Ive read a ton of how-to's on the internet and seen plenty of pictures but every article ive read seems to skim over the step of how to properly set up the dial indicator so that it is exactly in the back of the crankshaft. Does anyone have any experience with this? Im going to be doing it for the first time and want my results to be accurate. Im chasing a leaking trans issue ive had for a long time and want to rule this out as well as a possible cause. Even if it cant cause a leak i think it needs to be done.

 

It doesn't matter how the magnetic base is set up on the crankshaft or on the flywheel, just as long as it rotates with the crankshaft. Set the base up so that the indicator runs on the inside edge of the hole in the bell housing and then turn the crankshaft. The base does not have to be centered on the crankshaft because it is going to turn on the crankshaft centerline anyway. Just be sure that the dial indicator is set square to the surface that you are checking. It should run centered with the hole and flat with the transmission mounting surface.

 

Ok that makes more sense now. Now my question is which edge to set the dial indicator up on. There are two when the trans is out. I am using an adapter plate to mate the tko to the stock bell. I am assuming i want to have the dial indicator in the bigger of the two openings (the one the bearing retainer actually sits into). Here is a picture of what im using.

Ug cant get a picture to work. Its just a TKO adapter. I will try to get a picture to work when i get home tomorrow if you need a visual. Im not on my computer now.

 

Yes, the big hole where the bearing retainer would go. You want the indicator to run along the inside of the hole so you can center the adapter with the crankshaft center line.

 

Ok thanks for all the help. I just got in from doing the measurements and would like some input as to what needs to be done. I marked the bellhousing (well adapter plate but same thing) at 4 spots (12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock). I zeroed the gauge out at 12 o'clock and my findings going clockwise around the bell are .011 out, .012 out, and .004 out. Now its my understanding that i add up the numbers across from eachother if they are going in the same direction. I have numbers that go out in all my measurements (meaning the gauge pointer is stretching out to reach the bellhousing instead of pushing in) so im not sure what to make of that.

So basically the TKO calls for no more than .005 total runout in any direction. I know in the up and down axis i am .006 so my question should i even bother with alignment dowels? Or is there a flaw in the way that i calculated my numbers? I think if i were to get alignment dowels for .007 and move the whole bell up by that amount it would put me at .001 runout but move the bell that .001 above perfect. So if i understand it all correctly i think thats what i need to do to get it right. Or would i be wasting time and energy seeing as how it seems pretty close now.

 

Also to add to this, i was not able to set the dial indicator flat to the surface. It was at the same angle everywhere i was taking measurements however. The magnetic base was as centered as i could get it so therefore the dial itself was a tad off to the side in the hole. Its hard to explain. All i know is i ran it around about three times and got the same results and the same points.

 

Bump? Im thinking of placing a order on some .007 alignment dowels.

 

Think in terms of a diagonal shift. If you install them such that the indexing hole is shifted up and to the right, you have the potential to reduce the 6: number, increase the 12:, and even out the 3: and 9:. Because it's diagonal, you won't gain 7 thou on the vertical. 7s are what you need though. Also, set your dial up to be parallel with the plate surface and see if it changes the numbers. Aim for the best you can get.

 

Ok bringing this back. I went and bought the .007 offset dowels from Robbmc. They are fantastic pieces btw and i would highly recommend them. At any rate i turned them the way i thought they needed to be turned and then checked the runout with my dial indicator. These are my results going around the back of the bellhousing clockwise. Top i zeroed out again on the gauge. So its .000, .052 inwards at the 3 oclock, .005 inwards at the 6 oclock, and .053 inwards at the 9 oclock.

Again if i understand my results right the 12 oclock and the 6 oclock added together and divided by two give me a total runout of .0025 which is fantastic. The 3 oclock and the 9 oclock since they are both facing in by almost the same amount to me means they pretty much cancel each other out? Am i missing something here? My line of thought is that it should be all set to go.

 

That means that the hole in your bell housing is out of round by .105", which is HUGE. If that is the case then I would scrap that one and get another one. I think you did something wrong and you need to check it again.

 

idk i checked it a few times. Its an adapter plate that im measuring from fortes parts connection. idk what i would have done wrong. To me my numbers are saying that the hole is a bit out of round but its tight side to side rather than loose and its tight evenly.

 

Also i dont understand why my original numbers were not saying this and when i put the adjustable dowels in and moved the bellhousing up to correct the up and down runout the side to side numbers got so skewed. I will recheck it again and set up the gauge again but i dont think ill get different numbers.

 

You went from 7 thousandths off (laterally 03:00 to 09:00) to 1 thousandth. That by itself is great.

I'd work on the vertical a bit. Your dowels shifted things left a bit; they might get you really close by slight clockwise turns.

A careful measurement of the plate is definitely recommended and already said. Slop between the front bearing support plate of the transmission and the hole in the adapter can add to whatever amount off your above measurements happen to be.

 

I agree w jmd: your measurements look fine now, assuming you got victimized by "dancing decimal place" somewhere along the line, as it appears.

Basically, this DID NOT happen: .011 change to .053; .012 change to .006; and .004 change to .053.

 

Im going to have someone come over and give me a hand getting numbers today. Its too hard for me to crank the motor over AND get reliable numbers.

 

OK GOT IT finally!!! Had a friend come over and rotate the motor over for me while i read the dial. It took a few tries but im within spec now. Again i zero'd out the gauge at 12 oclock so around the clock we have .000 at 12 oclock, .005 out at 3 oclock, .001 in at 6 oclock, and .003 in at 9 oclock. So the 12 and 6 axis is damn near perfect and the 3 and 9 axis is .004 runout which is in spec. Done.

 

Great. I was pretty sure that you just didn't read the indicator right. It probably went around once while you were trying to turn the engine and you couldn't see what happened.

 

Yea im really not sure what those numbers were all about. They didnt make any sense to me but at any rate im glad its all done...well that part at least. I now need to figure out if i can rebuild my slave since i discovered in all this that it was leaking. Never ending.