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Day by day Coverage:-
It had to happen, after just under 2 years of racing we had our first major mechanical failure resulting in a DNF (Did not finish).
After the best result of the year so far in race 1, race 2 at Snetterton on the 11th September bought everything down with a bump (and not just James Knight hitting the back of my car!). The car was running well and after a ballotted grid due to our qualifying being cancelled we were working up through the pack got up to around 6th when suddenly no drive. Lots of revs, however whatever gear you selected nothing moved the car. The poor BMW was parked up at the side of track and towed back to the pits.
After a good nights sleep (and a day at work) it was time to get diagnosing, early checks showed the gear linkage seemed to be ok so that was the simple fix out of the way (unfortunately), differential was working ok and the prop shaft turning so we were down to gearbox or clutch as the errant unit.
Firstly, get the Beemer to assume the launch position...
Phil gets to work on the exhaust brackets.....
Exhaust and all the covers off....
After a big big struggle, Mr Prop-Shaft is now detached....
Now for these cheeky beasties which hold the Gearbox onto the housing for
the clutch
3 hours later and 2 bolts to go, lack of sleep stopped play at 2:30 am
2 bolts lefts, and something like 4 hours before the pub closes we thought at 6pm, no problem!
A new plan lets get the bolts from within the engine bay, so we drop the car down again and try it from the other way.
Firstly, off with the strut brace and add that to the pile of bits....
We also removed the air intake to give some elbow room
Now the bolt we wanted is under bulkhead but there's an engine there so with some keyhole surgery and a large collection of extender bars (the socket bar goes straight across the picture left to right and ends up on the nut in question which is about a foot off the right hand side of this pic)......
Here's a grainy pic of where the end of the socket was going (apologies for the 3 year crayon-style old arrow), you can just see the socket nestled behind the pipes.
Howzat?.....She's out! The first bolt goes for only a couple of scratches and a broken glove, and only about an hour down. Much happiness was had, time for a cigarette and re-asses bolt 11.
Bolt 11 was stubborn, very stubborn, more stubborn than an Australian tail-ended at a test-match. Unfortunately, it was so stubborn I didn't take any pictures as I was swearing too much.
The method for access to this bolt (the bolt right ontop of the gearbox) is to grab about 4 foot of extender bars and try and undo the bolt from around the rears wheels.
10:30pm All out!
More celebrations until we realise we made an error during earlier work and forgot to dissassemble the gearstick enough. Its now stopped the gearbox from being pulled backwards and off the car!
11:10pm Gearstick mullered. Thats sorted that problem out, now for the final pull, the gearbox has to be pulled back and then dropped down out of the car and within 10 minutes we're sorted.
At last!!! 12 hours work, many cuts and bruises and a lot of swearing but the gearbox is out...
Mmmmmmm, I'm not convinced a gearbox should have sawdust in it........
Looks like the clutchplate has shattered in a big way, "I really must try using the clutch once in a while" says I ;) (Phil doesn't seem impressed with this comment)
So, we have the beginnings of a worklist:-
11:45 Retire to the pavillion for Pimms and bed
More updates later this week once we get all the parts arriving. 8 Days now to the last race of the season at Oulton Park
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