I drained my oil and found some lockwire in the plug. Would there be any bolts inside there anywhere that would be lock wired? Should I start to worry
Yes, some of the bolts are wired. The MTFCA engine and transmission books should show you which ones.
Crankshaft to flywheel bolts are wired, as are the six drive plate bolts.
The drive plate bolts will back out without wire in them. Don't ask how I know....
People consistently use wire on the pin pin bolt, in spite of the warning in the MTFCA manual. The vibration WILL break the wire. I have personally disassembled three engines with wire in the sump and nothing holding the pin pin bolts.
Do you mean wrist pin bolt?
The sixteen magneto magnet center bolts are wired on some flywheels. However, others have bolts that are not drilled for wire. I have been wondering if this is a year difference? And if so, what years were wired and which years were not?
As to should you worry? Probably. The clutch driven plate probably runs the greatest likelihood of bots backing out based on experience hearing about it happening. Many engines have been put together with no wire in the bolt heads. They rarely seem to back out, but could make a real mess of an engine if one did. The same is true of the magnet bolts. Likely to stay put just fine, but heaven help you if one backed out. I have seen engines that happened to. People take them to shows because the damage is just so impressive.
Between the bands inspection cover and the rods inspection cover, you should be able to look at all the wired bolts in the engine. Easiest in low light with a small bright flashlight and a small mirror on a stick. Check them out. maybe you will discover someone twisted too hard and broke the wire, leaving the piece in. Then fixed the wiring that broke.
Good luck! Have fun.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
Wayne, given what I've just read, and given that I still consider myself new to this, then is it a good assumption that it would be a good practice to maybe take the inspection cover off from under the block say, annually for a checkup? Obviously it's a bit more involved what with oil changing, etc., but fortunately I have a lift, so it'll be fairly easy. Obviously opening up the cover to check the bands is simple. Just wondering.
Tim
Thanks;
Hopefully you are right Wayne,someone twisted too hard and broke the wire,leaving the piece in there. but to be safe I'd better check before too many more long trips.Thanks again everyone for the useful tips.
Tim W,
I don't bother with "annual inspections" inside the engine as long everything sounds and feels good. On the other hand, I cannot say that those that recommend them are wrong.
I have gone as long as three years with three Endurance Runs without even looking at the bands, let alone adjusting them. Finding something like the twisted wire in the drain plug? I would at least look just to be safe. I did, once, put a new tie wire between two flywheel bolts, in the engine in the car. Believe me, it was no fun, but I felt better.
Wood wheels, those I check often with no noise or feel to push me.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2