A Matter of a Pinion

[Iron Head]

Made a schoolboy error trying to use my R/H only torque wrench on the L/H threaded timing pinion on my G80CS. Must have got to about 60 ft/lbs (should be 16 ft/lbs) before realising it wasn't going to click?!

I assume pinions simply split on the taper if badly ‘over-cooked'? Just seeking some reassurance that everything should be okay and I don't need to replace it. Nut has been backed off and L/H torque wrench has been ordered - quite hard to find.

Iron Head

[Greybeard]

I have recently made a puller to remove the pinion on a 350 engine. It was holding on pretty tightly. I would have thought that had the pinion cracked, which I would say is unlikely, then with the nut removed it would come off very easily. If it hasn't cracked then look forward to some fun should you have to remove it later

Steve

[ajscomboman]

I have recently made a puller to remove the pinion on a 350 engine. It was holding on pretty tightly. I would have thought that had the pinion cracked, which I would say is unlikely, then with the nut removed it would come off very easily. If it hasn't cracked then look forward to some fun should you have to remove it later

Steve

Steve you'd be surprised, the pinion is easy to crack, I've seen plenty over the years. I've also had to split a few to get them off, especially when the key has been buggered! Destroyed a few pullers trying to get them off as well. If they don't crack off with moderate force I split the pinion rather than bugger a puller and still have to split it!

[Mick D]

Hi

The engineer in me says to get the pinion off by whatever means and replace it with a new one secured to the correct torque. Even if the current one hasn't cracked it's been seriously overstressed and may well split in the future.

Buy a torque wrench with a ratchet head, widely available and caters for left and right threads.

Regards Mick

[Iron Head]

Think you might be right Mick, it's the fact it's a taper that bothers me. If it was simply parallel internally splined or something I would be less concerned. My torque wrench is ratcheted but only reads/works tightening up, I believe like most models out there. The other way around it is apparently to buy a ‘push through' ratchet head which is what I have done. Took some finding to get a Williams AutoTorque NOS on eBay last night. Can't run to a nice reversible Norbar or something similar though which would have been ideal.

Iron Head

[Greybeard]

Steve you'd be surprised, the pinion is easy to crack, I've seen plenty over the years. I've also had to split a few to get them off, especially when the key has been buggered! Destroyed a few pullers trying to get them off as well. If they don't crack off with moderate force I split the pinion rather than bugger a puller and still have to split it!

Every day's a school day Thanks, Rob.
Steve

[alanengineer]

Their are plenty of 'bendy bar' torque wrenches around going for peanuts. i have 2 available for free if you collect. Crude, but effective. old school stuff

[SPRIDDLER]

Made a schoolboy error ........ Must have got to about 60 ft/lbs (should be 16 ft/lbs) before realising it wasn't going to click?!

Ruddy Norah! Do you need a torque wrench? There's a heck of difference between 16 and 60 ft/lbs.

I bet the Marmite lasts a long time in your house.

[g80csp11]

spinach.jpg

clearly a case of too much spinach over Christmas
I always check the torque setting in the vice first especially on small settings so i know what it should feel like when it 'clicks'

[Iron Head]

Thanks for the feedback guys and the kind offer of bendy bar torque wrenches too. I did check the click on a preload of 16 ft/lbs in the vice but didn't realise mine doesn't read/work counter clockwise! Funny you mention Marmite Spriddler my wife said this morning that she is amazed what I can scrape out of the jar....

Iron Head