there when it was built.

any ideas? It’s gone for welding now.

[morcheen]

possible due to a loose bolt ?

[Warrior]

possible due to a loose bolt ?

They where all right when I removed it.

[wildo105e]

I have one cracked like that. You only see it when you tighten it up. Could be just fatigue given the age of some of these parts

[Graham]

fatigue most likely, its not the first ive heard of as cracked

[Warrior]

Carnt thank tom White enough, called at 8pm tonight a friend picked it up just after, he called me at 10pm to say it was done, I was at my local pub and he came there with it and only charged me £40, top lad

[Forest_rallying]

That job should do the trick nicely, I hope you bought him a pint too.

[Warrior]

That job should do the trick nicely, I hope you bought him a pint too.

He dint want one

[Miniliteman]

He dint want one

Did he want two?

[Forest_rallying]

As a mater of interest was the alloy bellhousing bolted up to the RS alloy sump?

[rallyrob]

As a mater of interest was the alloy bellhousing bolted up to the RS alloy sump?

Thats a bloody good point, if it was has it pulled the back out the sump aswell...!!!

[Warrior]

As a mater of interest was the alloy bellhousing bolted up to the RS alloy sump?

Yes it’s onto the rs alloy sump

I cleaned it all up and couldn’t see anything time will tell, let’s see if it stays oil free.

[Forest_rallying]

I was asking out of curiosity, If it had n't been fitted to the RS sump then it might have being flexing that causes it to crack. Have you got a good heavy duty gearbox mount to stop the gearbox jumping about?

I don't think you have anything to worry about regarding your sump as they are very strong around that area.

[Warrior]

I was asking out of curiosity, If it had n't been fitted to the RS sump then it might have being flexing that causes it to crack. Have you got a good heavy duty gearbox mount to stop the gearbox jumping about?

I don't think you have anything to worry about regarding your sump as they are very strong around that area.

I don’t know what mount it is on the box, might be worth changing it, there’s abit of flex in it but there’s an equal amount in the engine to move with it if that makes sence.

[Warrior]

After I put all this back together and went on a trackday this weekend and it’s leaking a lot of oil, looks like it’s where the Bell housing meets the gearbox, it had new front and rear seals, new gasket on inspection plate at the top and new gasket between the Bell housing and the box also used Hylomer blue gastket, the breather is clear,

It’s leaking that much when I parked in the paddock I had a patch the size of my hand and had to refill the box twice total of 1ltr of oil used.

Any ideas?

[katana]

Unfortunately welding distortion! Alloy that thick requires a lot of heat input to weld - distortion is the usual result. A skim in a mill should cure it!

[MK1_Oz]

Welding distortion may exist but that wouldn't cause a gearbox leak surely. There are no oil seals as such between the BH and GB. The only possible source of a distortion induced leak would be at the top of the box where the selector shaft comes through the GB maincase and pokes into a cavity in the BH. Oil could get past the shaft then leak out due to the distortion of the BH.

[Forest_rallying]

Surely the oil leak can't be when the vehicle's stationary as the oil level's relatively low. If it is then there's a chance you could have a crack in the gearbox casing. There's also the possibility that the new seal for the input shaft could be damaged somehow. I don't think bellhousing distortion is your problem.

[Warrior]

It hasn’t leaked when parked up for a week after doing it, then took it to the track and give it some proper use and leaking out, I’m pretty sure it’s just dripping out what has been thrown about if that makes sence.

Also it had a new gasket between the input flange? And box.

If I remove it again which I think I will have to befor the next outing, I will give it to a friend who’s an engineer to get him to see how flat it is and mill it if needed,

Maybe double up the gasket?

There is the selector shaft that pokes through and there’s somthing towards the bottom as well.

[Warrior]

It hasn’t leaked when parked up for a week after doing it, then took it to the track and give it some proper use and leaking out, I’m pretty sure it’s just dripping out what has been thrown about if that makes sence.

Also it had a new gasket between the input flange? And box.

If I remove it again which I think I will have to befor the next outing, I will give it to a friend who’s an engineer to get him to see how flat it is and mill it if needed,

Maybe double up the gasket?

There is the selector shaft that pokes through and there’s somthing towards the bottom as well.

[rallyrob]

Where have you got the breather running? Mine through some oil out of the breather until I rerouted it an put a loop in it a bit higher up if that makes sense. I never had the problem again.

A mates Sadev did a similar thing aswell too, until he rerouted the breather.

[Warrior]

Where have you got the breather running? Mine through some oil out of the breather until I rerouted it an put a loop in it a bit higher up if that makes sense. I never had the problem again.

A mates Sadev did a similar thing aswell too, until he rerouted the breather.

It just has the standard lid on with the hole, I need to get under it and have alook but I don’t think it’s comjng from the top.

[rallyrob]

Mine's just a standard lid too, but it has a brass union brazed in the top of it. I ran a piece of windscreen washer tube from there up the bell housing then onto the bulkhead in a loop so it probably ran up about 6"-8" up towards the heather plenum an then back down again.

[Warrior]

Mine's just a standard lid too, but it has a brass union brazed in the top of it. I ran a piece of windscreen washer tube from there up the bell housing then onto the bulkhead in a loop so it probably ran up about 6"-8" up towards the heather plenum an then back down again.

Will be worth alook at think when the box is back out.

[katana]

Where have you got the breather running? Mine through some oil out of the breather until I rerouted it an put a loop in it a bit higher up if that makes sense. I never had the problem again.

A mates Sadev did a similar thing aswell too, until he rerouted the breather.

Query - why add a breather when Ford designed it without one? I know they get a bit frothy inside but do they NEED a breather?

[rallyrob]

Query - why add a breather when Ford designed it without one? I know they get a bit frothy inside but do they NEED a breather?

All I know is mine needed one..

[GavinR]

As standard there's a tiny hole in the top cover for a breather. If you're using higher revs than a standard engine, you need a bigger breather otherwise they can blow oil out around the top cover gasket

[Mk2esccy]

My mate had a similar crack to this on his bellhousing but it wasnt as bad as this one...he chucked it in the tip as he thought it was done...tbh i never thought these could be welded either

[Warrior]

Its still leaking oil from between the belhousing and gearbox, I think it may have warped when been welded, going to remove it again and check, also whilst it’s out for a proper breather to the top case.

[ES1]

Have you checked the gearbox casing. These can crack as well.

[Warrior]

Have you checked the gearbox casing. These can crack as well.

It’s not coming from the top, looks like it’s where the bellhousing meets the gearbox.

[ES1]

A crack in the front face of the gearbox casing? It's got to come out anyway so if the breather is not the issue then the casing or front oil seal would be my next port of call

[Warrior]

[QUOTE=ES1;3396718]A crack in the front face of the gearbox casing? It's got to come out anyway so if the breather is not the issue then the casing or front oil seal would be my next port of call[/QUOTE
It has a new oil seal front and rear and a new gasket between the gearbox and bellhousing with gasket sealant on it aswell, I don’t think the issue is the breather but whilst it’s out I’ve seen an alloy lid with breather, might as well do it as the car gets used hard drifting and trackdays


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