Starter motor, solution in sight??

[pcatterall]

The starter motor saga goes on; still trying to dry out the bell housing ( filled with water on the first flooding, see below!!)
The only access was via the starter hole, couldnt get any tube in due to the bend around the fly wheel teeth.
Crude solution has been to drill a 1" diam hole in the alloy cover of the starter motor end so I could get straight down behind the fly wheel with a syphon tube then a stick with dry cloths wrapped round. After about 2 hours messing the cloths were coming out clean and dry so I reckon I may be able to fit the new starter ( 3 this year!!) with some confidence next week. I will be checking down the hole again first ( may even try SWIMBOs hair drier down there. At least I will have a way of checking that the sump stays dry once the starter is fitted.
I will need to tidy up the hole as it was made with a series of small holes so I will try to file it round and make a bung to stop any splashes getting down there.
All fingers crossed for next week please !!

 

[sailorman]

Drill a 6m/m dia hole in the bottom of the bell housing as a permenant drain hole

 

[pcatterall]

I just need a midget to climb underneath with the drill!! but even if I could I would worry that water would get in through the hole which is low down in the bilges.
Regards

 

[PCUK]

Bear in mind that the joint between bellhousing and engine isn't water-tight so a drain in the bottom would let out any water that got in through other ways. A right-angle drill would probably do the job.
It is clearly essential to keep that part of the bilge dry at all times.

 

[pcatterall]

Mine seems quite water tight as the water that got in via the starter aperature was still there 2 weeks later!!?
While it is desirable to keep that part of the bilges dry accidents will always happen!
Regards