Transmission Re-Install Help

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by thstone

I am trying to re-install the transmission (engine stayed in the car) and I can't get the transmission to mate with the engine any closer than shown in the photo.

I have jiggled and jostled and lifted and torqued and everything that I can think of and it just sits right there. I have turned the flywheel with a long screwdriver a little bit and then tried again repeatedly and still nothing.

WTF? Any advice?

There are two guide "dowels" on the transmission where two of the bolts go, make sure you are not hung up on one of these, that does exactly what you are seeing.

It also helps to buy two long bolts (same size as the trans bolts, but longer) at Lowes and cut the heads off of them, then thread them in finger tight on bolt holes around the 9 and 3 O'clock position. These will work well as both guides and supports while fiddling with getting the trans aligned.

[coreseller]

Had the same thing happen to me, best advice I could give is walk away from the project, have a beer or two tonight (Don't get hammered, hungover is no way to work on a car) and approach the project with a fresh perspective tomorrow. I bet it slides in with-in 5 minutes...........

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

It also helps to buy two long bolts (same size as the trans bolts, but longer) at Lowes and cut the heads off of them, then thread them in finger tight on bolt holes around the 9 and 3 O'clock position. These will work well as both guides and supports while fiddling with getting the trans aligned.

If you get them at Lowe's you can get the heads cut off where they sell chain using the link cutter. I got guides for doing my sump cover that way.

[thstone]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

There are two guide "dowels" on the transmission where two of the bolts go, make sure you are not hung up on one of these, that does exactly what you are seeing.

Ok, it looks like the "dowels" on the driver's side are the issue. It looks like there is a dowel still in the engine and one in the transmission and they are butting up against each other and not allowing the transmission to mate with the engine. See photo. I admit that I did not check this before starting the installation.

I am guessing that these dowels are not permanently mounted in either the engine or the transmission.

Looks like the driver's side dowel stayed with the engine when I pulled my transmission AND the dowel came out and stayed with the replacement transmission - hence the doubling up.

There is no dowel in either the engine or the transmission on the passenger side. Might have been lost somewhere during my three engine removals and re-installations.

What do you guys think? Just pull out one of the dowels and it should mate up?

Thanks.

[Gilles]

Originally Posted by thstone

What do you guys think? Just pull out one of the dowels and it should mate up?
Thanks.

Thstone:

You should be able to remove the extra dowel by backing up the gearbox a little and using vice grips, but you should ensure that the dowel on the opposite side is in place.

Where in LA are you? I am in OC and perhaps could stop to give you a hand (or cheer you up..), it would be a nice excuse to get out of the house (it sure beats the Honey Do's.. LOL)

[thstone]

Originally Posted by Gilles

Thstone:

You should be able to remove the extra dowel by backing up the gearbox a little and using vice grips, but you should ensure that the dowel on the opposite side is in place.

Where in LA are you? I am in OC and perhaps could stop to give you a hand (or cheer you up..), it would be a nice excuse to get out of the house (it sure beats the Honey Do's.. LOL)

Thanks for the offer of help! Let me go try to pull the extra dowel out. Then it looks like everything should mate up.

[thstone]

Originally Posted by Gilles

You should be able to remove the extra dowel by backing up the gearbox a little and using vice grips, but you should ensure that the dowel on the opposite side is in place.

VICTORY!

Backed off the trans a bit and used a vice grip to pull out the dowel on the engine side. Then with a bit of wiggling, the trans slid home!

I'll pull the trans back a bit again and insert the dowel on the passenger side.

Then back to re-installing everything else.

Thanks to all!