rx7tt95

I had a transmission problem where the car refused to go into gear when running. Full hydraulic pressure. I tried a new clutch master cylinder and the slave is fairly new, having replaced it some time back.

As the new master didn't work, I went ahead and prepared to pull the transmission. Once I got everything off, I tried over and over to get the tranny out and it wouldn't budge. Out of frustration I pulled the engine (only took me an hour!) and transmission as one unit.

With both out of the car, all bolts loose, flywheel loosened (through the clutch inspection port), throwout bearing disconnected, the transmission STILL will not budge. There's the faintest gap. I cannot rotate the transmission body at all.

If I put the transmission into gear and spin the engine via the main crank bolt, the tail shaft turns. Remember, the clutch is disconnected.

If anyone has an idea as to how to get the engine and transmission seperated, please, I'm in desperate need here...I've tried a pry bar to no avail. Cannot get it in far enough on top to get a good pull. I've tried the sides and bottom and no luck there either.

Really really tired.....
Michel

rx7tt95

Got it! Was the pilot bearing. Jack from the Florida RX7 club posted to my original clutch problem and he gave me an idea.

Since I still had the driveshaft in the transmission to keep all the tranny fluid from spilling out, I thought that if I could force the input shaft loose from the pilot bearing, I could get the transmission out. So...I put a 19mm socket and a breaker bar on the main pulley bolt and positioned it against the ground so it wouldn't spin. I then took a pry bar, slipped it through the rear of the driveshaft universal joint, and slid a long metal bar from my Harbour Freight aluminum jack (highly recommended). I tried going forward first and had a bit of success, able to force the driveshaft to turn without the flywheel/e-shaft turning. I then tried going backwards with much better success. The transmission seperated itself somewhat and I tugged on it once more to completely free it! I'm really disappointed this happend, but I'm glad it's only an $8 part. It'll give me a good opportunity (and make it easier) to put on the Xcessive Motorsports aluminum oil pan (thanks for the fast delivery Ralph!). Hope no one else has to go through this but if you do, here's one way to get the transmission out. I'm not sure I could have done it with the transmission in the car.

mgoddard1

Sounds like your pilot bearing has seized around the transmission input shaft which is why you couldn't put it in gear. You might get enough leverage to pop it loose by prying against the clutch inspection port and the pressure plate with a cut down 2x4.

rx7tt95

Yeah, the pilot bearing is in tiny pieces...disintegrated completely. It'll be fun getting all the pices out.

cloead

That happened on my old FC... except the pilot bearing melted onto the input shaft.. many many hours of sanding the input shaft to get all the melted bearings off it.

I think to seperate the tranny from the engine I used two huge prybars going back and forth.

broken93

I heart pilot bearings. I spent a day cleaning the remains of mine out of the e-shaft.

When I first read your thread I was going to suggest you find that last little bolt at the bottom of the tranny. I stared at my half-separated tranny for hours before I realized that I had missed a bolt. Took it out and it fell right off.

CantGoStraight

WoooooHooooo glad you got it ! ! ! ! ! Would have been easier to use all that horse power to free the shaft up, but Cloead brings up a good point (the main shaft could have been damaged) and that's not good either. Any way glad you got it. Jack

BLKTOPTRVL

You got the engine out in one hour??? Had you done it before?

pearlyellow

Man too bad you live in Florida b/c I need to pull my engine to do some work and no way in hell I can do it in an hour. That's nice though, no ****** around.

the_glass_man

iTrader: (2)

Look on the bright side, now you don't have to worry about getting the bearing out!

rx7tt95

Well actually the shell was still in there...only one or two of the actual needle bearings were still intact, everything else was dust! Spent about an hour with a dremel and then a die grinder getting out the shell but luckily it all came out.

I did have all the tranny stuff already off, so it was simply a matter of removing the UIM, pulling all the connecting hoses and wires, pulling the radiator and out she came. I'd already removed all the engine to tranny bolts. I do not have power steering either which helps. Front mount IC, single turbo, etc...definitely couldn't do it in an hour on a stock car! The engine, turbo combo comes out as one piece along with the downpipe and of course, this time around, the transmission. Yes, I've pulled the engine before. Pulled it two months ago to have the engine rebuilt. Spent almost $7K on a CLR Motorsports engine. Put it back in, then realized I'd flipped the clutch disk by accident. Pulled the new motor. Flipped the disk. Put it back in. Drove it for two weeks with a leaking oil pan (Cosmo block with an FD oil pan). Pilot went on Thursday night. Had planned to install an Xcessive Motorsports oil pan on Saturday anyway. I figure I'll work til midnight or so and finish up re-installing the engine tomorrow morning. So much for my weekend off! I can't complain too much, the weather down here is amazing right now. Anyone know the torque specs for the oil pan bolts?

the_glass_man

iTrader: (2)

79-104 in•lbf

rx7tt95

Thanks glass! Did a search and found them earlier.