manual transmission pan cover question? Help?

[ksjohn]

I had the same problem when I had to reinstall mine a month ago, if I put the pan over the bolts on one side, the other side was about a 1/4" off. I scratched my head looking at the problem, what I could loosen to get things to line up, etc.

Finally I decided to try brute force. I put nuts on the two bolts on one side very loosely. I also put a nut on the back side where it attaches to the aluminum channel next to the muffler.

Then I inserted a 2' crow bar through the slot in the middle that the sway bar protrudes through and placed the end against the side of the transmission.

With really very little effort, just a gentle push, the plate and suspension flexed enough and it popped over the other bolts. Now it was held in tension between the bolts and I put on all the nuts and tightened it up.

It was easy or I was lucky, don't know. But it worked.

Good luck