We recently installed a new clutch and flywheel in our 24 Hours of LeMons 87 325e racer. We converted to a single mass flywheel because our last clutch literally grenaded and somehow the TDC pin on the flywheel disappeared, so we figured we'd upgrade at the same time.
Yesterday we took the car to a local autocross, and about 2/3 of the way through our first run, the car started losing power and popping out of the exhaust. After the run was done, I heard a rhythmic chirping sound, like a loose belt or something. I pulled into the pits and after a few seconds something seemed to go "pop" and the chirping stopped. I shut off the engine and it wouldn't start again.
We weren't getting spark, and after checking everything, we figured out the TDC sensor on the flywheel didn't have any continuity. We tried to pull it out but the magnet portion broke off and is lodged in the bell housing. So today I removed the flywheel access panel to check things out.
First thing, a square shaped chunk of metal fell out. Then when I looked inside, I could see the top of the sensor magnet had clearly been hit by something several times and was mushroomed. It's pretty clear that the chirping sound I heard was something scraping against the sensor magnet. I tried to pry the magnet out of the hole, but because it was mushroomed on top it wouldn't go through. It looked like there might be enough room to push the magnet INTO the bellhousing and fish it out, so I forced it in but unfortunately it jammed up against the flywheel and wouldn't go any further. I tried to pry it back down (hitting myself in the hand with a hammer multiple times) before giving up because I don't have my needle nose pliers with me.
But while the sensor magnet was jammed up against the flywheel, I decided to turn the engine by hand (using a flathead screwdriver on the teeth of the flywheel - what a bitch) to see if the magnet would jam against the TDC pin on the flywheel and stop, to hopefully verify the pin was still there. It didn't stop.
Unfortunately I can't look up inside the hole to verify the TDC pin is there since the magnet is currently occupying that hole.
Anyone have a clue what the heck happened? And any suggestions on how to get the remainder of the sensor magnet out of the bell housing? I'm really hoping we don't have to pull the transmission out since we just did it a month ago.
Below is the square chunk of metal that fell out of the bell housing (next to the undamaged sensor with no wiring).
Yesterday we took the car to a local autocross, and about 2/3 of the way through our first run, the car started losing power and popping out of the exhaust. After the run was done, I heard a rhythmic chirping sound, like a loose belt or something. I pulled into the pits and after a few seconds something seemed to go "pop" and the chirping stopped. I shut off the engine and it wouldn't start again.
We weren't getting spark, and after checking everything, we figured out the TDC sensor on the flywheel didn't have any continuity. We tried to pull it out but the magnet portion broke off and is lodged in the bell housing. So today I removed the flywheel access panel to check things out.
First thing, a square shaped chunk of metal fell out. Then when I looked inside, I could see the top of the sensor magnet had clearly been hit by something several times and was mushroomed. It's pretty clear that the chirping sound I heard was something scraping against the sensor magnet. I tried to pry the magnet out of the hole, but because it was mushroomed on top it wouldn't go through. It looked like there might be enough room to push the magnet INTO the bellhousing and fish it out, so I forced it in but unfortunately it jammed up against the flywheel and wouldn't go any further. I tried to pry it back down (hitting myself in the hand with a hammer multiple times) before giving up because I don't have my needle nose pliers with me.
But while the sensor magnet was jammed up against the flywheel, I decided to turn the engine by hand (using a flathead screwdriver on the teeth of the flywheel - what a bitch) to see if the magnet would jam against the TDC pin on the flywheel and stop, to hopefully verify the pin was still there. It didn't stop.
Unfortunately I can't look up inside the hole to verify the TDC pin is there since the magnet is currently occupying that hole. Anyone have a clue what the heck happened? And any suggestions on how to get the remainder of the sensor magnet out of the bell housing? I'm really hoping we don't have to pull the transmission out since we just did it a month ago.
Below is the square chunk of metal that fell out of the bell housing (next to the undamaged sensor with no wiring).
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