Removing the Auxiliary shaft, engine stripped.

[AndrewM]

I have a 2.0L engine fully disassembled and ready for a rebuild with a 1.8L head, except for the auxiliary shaft. The block is completely stripped and there is nothing holding the shaft in mechanically, yet I cannot pull it out. It spins freely, unless I pull it towards the front of the block, wherein I can no longer rotate it. The piston rod did impact the shaft lobe, but only at hand-turning engine speeds, so I'd be very surprised if it was damaged.

How do I remove this shaft? Do the shaft bearings have to come out first? I have a copy of the factory Fiat service manual for their dealership mechanics and all it mentions on this topic is "Remove the auxiliary shaft", as if it should easily pull free.

Anyone else run into this problem?

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Anyone else run into this problem?

Yes, sort of. I have come across engines where the auxiliary shaft was really tight as I tried to pull it out, but spun fairly freely when it was positioned where it should be for normal operation. My approach was simply to drive out the aux. shaft with gentle tapping from a hammer on the backside. If the pulley is still attached, you could gently tap on the rear face of that.

You did remove the U-shaped bracket that holds the aux. shaft in place, the one secured by two M6 bolts into the block, beneath the aux. shaft seal carrier/cover?

-Bryan

[AndrewM]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll put the pully back on and try that method. How were you able to hammer it from the back, with a punch? There is only about 1.5" between the lobe and the block webbing.

I could always to the rebuild leaving it in place, but I had planned on cutting the fuel pump lobe off and plugging the oiling hole to remove interference.

[Nut124]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll put the pully back on and try that method. How were you able to hammer it from the back, with a punch? There is only about 1.5" between the lobe and the block webbing.

I could always to the rebuild leaving it in place, but I had planned on cutting the fuel pump lobe off and plugging the oiling hole to remove interference.

It's easier and faster to just grind the lobe off with a bench grinder. No hole to plug.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll put the pully back on and try that method. How were you able to hammer it from the back, with a punch? There is only about 1.5" between the lobe and the block webbing.

You're right. My recollection is a bit fuzzy, but it may have been more of a prying than a hammering from the backside. I may have also had some sort of long metal rod that I put up against the fuel pump lobe (on the end), braced the end of the rod that stuck out from the bottom of the engine, and then hammered in the middle of the rod. Wish I could remember better...

-Bryan

[AndrewM]

I put some more time into this and Bryan's solution worked. Using a long, sturdy wooden stake and a piece of scrap wood as a fulcrum up against the webbing, I was able to push the shaft out by hammering the stake just above the fulcrum point with a rubber mallet.

Nut124, is you suggestion to grind the lobe to be closer to concentric than eccentric?

[Nut124]

Yes. 2 minutes with an ok bench grinder.