My apologise for resurrecting this old chestnut!
Trying to remove that blind gearbox input shaft bearing from the right hand case of the late 1975 350MKIII engine.
I have gradually heated the cases in a fan oven to 100°C, 110°C, then 120°C and finally in desperation, to 130°C./ Whilst using both a slide hammer blind bearing extractor and the old 'Rawbolt' trick, so that the bolt protrudes through the pushrod hole and can be hit with a 2lb hammer and punch on the end of the bolt. It doesn't want to budge! And both extractors 'pop' out from the inner race, even after tightening up. There appears to be very little gap behind the inner race for the puller to get a grip on the back of the race! Whilst the 'Rawbolt' taper is just polishing the inner race surface!
All the other bearings popped out at the 100°C temperature.
I know from previous experience that these can be bar stewards and the 450 MKIII has had the ubiquitous 2 holes drilled through the crankcase, so that a straight puch can be used to knock the bearing out from the outside. Not by me I might add, but it has never proved a problem to remove the bearing from a 110°C heated case. A wee squeeze of silicone seals up the holes, once the new bearing is in place and the case has cooled, causing no problems, so far.
Am I to resort to the case drilling, or should I go down the 10mm bolt head welded to the bearings inner race puller technique, as the last chance saloon?
Thank you for your time.
Good health, Bill