Hi guys as many of you may know from my posts of different things im doing a complete T2 drivetrain swap. I've got the rear end in no problem i thought that would be the hard part but wow was that easy!! I got the clutch and flywheel swapped with Spec Stage 3 Clutch and XACT Lightweight flywheel. So i went to pop in the tranny, what should have been pretty simple and its just no cooperating! Right now i've got the flywheel completely inside the bellhousing and the top of the tranny is flush with the engine and bolts are in, not completely tight but in. The bottom i got the bolts to start, thinking i could tighten them down and walk the motor in but its still got about an inch and a half and it takes allt the strength i have to tighten it anymore, so clearly something isnt right.

We did a tranny swap in my friends 5.0 and had similar problems and it was becasue he didnt install a pilot bearing. I've got a pilot bearing in there but is it possible that the pilot bearing is torn up or no good and thats causing it to get in a bind?

Also im slightly concerned with the clearance of the clutch and flywheel in the bellhousing, i took the tranny out and removed the clutch and flywheel and set them inside the bellhousing and wow, there is very little clearance is that normal?

 

are you trying to do this while the engine is in the car? if so, try and lean the engine backwards toward the rear of the car. it is also much harder to do it this way. good luck

 

dont do that. make sure the distance between the top and bottom are equal, and only then can you gently squeeze it into place.

i had some problems like this, but you need to fenagle it a ton. took me and my buddy two days to get his mated up, yet took 30 secconds to get mine mated up. its all chance to have it lined u with the splines, and have the thing in there squared.

just keep at it. dont force anything.

 

As part of the fenagling process, you can put the driveshaft in the rear of the transmission and rotate it very slightly to help the splines line up.

 

This is the ticket. Jack the front of the engine upward to lower the rear and don't use the bolts to pull the trans into place.

 

I fought with mine for a couple evenings, before trying this. It popped in, in like 2 seconds, closed the instantly and completely. DO NOT try to force it, it should just slide right in.

 

Ok, so from what i'm reading you guys really have no concern that my pilot bearing needs to be replaced, just simply keep fighting it and jack the front of the motor up to lean it back? I'll give it another shot tonight and see what happens.

what about the flywheel clearance is, is it normal to have no room for play or error between the flywheel and bellhousing?

 

How much clearance is there? Besides "little".

 

You did try the disc on the T2 trans, right? If you ordered an N/A clutch and are now trying to stuff a T2 shaft in it. I did this same swap and EVERYTHING on the engine now, has to be T2. Starter, clutch and all.


By "The top is flush and there is an inch and a half at the bottom," statement, it is not parallel. Meaning the shaft is not going in straight. This ought to be a no brainer.

gd

 

Pull the trans back out and look at the pilot bearing.
If the input shaft got caught up then you can say it it toast.
.get the Engine to Tilt UP at the front of the engine and Down at the back of the engine.Lossen the motor mounts a tad if you have to.
Put the trans on a Jack and jack it up until you can slide the trans Up to the Back of the engine.Remember you have to have the Transmission tilting UP at the front a bit to Mate with the engine.
If you use a longer Bolt on Top of the rear of the engine as a Guide it makes it a little bit easier,The BEST way is to have 2 people doing this,instead of getting frustrated by doing it alone.
You should be able to just grab a bit of the Output shaft at the Tail of the trans If the Splines are not lining up on the Clutch plate.Turn it until you feel the trans wants to Go in towards the engine.
..I've done a couple N/A's by Myself with the engine Tilted.
The Hardest is the TII trans as it is Heavier.I rolled it on my Stomach and Lifted it in with my Legs.I will never do that again.BUT I got it in.
Once the engine and Trans are together and bolted,.You can move your Jack to the tail of the trans and put the Cross member on the trans and Raise it up and install it.IT May take a BIT of doing,BUT remember you still have the Motor mounts loosened a bit so it shouldn't be too TOO hard.,
once the Cross member is ON,tighten all mounts.