Missing bellhousing bolt

[Dennis Nicholls]

I'm in the process of pulling my tranny for changing the IMSB/RMS.  One of the bolts attaching the tranny to the engine is missing (2000 base 986 5MT).  It's the one labeled "G" on the Pelican photo.  Is this supposed to be missing from the factory?  There was (just one) comment on another forum that the 986 is supposed to be missing this bolt. 

 

Edited June 14, 2014 by Dennis Nicholls

[JFP in PA]

I'm in the process of pulling my tranny for changing the IMSB/RMS.  One of the bolts attaching the tranny to the engine is missing (2000 base 986 5MT).  It's the one labeled "G" on the Pelican photo.  Is this supposed to be missing from the factory?  There was (just one) comment on another forum that the 986 is supposed to be missing this bolt. 

 

 

Some of the early cars came without them, no reason was ever given and you can find a correct sized bolt to put in there.

[kbrandsma]

I was missing the same bolt when I re-did my clutch at 60K.  I also stripped the triple square bolt, which if I remember correctly was bolt 'A' in your photo.  I replaced both by ordering replacements thru Sunset.

[Dennis Nicholls]

I was mostly wondering if that missing bolt was an indication that the tranny had been pulled before for service.  From all other indications I'm the first to pull the tranny on my car.

 

I put a pencil down that hole and determined it's about 95 mm deep.  Bentley says it's a 90mm long bolt and Pelican says it's a 70mm bolt.

 

FYI the Neiko Tools set of triplesquare bits works fine for my car.  The M10 bit is a very short socket and fits up to that furglisher triplesquare bolt head at "A".  You can't get a ratchet in there but the bit has just enough of 10mm hex shoulder exposed to get a 10mm box wrench around it.  The M16 bit is "tamper proof" so it can pull the tranny drain plug on the 5 speed.

[kbrandsma]

3.5 inches or 90mm

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

I was able to get access to the real FSM, and on page 34-6 I found that there is "no reference" to a bolt at what Pelican calls location "G".  Trusting the real FSM it appears the missing bolt is missing intentionally from the factory.

 

Hey I'm doing better than the Porsche factory today.  They couldn't get their car #20 to win at Le Mans, but I was able to get my tranny pulled for the IMS bearing job.  The cheap HF tranny jack did yeoman service today.

 

[kbrandsma]

Nice work! Are you also replacing the clutch?

 

Yes, that Harbor Freight transmission jack comes in handy! 

 

I also used mine to drop the engine a little to replace the front motor mount!

 

Edited June 16, 2014 by kbrandsma

[Jager]

I'm in the process of pulling my tranny for changing the IMSB/RMS.  One of the bolts attaching the tranny to the engine is missing (2000 base 986 5MT).  It's the one labeled "G" on the Pelican photo.  Is this supposed to be missing from the factory?  There was (just one) comment on another forum that the 986 is supposed to be missing this bolt. 

 

Be careful on the length of the bolt... If it's too long it will puncture through the crankcase and bad things happen. I believe this is why it is missing in many vehicles.

[BFeller]

I am little late to this conversation. The car is not still being held up on cinder blocks is it? They are not a safe substitute for jack stands or even as a secondary support system.

[Dennis Nicholls]

Oh no, that photo is deceiving.  I'm using 4 jackstands rated at 6 tons a pair, placed at the "official" lifting spots.  The cinder blocks are slid under the tires as an "emergency backup". 

[kbrandsma]

Yes, good idea!  Redundancy is a safety must.  Besides jack stands, I also use a floor jack on the rear center jacking point if possible and 2x6's under the rear tires.

Edited June 22, 2014 by kbrandsma