I need some transmission installation advice!
So progress on my project has been slow due to the corona virus outbreak. Although I have now been working from home, work has gone crazy while we try to deal with the outbreak. Worse, to try and uphold social distancing, my buddies and I agreed to stop meeting for our "car nights" working on the car. So now I need to install a transmission by myself. With a transmission jack and the lift, this is easy, but not so on the floor.
Problem: I can insert the manual transmission until about 1/4" before the bellhousing and transmission flanges meet. I KNOW not to force a transmission to mount using bolts to pull it on. But I felt it was just me alone that impaired me from getting it fully seated before I put the bolts on. Both the engine and transmission can move some on the floor. So I VERY GENTLY turned the four bolts and pulled the transmission the rest of the way to get it to mate. Thoughts? Do I need to take it back out and check/ try again? Below describes what I did and checked.
First I set up the engine so the bellhousing flange was perfectly vertical. Then I set the transmission to the perfect corresponding height and made sure the mounting flange was vertical too. See below:
I then removed the bellhousing and used the actual input shaft of the transmission to ensure the clutch and friction disk were aligned exactly to the transmission. While the transmission was fully inserted, I also measured the distance and made sure this was less than the thickness of the bellhousing (no picture for this measurement). This measurement ensures that the input shaft of the Passon 5 speed is not too long. Everything good here.
I then checked the bellhousing on the transmission. Nice fit here, no play, snug but not tight.
Finally, I reinstalled the bellhousing and slid the transmission in. It got further than this picture shows - to within a 1/4".
As you can see, this is hardly a pro setup! I used shims and wood blocks to get everything aligned, but it could certainly shift around a little bit. Also, as you can see the engine is supported both by the chains holding it up as well as the motor mounts on the K-member. But everything is on wheels and can move a bit, so it was hard while all alone to slide the tranny in all the way. Bottom line is I'm sure alignment was not perfect. At about 1/4" something was binding and not allowing for a smooth final insertion. I checked the throwout bearing both at this point and later, and it is not pushing on the clutch - it had play. So I removed the alignment pins and GENTLY tuned the bolts. It pulled in very easily with no force needed on the wrench as I turned the bolts.
So what are your thoughts? Is this a problem? Should I remove it all and try again? Not sure what else to measure or test.
As always, I appreciate the FBBO brain trust here!!!
Hawk