Transmission Install Nightmare

[89FerrariShelby]

Ok guys. looking for ANY tips or tricks i can try.

Transmission is an A568
I have the purple plate clutch from Turbo's unleashed.

I bench pressed the tranny up into place, but no amount of shaking or jostling will get the shaft into the clutch (i already double checked with the tool, the clutch is centered). Right now the tranny is hanging on the engine by 3 (or maybe 4) bolts. But no matter what i do, the tranny refuses to mate up.

ANY thoughts or ideas are welcome. Obviously i'd prefer not to drop the tranny again, but I will if that is what it comes to.

Oh, and i put the clutch on the shaft before installing it, so yes, it does work with the tranny....

[moparman76_69]

So you can get bolts in but you can't get the input shaft into the splines? That doesn't seem right. You have to get the input shaft perfectly in line or it refuses to go in. I use a engine hoist to hold up the trans while I work on it.

[RoadWarrior222]

Jiggle the flywheel while you push?

[89FerrariShelby]

So you can get bolts in but you can't get the input shaft into the splines? That doesn't seem right. You have to get the input shaft perfectly in line or it refuses to go in. I use a engine hoist to hold up the trans while I work on it.

I may have to go out and buy a engine hoist for this...the jacks are too cumbersome, and it wasn't working while pressing it up, and its too heavy to do that for very long.

Yeah, i have about 4 bolts in it right now, not snug, but pretty far in. I tried turning the crank, but no luck. My stepfather seemed to thing tightening the bolts might pull it in, but it didn't seem to work.

Jiggle the flywheel while you push?

Hmmm...i was jiggling the tranny, but maybe that would work...i took the front engine mount off so the engine is movable....


Does anyone know...if i back out the bolts i have most of the way (but leave them in to hold the tranny on the engine, is that going to be far enough back that the shaft wont touch the clutch? I really don't want to take it down because i'm not sure how i'd get it back up there by myself....

This honestly makes no sense to me...it "should" line up....

[moparman76_69]

You normally can't get the trans in past the splines if they aren't lined up. You may be able to start the top bolts but no way you have all four in without the splines in. Is it the same trans that came out of the car?

[BadAssPerformance]

Alignment of the input shaft requires:

-axial alinment of input shaft and clutch - angle of engine and trans have to be identical plus colinear

-splines lined up - not just the clutch centered with the alignemnt tool, but also the spline rotation. if it doesnt go, you can turn the flywheel slightly to try to line the splines up


Get two long shoulder bolts... cut of fheads, cut slot in end (if you need a drive feature to get them out) and put them in the top two holes ... helps to guide the trans in and helps hold the weight while you muscle it in

[89FerrariShelby]

Yes, its the same trans. The top two bolts have about a 1/2 or 1/4 inch of space between the tranny and the block....the bottom bolt is a little further out but still threaded, and the one on the front is about the same as the bottom.

I don't have four bolts all the way in, but i have 4 at least threaded into the case or block, whichever direction each individual one goes.

I'm thinking maybe if i back the 2 up top off some i might be able to wiggly the tranny/flywheel enough to get them to mate?

---------- Post added at 11:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:21 AM ----------

Alignment of the input shaft requires:

-axial alinment of input shaft and clutch - angle of engine and trans have to be identical plus colinear

-splines lined up - not just the clutch centered with the alignemnt tool, but also the spline rotation. if it doesnt go, you can turn the flywheel slightly to try to line the splines up


Get two long shoulder bolts... cut of fheads, cut slot in end (if you need a drive feature to get them out) and put them in the top two holes ... helps to guide the trans in and helps hold the weight while you muscle it in

So get some bolts longer than the actual ones used...so i can slide it out, but still have it attached? I kinda like that idea...probably cant go too long though right? I mean that thing was heavy!

[bfarroo]

Are you sure you have the right spline clutch? The 90 568 and all of the older trans have a 18 spline 91 and newer went to the 17 spline.

[89FerrariShelby]

Are you sure you have the right spline clutch? The 90 568 and all of the older trans have a 18 spline 91 and newer went to the 17 spline.

Yeah, it's the right one. I took some advice i got on here before starting and put the clutch on the shaft before installing it in the car. It went on the shaft fine.

---------- Post added at 11:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:26 AM ----------

I kinda like the idea of the shoulder bolts...it would allow me to pull the tranny out a bit without dropping it to the ground. Might be able to get lucky...guess i'll just have to hope i don't snap them off in the block...oh boy...

What do you mean by co-linear angle? I'm guessing they're at the same angle because they're attached, but i can move them up and down to play with that...i'm not sure what the co-linear means though?

[BadAssPerformance]

co-linear - along the same axis / on the same line in 3d space... so not only aligned angle, but two parallel lines on top of each other

The trans can tilt forward, back, up, down and also rotate.

The shoulder bolts help with this, as they keep the rotation and fore aft (vehicle perspective) tilting minimal, and help support the weight while you tilt it up and down and try to slide it in...

I've been meaning to write a KC article in this...

[89FerrariShelby]

ALright i'm going to run to the hardware store and give this a shot...as i'm thinking about it, having the actual top two bolts in is probably pressing the shaft against the clutch which is keeping it from sliding down and in, allowing the top to move back from the block would probably line it up better...

I'll report back in a bit...but i feel good about this...here's hoping!

thank you..i thought that's what it meant...but its been a while and sometimes i'm not the brightest bulb =P

[BadAssPerformance]

Yea, the problem is if you start bolts sometimes that makes the angle bad... the back of the block and front of the trans bell housing have to be parallel planes to alow the input shaft to slide in... and angle or misalignment adds binding.

Good luck!

[85glht]

Put the tranny in gear. If it is in neutral and you are jiggling it, the input shaft will remain free and stay put against the disc hub. If in gear, the input shaft will have resistance and will "turn" with the tranny when jiggled. I hope you kind of
understand what I am trying to say.

[135sohc]

+1 on the bolts/dowels. I have had one fight back for hours, then drop right in. Then the next time had it slip right together on the very first try...

[cordes]

Even with the bolts they can be a real pain. I usually get it on the studs I've made and then use the end cover to move it all around while Joy rotates the engine on occasion. It'll slip in eventually.

[turbovanman²]

I do this for a living and what they said about the longer bolts/studs is bang on, sometimes you just can't get the right angle, so having 2 or 3 bolts started lets you wiggle and jiggle. Have a friend turn the engine over by while you jiggle it. NEVER suck the trans up by the bolts if you haven't got anything lined up, you will damage/destroy the clutch disc, also never let the trans hang as again, you'll destroy/damage the disc.

I've had some where I fought like mad without guides, installed a couple and it instantly slid in place.

[beeblebrox82]

I do this for a living and what they said about the longer bolts/studs is bang on, sometimes you just can't get the right angle, so having 2 or 3 bolts started lets you wiggle and jiggle. Have a friend turn the engine over by while you jiggle it. NEVER suck the trans up by the bolts if you haven't got anything lined up, you will damage/destroy the clutch disc, also never let the trans hang as again, you'll destroy/damage the disc.

I've had some where I fought like mad without guides, installed a couple and it instantly slid in place.

+1 I got mine together by turning the engine over while mating it up. Free's up the clutch, lets everything mate right up. Fought with it for 30 minutes, turned it over at the crank... 5 minutes later the whole thing was going in the car lol.

[looneytuner]

I had one like that and the chief of police in Bridgeton walked by and kicked it with his army boots. Popped right in.

A Loooonnng time ago (50 years), I had to take a nap with a Borg Warner 4 speed resting on my chest. I couldn't get out from under with it on my chest, and I could no longer lift it.
Transmission guys will tell you sometimes the transmission wins.

[89FerrariShelby]

well, i think it won two days in a row...tried the longer bolts...it's much free-er but still refuses to go in. I'm going to give it one more go tonight with the woman turning the crank...

I guess i'll have to take it down and check the alignment of the clutch again, it was lined up the two times i checked it though. I think my stepfather tried to tighten the bolts to set it..so i guess i'll have to try the clutch on the shaft outside of the car again and make sure he didn't f anything up...

I hate this...thanks for all the helpful input though guys...i'm loads closer than i was earlier yesterday/this morning...maybe after some rest the tranny will be nice to me...

[turbovanman²]

Sometimes that's what it takes, go away and come back.