Pulley Lock Method
After some 20 years since I last swapped one, I started to experience the dreaded 'starter clutch slip'. You know the signs if you are an S800 owner – it doesn't engage when you try to start the car often followed by a horrible clattering sound.
My usual method on a Mk 2 engine is to put the car in 4th, handbrake on, chock the wheels and give it a bit heave! This time though – it wasn't having it. Maybe the passing of 20 years had allowed the nut to jam propery, but more likely it was the use of Loctite on the threads (!) meaning the nut was well and truly tight.
So over a brew, I messaged the club via WhatsApp and got a great response from Stewart Hutchinson within 3 minutes!! The picture shows how I ended up locking the pulley. The nut in the end of the alternator is a 22mm. So I slackened the fan belt and cable tied it so that it had the greatest wrap around the front engine pulley. Then adjust the fanbelt as tight as you can by moving the alternator outwards to give the greatest grip on the pulley. I then put the 22mm socket on the alternator nut and wedged the arm of the socket driver into the gap at the bottom of the inner wing. It was against the anti-roll bar at this point. Then its a 26mm socket on the pulley nut – a big heave and its undone as the pulley is locked in place this way by the fan belt and socket drive to the aternator. Ingenious Stewart!!
The new starter clutch kit from Ortmanns includes the clutch pre-fitted with rollers, springs, caps and of course the sprocket. It even includes a new metal plate which is often the start of the issues. You do have to dismantle your old clutch to supply the splined housing. At this point I was very grateful that I used hardened hexagon drive countersunk screws last time rather than the cross headed ones Honda used. If you have to get the cross headed ones out, undo the nuts (3 of) at the rear and then use an impact driver. My ageing impact driver has never failed to shift a bolt or screw in some 45 years....
To do it up – exactly the same pulley locking procedure but this time its resting on the 'floor' below where the radiator sits. It needs to be tightened to 94ftlb – so quite a tight nut...! This time be aware that the alternator nut could undo if you are unlucky...!!
Then just the rest of the re-assembly – rad, hoses, battery and bonnet back in place etc. It fired first turn which is always encouraging.