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Propshaft angle? BEC
garage19 - 21/4/08 at 02:04 PM

Do you front engined BEC guys mount the engine with the output shaft directly inline with the diff input?

If so this means that the engine is quite far over in the nearside of the engine bay??

I am about to drop a zzr1100 engine in my brother in laws chevette and am just wondering if i can centralise the engine to help with exhaust clearance and run the first part of a two piece prop at a bit of an angle instead of straight??

matt_claydon - 21/4/08 at 02:08 PM

Nothing wrong with an angled propshaft, as long as the sprocket adapter and diff input flange are perfectly parallel. I believe most BECs have the engines well over to the passenger side.

Plenty of photo archives here to check out!

garage19 - 21/4/08 at 02:11 PM

I know you are supposed to run them a few degrees off to help the bearings but how many degrees max?

Can anyone point me to any photos?

David Jenkins - 21/4/08 at 02:21 PM

I don't know about the max angle, but I have seen 3 degrees as a recommended value.

garage19 - 21/4/08 at 02:36 PM

Sorted that engine yet David? I could do with a ride in a locost to get my enthusiasm for mine back.

matt_gsxr - 21/4/08 at 02:37 PM

popular question!

link

My conclusion from all that is:
1) Make face of diff parallel to face of prop-adapter.
2) Put diff to centre bearing perpendicular to diff.
3) Minimise the angle if you can, but 5degrees is alright.

Generally your degrees of freedom when putting the engine in are pretty limited. What I mean is the height is fixed, and the exhaust manifold to top-rail is always a worry.

Oh! just re-read the question, I guess top-rail isn't an issue! Make sure those headlamps don't fall out though, I used to have one of those chevettes (first car)


Matt

David Jenkins - 21/4/08 at 03:18 PM

quote:
Originally posted by garage19
Sorted that engine yet David? I could do with a ride in a locost to get my enthusiasm for mine back.



Very, very, VERY nearly!

Just got to assemble the filter box and spray some VHT paint on the exhaust manifold where I've welded the sensor boss.

I may be bothering you very soon...

ReMan - 21/4/08 at 05:16 PM

Chevette!
Is it Fibreglass?
850kg standard, how much can you get it down too?
V8's are more common in those

ChrisGamlin - 21/4/08 at 06:44 PM

This is mine, not set up with a huge amount of science because I was restricted to where I could put the engine, but works fine.

Prop Angles
Prop Angles

Coose - 21/4/08 at 07:43 PM

+/-7 degrees per UJ. Make sure that the UJ's aren't straihgt as this will cause flats to wear on the UJ bearings. Also, I don;t think it's *that* critical that the flanges are perfectly parallel - they never are on a live axle set-up!

Jon Ison - 21/4/08 at 08:37 PM

My engine runs parallel to the chassis rails so the output flange and diff flange are far from parallel.

7 years & 15k (recorded) hard miles later no problems to date.