Mating Transaxle to Engine...advice needed

[hoyabob2003]

Thank you. I actually read your thread - 3 times - before I posted this. I just wasn't clear how it all ended up - did you mate the housings before tightening down? Sounds like you did. This is the sage advice that I needed.

I will reposition, re-level, and take another go...and another...until I get the housings to mate completely prior to placing any bolts or tightening anything down.

I don't think I would enjoy having a 986 if it were my only car....I am thankful that I can take my sweet ass time on this one. I'll get it together when I get it together.

[thstone]

Originally Posted by hoyabob2003

Thank you. I actually read your thread - 3 times - before I posted this. I just wasn't clear how it all ended up - did you mate the housings before tightening down?

Yes, when everything is aligned it will slide back together by hand with a little push - no significant force required.

If its not sliding back together, try rotating the big gear through the hole a bit to make sure that the drive shaft splines are aligned.

If that doesn't work, you'll have to do some sleuthing to figure out where its being held up at/from.

[hoyabob2003]

Thanks so much for all the good advice. I re-aligned the clutch today - it might have been a little off - and will have another go at having the transaxle slide easily onto the flywheel tomorrow. I'm sure I'll get it now that I know how I should expect it to go.

[Gilles]

it also helps a great deal to use studs to align the transaxle to the engine, you can cut the hex head off two or three spare/old bolts (same as the ones holding the gearbox and engine together) and these will guide the transmission into the engine (you may have to rotate the engine a teeth or two), then replace the studs with the right bolts.

[hoyabob2003]

Well, it did eventually slide easily back together and you're all right that it takes some finesse and looking at the relationship of the bellhousing to the engine to ensure it's approaching square and level.

[specboxCO]

Copper grease on the splines makes a world of difference in my experience. First time I changed a transmission, it took me 2 days of trying to align it to get it to slide in. I've since done 10+ transmission changes and every time greased the splines and found it slips right in.

[Gelbster]

Careful with the amount of grease ! You need the highest "dropping point" temp you can find.