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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - scattershield?

Hi
Anyone ever had their clutch blow? Anyone running a scattershield? My engine is a '63 Skylark, flywheel and pressure plate are Schiefer aluminum units. Is a blowup possible with this setup?
Jake

C'mon Jake, you're makin' me jittery!!
Joe Ullman

Yes it's very possible above 8,000 rpm
Bill Guzman

You've got my curiosity up - tell us what you've got and what you're doing with it.

Wayne
Wayne Pearson

Well the reason I ask is because yesterday I ordered a clutch disk from Mcleod, who mentioned that there was a distributor for their products here in Provo, namely Kirkham Motorsports. They make 427 Cobra kits. On the phone, the guy over there recommended a scattershield for some reason, just though Id ask.
Jake

If anyone wants to check out what Im doing, the web address is
http://www.et.byu.edu/~jmv
Jake

I personally don't use scatter shields but recommend them for safety. For each and every one of us not using a scatter shield, we are taking our life into our own hands.
A scatter shield basically help in two different ways:
if the flywheel lets loose from the motor- broken or vibrated loose bolts, it will snap the input shaft like a twig, then the ring gear will act like a big saw and cut through the bellhousing and then through the sheet metal. The next thing it usually cuts through is your legs. Free amputation anyone?
The second thing it can stop is the flywheel bits and pieces if it blows up into a thousand pieces like a hand grenade.
A blow up is possible with ANY setup. I have seen 43 bhp Bugeye flywheels that were not tight and let go. Luckily it happened at slower engine speeds and did not break the input shaft, but it still had enough play to eat a good chunk of the bellhousing.. Actually, I have come across a number of bellhousings for the A series this way. Oh and yeah, thats with the stock one piece washer- just oil the threads and torque them to factory specs.

Getting back to what I first said- I am taking the risk in my own hands by not using a scatter shield... Just like I am taking the risk by not wearing a helmet every time I hop into an MG to go on a drive. Yes the helmet give me extra protection, but I dont want to... A scatter shield however only requires a little extra money, and then forget about it.

FWIW,
-BMC.
BMC Brian McCullough

Don't forget your gloves...and yes 3 layer suit just in case the car starts a fire

Robert

and how does the scatter shield work ?
Roger
Roger

There are two types - one replaces the entire bellhousing if it's a separate piece, and another is an add-on external device that goes around 180-270 degrees of an integral bellhousing. The bellhousing-type contains a grenaded flywheel/clutch. The add-on prevents parts from flying up through the floor pans/trans tunnel.

Not sure if there is room for either type without trans tunnel mods.

Wayne
Wayne Pearson

A week ago the bolts holding the torque converter to the flexplate in my truck let go. The standoffs between the two fell out into the pan and then got rattled around by the converter and flexplate until one went around the top and broke the entire bellhousing loose frome the engine block. This happened as I was cranking the engine to start it so just imagine what it would have done at speed. Not trying to scare anyone but it's a good idea to be aware of why you do not take any shortcuts in the bellhousing area. Years ago on my first MG on a fresh rebuild while headed to a distant town all of the flywheel bolts simply sheared off. Luckily for me the flywheel stayed on the crankshaft pilot as I was at highway speed at the time. I was totally clueless as to my narrow escape.

A scattershield is an excellent idea, if you can afford it, can fit it in, and can even find one for your engine/transmission. But I don't have one.

Jim
Jim Blackwood

>>Don't forget your gloves...and yes 3 layer suit just in case the car starts a fire

My point to a Tee! :-)


I have heard of bell housing blankets that do the same job, but know nothing more about them. Also, I have seen an SCCA Midget that the fellow placed a aluminium plate on the inside of the drivers side foot well that should do the same trick on an engine that runs to 7800 RPM.

Just don't use a flywheel that is obviously cracked and do not overcut your flywheel.
Continued slipping of the clutch which runs the flywheel hot- cracking it... and then running 7500 RPM tends to gernade any cars unit, but the heavy old flywheels of years gone by were supposed to be the worst at coming apart.

-BMC.
BMC Brian McCullough

scattershields came about due in part to the early flywheels which they were cast iron and could come apart.
New flywheels are one piece steel machine with a press fit ring gear.
scattershields are made of steel which replaces the bell housing. NHRA mandates the use of a blanket which straps to the bell housing instead of the scattershield, Lakewood is the pioneer of such devices some classes required the use of such devices.
Any time the bolts are taken off from the flywheel should be replace with new ones if the engine is going to see 6k and up rpm, if not install with blue Lock Tite.

I have never lost a flywheel on any of my race cars.
Drag or road race. But I have always magnuflux the flywheel, rods, crank, and damper. I have only seen one let go on a 1940 Ford with a 454 Chev big block, the center piece was still in the crank, a piece of the flywheel came apart.
If the bolts are loose, it will ratle like crazy. Any noise that is not normal should always be checked. Don't forget the damper, I have seen them come apart more often than a flywheel.
The Z06 corvette does not have a scattershield or the Viper, and Viper GTS. Why, there is no need for one.
Buy new bolts, have the flywheel check, and don't forget to check the damper for crack rober etc.
Bill Guzman

Yeah dampers are a bigger issue. I see and hear of them going all the time. But like Jim said these failures are usually not until 6k+
Larry Embrey

This thread was discussed between 18/06/2003 and 21/06/2003

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