manslayerx9

does any one have any tips or tricks (not load leveler) on how to get the engine and trans to line up. me and my friend are having a hard time getting them to go together
thanks

alexdimen

iTrader: (13)

clutch disc,clutch disc,clutch disc... make sure it's centered. If it is perfectly centered, the ****** will slide right in. Those plastic centering guides are a joke. Measure from the outside of the flywheel to the clutch disc and adjust the disc until it measures the same all around. Easy to do with the engine pulled or on a stand.

Or you can guess and check....

Load levelers help tremendously too..

manslayerx9

i used the plastic centering things and they worked fine for me. ill take a look tmrw and prob get a load leveler

alexdimen

iTrader: (13)

Obvsiously they didn't work fine or you'd have it in by now...

A load leveler won't do **** if you can't get the input shaft through the disc and into the pilot bearing.

coxxoc

iTrader: (3)

Alexdimen is right. The stabbing the transmission can be a pain with the engine in the car. I prefer to put them together out of the car, then drop them in as an assembly. You just have to be careful not to hit the radiator.

Josh

Davidov

iTrader: (2)

Try loosening the motor mounts to tilt the engine back slightly. Also try turning the engine by hand, it might allow the splines to line up w/ the trans input shaft.

Check the clutch/PP alignment. Also search, there was a 2 or 3 page post about this problem.

XRobber

Go to the auto parts store. Buy two bolts the same thread....
Cut the heads off
thread them into the motor..... they will act as guide pins to mount tranny tothe motor. Thats the easiest way we do it.

manslayerx9

prob gonna end up dropping the trans tmrw and doing it that way

Spraintz

iTrader: (1)

center the clutch disk with the plastic thing,
have somebody push on the front of the engine to tilt it back and Davidov said,
jack up the tranny with a tranny jack or very carefully with a floor jack under the car,
slowly move the tranny towards the engine while it is being tilted back and get the input shaft lined up with the pilot bearing,
push the tranny in as far as you can, don't FORCE it just push it in as far as you can,
put a few of the long tranny bolts through the tabs and thread em in just a few threads,
have yer helper keep pushing on the engine and turning the engine back and forth little bits while you slowly and evenly tighten the tranny bolts.

this should get the clutch splines lined up easily and it should go right on without any issue. we've done it this way many times and never had an issue.

good luck, hope this helps

alexdimen

iTrader: (13)

I don't know why I keep typing. There are some of the most hardheaded people I've ever met on here.

Regular people pay me for this ****, but i can't seem to give it away on rx7club... lol.

manslayerx9

well then leave the forum, dont need the bad attitude.

we were going to use the bolts to pull the engine on but that didnt sound like a good idea b/c the engine didnt want do go an at all. so we will prob just put the trans and engine together outside then drop the whole thing in like that.

RX7Tuner.

Using the bolts to pull the engine and tranny together is a bad idea.

gslse-driver

Second that. Usually you need to examine the angle at which you are trying to mate them...they need to be lined up side-to-side AND top-to-bottom. The chain hook points on the engine are not really ideal from a balance perspective, and so you might need to adjust the positioning of your chain to obtain the proper angle.

When you get close to the right angle, then just grab the top front of the engine and wiggle it up/down, and side to side, and it will usually slide into place. YOu can also use a prybar between the subframe and oilpan, not putting a lot of pressure, just using it as an aid to position and angle the engine. Once it starts to slide, use the prybar to push it all the way back and onto the dowel holes in the trans.

pfsantos

iTrader: (1)

It's not attitude...we're trying to help you...we've been there. If you choose to do things your way (which isn't working), it's not our loss.

Do you have a large gap on top compared to the bottom? That's part of the problem. Did you loosen the mounts and tilt the engine back to align the angle of the tranny and engine? Rotate engine clockwise with a socket to make the splines (tranny input shaft) line up with the clutch disk?

I also like the idea of getting some bolts without heads (xrobber - post #7) to help line up the engine and tranny, instead of just having the bolt at the top (engine hanger) and the locating dowels which are maybe 1/4" long sticking out.

And yes, don't use the bolts to bring the tranny in.

When everything's aligned, you'll laugh how easy the tranny goes in.

manslayerx9

well im trying to put the engine on not the trans. and when you dont have a leveler its not as easy as it sounds to get the angles right, and when did i not listen to any advise.
but w/e im not working on it today cause the snow. so ill try everything over the weekend

gslse-driver

To be honest, load levelers don't really help all that much. I've had one for a few years and not used it for any engine installs. IF you find your angle is off, then you either relocate your chain points on the engine, or you slide the chain inside the big hook on the engine hoist, and use a large screwdriver to keep it from jumping links and sliding.

You'll also find that moving the engine hoist forward and backward, once the engine is contacting the transmission input shaft, will also affect angle. Use the flywheel ring gear to judge how close you are on all sides...when it seems parallel to the transmission bellhousing then you can start wiggling and bumping the engine to try and get it to slide back. Once you get within about half an inch of the trans, you can use the prybar to push it the rest of the way back onto the dowels, or use the long bolts at the dowel pins to pull the engine together to the trans.

pfsantos

iTrader: (1)

^+1 It may also help to lift the tranny up a bit so that it angles with the engine before lowering the engine into the mount bolt holes. Good luck this weekend.

gslse-driver

Yes, I usually have the trans jacked all the way up against the trans tunnel so that it is not moving around. Once you get the engine about halfway slid onto the trans you may find it necessary to release the jack on the trans, and then let the engine down somewhat, then use the prybar to slide the engine the rest of the way back.

misterstyx69

iTrader: (142)

OK man,This is My "Specialty"!..haha.If you want to Put the Engine IN and the Transmission is already IN the Car.DROP the transmission.Take the Mount OFF the transmission.PUT the Engine IN the car.Bolt the Mounts,NOT Tight.now angle the Engine so that the *** of the Engine is DOWN and the Front is UP.(like it is gonna Take off like a plane!)..That angle gives you "What you need"..If the Clutch Disc is aligned along with the pilot bearing,you should be able to just put the Transmission up to the Back of the engine,and Slip it into the Shaft's hole(pilot bearing/Clutch Hole..Whatever you want to call that Specific area!)..I am "Disabled' with 3 Vertebrae LUNCHED on my back..I managed to get the Trans UP on my Belly and using my knees,Slip the Trans onto the Engine that way..I have Done THREE like that..the KEY my Friend is Tilting the Engine UP..//You will thank me later..It's a Good TIP!.Oh after you get the Bolts on the Trans/Engine,Then you can just Lift the Tail on the tranny and Put the Crossmember on..TADA!..done!(don't forget,to Now Tighten the Motor Mounts!)

j0rd4n

now that is awesome!

i just slipped a disc the other day, so i'm experiencing real extended (not just sore for a day) back problems, and that makes me see how amazing that is for you to have done that, haha

Rotary Noob

Thats because youre acting like an ***... and trying to pass it as prograde. Also: RX7 club members are NOT normal people...how many normal people would put up with the amount of maintainance/ work for our cars that we do?

I havent ever used a load leveler, done it outside the car, or had anything more complex than my chest or a floor jack to help me. Patience is key, alignment is god, and sweat in your eyes is a bitch.

I like misterstyx's way of doing it...mostly because its about the same as my way of doing it.

Keep at it, and make sure its all lined up, youll get it eventually!

steven38305

I just changed my clutch I'll be posting pics soon by the way. Anyway me and my friends didn't have much of a prob. The trans was lifted up and we had someone inside to guide the shifter in. I was behind it and pushed it in. We did have one prob the slave cylinder got hung up in the way. That was the only prob we had.

manslayerx9

^ trying to do it the other way around putting the engine back not the trans, but didnt get any work dont cause was at a family party. and its prob gonna have to wait till the week to finish. but either way im gonna get it back in. thanks tho
jason

manslayerx9

ok well i got a load leveler and now the problem i have is the leveler is hitting the firewall before i can get them to go together. i can get them aligned but not close enough but not enough to put any bolts in more then 1-2 threads then it hits the firewall. what am i doing wrong, what should i do??
thanks
Jason

misterstyx69

iTrader: (142)

PUT the Engine in FIRST,as I stated...then you Put the Trans in..(there is a difference between Scratchin your *** and tearing it all to Pieces!)..you are doing it in Reverse!.once the engine is in..just tilt it.If everything is Lined up on the Clutch(and Don't have the slave hooked to it yet,as it gets in the Road..duh!)..then things will slip on Like Silk Worm **** on Teflon!