I just replaced the clutch on my 12A without an alignment tool (visually lined it up with the pilot bearing) and now when I put the transmission back on... it slides most of the way on, but it stops about 3/16ths of an inch short of mating flush with the engine.

I'm guessing that the problem is that the tip of the input shaft to the transmission isn't sliding into its spot in the pilot bearing. Should I begin threading the bolts in between the engine and transmission and hope that will pull everything together? Is this normal?

 

It is kinda risky to pull everything together with the bolts if you are not absolutely sure it is lined up properly. There could be a good reason it is not mating up (i.e. something in the way). It usually takes me a few stabs to finaly get it to slide in but it should be able to w/out help from the bolts. I have always used a clutch allignment tool as well.

Marques

 

If you only have 3/16" left, the input shaft is started in the pilot bearing. Use the mounting bolts to draw the tranny flush, a little at a time, using a cross bolt pattern similiar to torqueing down a wheel.

 

...what if it's more like 1/4 inch? Let's just be conservative and say it's 1/4 inch. Can I still draw it in with that much of a gap?

Also, when you say a few "tries", you mean taking the tranny off, releasing the bolts on the pressure plate, and re-aligning the clutch, right?

Thanks for the help guys.

 

Yes, pull it up with the mounting bolts.

 

bump

 

try hooking up the clutch and pushing the pedal to see if that helps, if not just snug the bolts down gently

 

No you don't have to take the tranny back out. You just draw it up slowly to the engine, working your way around the bolt pattern, taking it it up a little at a time and not forcing onside askew.

If the clutch isn't lined up, the tranny will sick out more than an inch. If you are that close, just tighten all the tranny bolts, a little at a time, without trying to force it.

 

be careful specailly with the one located below the oil filter. I've seen several engines with missing ears from rookie tranny installers.

 

I'm pleased to say that the installation went smoothly. The most difficult bolt I had was the starter bolt. At first it didn't want to catch on its thread, but I cris-crossed all the other bolts as best as I could, and with a firm push I was able to grab the first thread on the starter bolt and pull it together. Then it was just cris-crossing until the whole thing snugged up.

I haven't started the engine yet because I only have about an hour of daylight after work to work on the car, but everything else is going smoothly. I'll post again once I start the engine and know for sure how it all went.

In other words, has anybody noticed how on the stock radiator, there are two lines coming out from the bottom "catch pan"? It looks like either a transmission or oil cooler, and I've heard stories about how crappy the stock oil cooler is (the one that sits vertically on that little perch by the firewall) and I was thinking about getting some lines to run to the radiator. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

Those are for a RX with Auto Transmission.
NO!!! Do not use them for a Engine Oil Cooler Sub.
Find an earlier model Radiator & Lower Oil Radiator. Either buy the 2 lines from RB or Mazdatrix. 1 Short 1 Long.
HookUp is as follows.

Short Hose- From Front Engine Cover to Top Opening of Oil cooler.
Long Hose- From Rear of Engine to Lower Opening of Oil Cooler.
Have Fun.
sgieldon
steve

 

Well everything went back together nicely and I started it up. Much to my relief, it went without a hitch and my car is once again driveable! That made me a very happy person. I only ran into one problem... the top bolt of the starter motor is very long, so it experiences strain under the loading from the torque. This is normal and is needed to acquire the proper clamping force on the motor. If you don't, then the starter motor will eventually turn due to the torque output it produces, and then the backlash changes. When the backlash changes, then the starter solenoid doesn't engage properly and you get a really horrible sound when you try to start the car. So make sure those suckers are tizzight.

 

update: turns out that the sound wasn't the starter. I think it was actually those little weights on the pressure plate fingers of the centerforce clutch I installed. They jingle sometimes when you crank the flywheel. Anyway...