Installing transmission for 3 hours, still stuck. 0.75" Gap, pilot bearing?

[rcfanatic]

You should be able to reach it from underneath. I can do it, and my hands are large. Is your transmission still hanging down?

Transmission is still hanging down. I tried raising and lowering the engine to see which would allow me more room but neither was adequate. Also, the engine is no longer seated on the subframe, in fact from all of the raising/lowering both motor mounts sit flush in front of where they should

[erik325i]

Yeah can't fit my hand in there. I can fit two fingers up adjacent to the solenoid, but there is no way I can fit my hand over the top and further toward the center of the car where that starter nut is.

Would it work to remove the intake manifold and go from the top? Pelican parts suggests this in an article about an e36 m50

You should be able to reach it from underneath. I can do it, and my hands are large. Is your transmission still hanging down?

[rcfanatic]

First stick the bolt through the hole. Then, reach up there and hold the nut in place with your fingers. Put your socket with a u-joint on a long extension and tighten the bolt into the nut.
You might not be able to hold your fingers on the nut and tighten the bolt. If that's the case, get a friend to help you out.

Yeah can't fit my hand in there. I can fit two fingers up adjacent to the solenoid, but there is no way I can fit my hand over the top and further toward the center of the car where that starter nut is.

Would it work to remove the intake manifold and go from the top? Pelican parts suggests this in an article about an e36 m50

[erik325i]

One last question

*** How do you hold the nut in place for the top starter bolt?? Somehow I got lucky and it came undone by itself when removing the transmission.

Any tips on how to reach this? I put the nut in a 5" box end wrench and using two fingers I was able to lay the wrench in place working from underneath, but I can barely maneuver it and have no idea where it is in respect to the bolt.

First stick the bolt through the hole. Then, reach up there and hold the nut in place with your fingers. Put your socket with a u-joint on a long extension and tighten the bolt into the nut.
You might not be able to hold your fingers on the nut and tighten the bolt. If that's the case, get a friend to help you out.

[rcfanatic]

One last question

*** How do you hold the nut in place for the top starter bolt?? Somehow I got lucky and it came undone by itself when removing the transmission.

Any tips on how to reach this? I put the nut in a 5" box end wrench and using two fingers I was able to lay the wrench in place working from underneath, but I can barely maneuver it and have no idea where it is in respect to the bolt.

[rcfanatic]

ok, so the best I could get was about 0.510" of clearance. So I removed the transmission, went to Lowes and bought a 15/16" socket to drive the bearing in.

Before removing the pressure plate I checked with the alignment tool and the clutch was still in alignment. I removed the PP and clutch, pressed the bearing in an extra 0.510", and reassembled clutch and PP.

After this it took me about 15-20 minutes to get the transmission to where the bolts would finally grab the threads on the engine side and then pull the transmission the rest of the way on.

So I'm going out on a limb and saying that it was the pilot bearing not seated far enough

[drumad]

True. Didn't say it was end all be all, his bearing looks to be fine and I'm sure he didn't fubar the clutch disk alignment. If anything, undo everything, remove the bearing and try again.

[M-technik-3]

I used vice grips to close the gap between the engine an the bellhousin flange.

Edit: as soon as you can start getting those bolts on too

Force is not the answer, obviously there is an issue whether it's the imput shaft or the angle you are using or the pilot bearing.

[KenC]

I don't think your clutch is lined up right. You used the e30 alignment tool right?

Did I read correctly that you lowered the supporting jack with no bolts in the tranny? I bet you torqued the clutch disc out of alignment..

I've taken my 240 out about ten times. It should just slide right in. Put a little grease on the input shaft.

[rcfanatic]

Did you make sure your clutch disk is perfectly centered? If it's off, then the transmission shaft will slide though the clutch disc splines but won't match up perfectly with the pilot bearing making it difficult install.

Yep used the alignment tool, everything fitted as it should.

Erik: Can you confirm if the pilot bearing is correct from the first picture?

[Teaguer]

It is ok. If it does need to go back slightly the input shaft and tranny would seat it without any issues. Thats not your hangup.

[erik325i]

Did you make sure your clutch disk is perfectly centered? If it's off, then the transmission shaft will slide though the clutch disc splines but won't match up perfectly with the pilot bearing making it difficult install.

[rcfanatic]

Teaguer: Can you confirm if the pilot bearing is correct?

[Teaguer]

Seems like you may not have the angle of attack right.
Tilt up the rear and start wiggling it and shoving it towards the engine. It will give.

[drumad]

Ca you get the bolts started at least? Oh one other thing. If your engine gives when you shove forward, then that's preventing alot of your force from going into the pilot shaft.