Hello everyone,

I've got my Lt1 ready to go in the car.....but the trans will not line up with the bell housing, and it is going in the clutch and pilot bearing... I am SOOOOO confused and want to give up. I've come so far, I just need this to work. If anyone knows a sure fire way to do this PLEASE respond!

Thank you!!!

 

How far away is the trans from the bell housing? I've had the breather hose on top of the trans slip down to between the two and cause a small separation.

 

If you can, put the trans in any gear but neutral, insert a yoke with or without the driveshaft attached in the trans. This way you can spin the input shaft by turning the yoke to verify that the input shaft splines have engaged the clutch disc. Adjust the height of the trans to get the mating surfaces of the trans and belhousing parallel then you should be able to push them together. Don't use the bolts to draw them together if they are far apart as you'll likely damage something.

 

The trans is less than 1/4th of an inch from bell housing. What's happening is that the two transmission pins that align it are within a little more than a hair from the bell housing alignment holes. These pins/dowels are off CENTERED by a little more than a hair from the bell housing holes.

 

Thank you! This sounds like a very good idea! I will try this tomorrow morning. Thank you for the tips!!

 

Also, you could try bracing the front of the engine to push the rear of the engine down. This sometimes helps stab the trans easier.

 

That sounds good.... I will see what that does too.

 

As mentioned the face of bell housing and tranny want to be "even" (top & bottom & side to side). Using a jack under motor to raise/lower it and a tranny jack to do the same for tranny

If your clutch disc is not dead nuts centered what happens is the input shaft can pass through the disc but if it is slightly off center the input shaft tip will hit the edge of the pilot bearing/bushing the preventing tranny going in last 1/4-1/2". Drawing it in with bolts will kill the pilot so if after adjusting height of motor & tranny so they are in-line and it still won't go in you will have to pull the tranny, loosen PP bolts and re-align the clutch disc.

you slide the fork over T.O. bearing after you get the tranny flush with bellhousing

 

This is very helpful! I will have to loosen the PP bolts and 're-align the clutch disc...

Thank you

 

I've found when allingning the clutch disc and pilot pull up the back of the allingning tool slightly as you tighten the bolts and don't let down on the pressure until your pretty much done torquing the bolts.

 

Does this make the trans mate up easier everytime you do that?

 

Aligning the clutch disc ensures the tranny slides in but you still need to have engine & tranny angles straight. You want equal spacing between tranny face and bellhousing so jack up/down motor & tranny to get that alignment straight also

Good point about holding the alignment tool straight as if you just stick it in the pilot bearing and let the PP rest on it as you tighten, the disc will be off. I keep some pressure on the tool by pushing it in and holding it straight while tightening a few PP bolts enough to hold the disc in place. Run your fingers around the edge of disc & PP. The edges should be flush with each other all the way around the disc

PP bolts TQ is 22 ft lbs. Don't over TQ

 

This is how I do it. Push the tool IN and tighten the PP bolts. Then I will angle the trans nose up on the trans jack and the engine tail down. With the shifter installed I can install my trans smooth by my self with out force. It took a little practice and a few just lift and push it in by hand (seriously, this is a light transmission) then slide the trans jack under it to hold it while I tighten the mounting bolts. But, now I got it figured out.

 

I just finished it with my friend, I had him hold the trans tool in place really hard while I tighten the pressure plate bolts. the trans tool was seated tightly against the pilot bearing, I believe it made the clutch center very well.

thank you again for your help everybody!