Hi all,
Moving on from the fascinating topic of Naviagtor pistons the engine strip has progressed smoothly until I came to remove the dreaded 'timing side pinion'. I purchased the appropriate tool from the NOC shop and modified the jaws as suggested and taken great care to fit the puller correctly. Despite the use of ever more heat, first using a heat gun and then a propane blow torch I have written off three sets of jaws and only shifted the pinion about 0.020" enough for the 'triangular' washer to rotate but no more. 55 years of 'sticktion' are proving mighty difficult to shift!
Looking at the puller the original jaws did need grinding flat but the two sets of replacement jaws came the correct shape and are much better but frankly just not 'hard enough' to do the job. Part of the problem is the triangular washer is so big it only allows the pullers jaws to grip 1.5 to 2 mm of two teeth of the pinion on each of the three flats. As the puller is tightened down the metal of the jaws is too soft and the pinion teeth cut into them and then just pull over the teeth. I am loathe to fork out another £20 for another set to go the same way!!! Should I use more heat??? I am already getting it so hot all the oil has burnt off, and within minutes of being attached the puller is too hot to touch.
Looking back over previous topics and from memory of the last time I split a Jubilee engine 40 years ago I see that the crankcases will split leaving the crank in the timing side (mine will comfortably open 1/8"). One of Peter Holland's posts recommends propping the crank case up on wooden blocks with something to cushion the crank shafts fall and then heating the timing side main bearing housing up until it expands enough to allow the crank to drop out of the casing.
Before I go that far has anyone got a sure fire way of removing the timing side pinion that I have not tried? If not has anyone got any advice as to how to remove the pinion once I have got the crank out?
Nothing is ever simple with a Lightweight is it???
Yours in frustration nd deep joy!
Nick
I had exactly the same issue…
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Thanks Bob, luckily the…
Thanks Bob, luckily the crank on a Lightweight will come out the same way so I can access the con rods and sludge trap. My main bearings don’t need replacing and both the club and Norvil are out of stock so I’m hoping to get the pinion off without damaging the timing side main. I can only hope that the better access with the crank out will help me get a better purchase on the pinion and with more heat it will come free! Nick
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Are new pinions available?…
Are new pinions available? If so, perhaps you could set it on a drill press and drill some holes directly into it and cold chisel it apart? Brutal...
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I had exactly the same issue on my Dommi with a seized on timing pinion. Here's how I dealt with it... I heated up the timing side crankcase until the timing side main bearing released from the case along with the crankshaft. Crankshaft now on the bench, I used a heavy duty bearing puller behind the main bearing (was changing the mains anyway) and heated the timing pinion with a blow torch until it sizzled when spat on :) and it finally gave in and eventually pulled off but I did destroy the triangular washer as it pulled over the woodruff key.