Hi all, 2 years ago i rebuilt my FD and after i had the engine in and running fine I fell out of love with the project and left the car under a cover in the shed. I wanted to start it recently and decided to turn the engine over by hand a few times before starting. Embarrassingly I left the ratchet on the main pully (bolt on the Eshaft) by accident and started the car. The bolt then unscrewed and i shut the engine down immediately. I tightened the bolt back up and started the car again but now it runs for a few seconds and stops. If the main Eshaft bolt was not tightened correctly would that be the reason that the engine wont stay running ? or what effect would it have?

 

Bad news.
Probably the front or rear thrust bearing has fallen off of the spacer. Then you tightened the bolt crushing the bearing and binding up the E shaft. Bearing swarf and grindings will now be picked up by the pump, damaging the pump and filling the oil lines and cooler with crap.

Check the end play at the front pulley with the bolt still tight.

Should be .0025" to .035". Below .0025" or, more likely, none at all or way more than .035" and you need to rebuild and cleen the cooler and lines.

Lynn E. Hanover

 

The oil seems fine, why would the car start and stop if i had crushed the thurst bearing ? plus it sounded fine. But anyway if i have crushed one of them does that mean a rebuild ?