is there a trick to hook up trans?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 122
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From: jacksonville NC
is there a trick to hook up trans? Just put in a spec 3 with all the other new stuff, and my buddy and I cant get the tranny to get closer than 2 inches from the bell housing. I know its supposed to be a bitch, but am I missing anything here? The only thing I could think of... is that the splines on the shaft were not lining up. Trial by error I guess. Thanks 
TECH Regular
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 418
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From: Houston, Tx
It needs to be started and as level as possible. I then wiggled the motor up and down while pulling/pushing the trans - it slid right in. Otherwise, it would jam on me when just trying to do it from the trans end.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 122
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From: jacksonville NC
still trying. I have the oil pan supporting the back of the motor and I have the *** of the tranny pretty level. I just dont want to force it. I will keep trying. I have taken pictures of the entire clutch removal and instalation. As soon as I get it complete I will be posting it. thanks 
TECH Regular
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 418
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From: Houston, Tx
I was by myself and using a trans jack and it took me a long while - different angles, wiggle different ways, but never forcing. I didn't need to 'pull it in' by starting bolts either. I was not replacing my clutch at the time, just the slave, so I don't know about the clutch install possibly creating an issue (i.e. alignment tool used, etc.)
I just put the trans back in my car after pulling motor for mods and clutch etc... It went relatively smoothly and without a tranny jack (just a reg floor jack). Best advice is line it up as best you can with the alignment tool, then be patient with the pilot bearing. It takes time but it's not that bad.
Bellhousing bolted to motor first! Then trans to bellhousing in my experience anyway.
William
Bellhousing bolted to motor first! Then trans to bellhousing in my experience anyway.
William
mine was a bitch and i heard some friends with the same clutch setup had the same problem. i got longer bolts the size of the tranny bolts and tightened them down to get the tranny close enought to get the oem ones on, it took a little but but the tranny had to be forced on kinda.
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On The Tree
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 154
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From: Las Vegas
What I had to do was rotate the input shaft in order to line it up properly. You probably won't be able to get your whole hand up there, I wasn't, but just a couple fingers is enough. It took a good long while, but you'll know when it's right because it will slide in fairly easy. The wiggle and jiggle is the order of the day.
I got mine to about 1/4 inch away from the bellhousing at which point I just sequentially placed the bolts in a criss-cross pattern and slowly torqued them to spec. The trick with that is to tighten evenly. After that everything's a breeze.
I got mine to about 1/4 inch away from the bellhousing at which point I just sequentially placed the bolts in a criss-cross pattern and slowly torqued them to spec. The trick with that is to tighten evenly. After that everything's a breeze.
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On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 122
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From: jacksonville NC
Figured it out. The clutch alighnment tool from SPEC has a couple of millimeters of play on all sides. My buddy said that when all bolted up, the allignment tool should slide out like butter. The tool is plastic and probobly gave a little with the weight of the clutch. Thanks for the help.
i take two long bolts and cut the heads off, get the trans close than tread the studs into the block. let the trans sit there, lift up on the tail of the trans and with it in gear spin the output shaft to line up the splines and just move the tail of the trans up and down until it slides right in, works great for me.