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

[rcfanatic]

In case anyone else has a similar coolant leak mine ended up being from where the throttle body hose enters the cylinder head.. right above that core plug circled in red

[rcfanatic]

Holy shit.. it works. It shifts, it drives. Clutch pedal is still a little sloppy.. need to figure out the bleeding, and coolant is a steady stream from the bottom of the tranny.. but hey, at least it drives

[Farbin Kaiber]

Freeze plugs.

[rcfanatic]

That, or if this thing didn't run before you started in on it, maybe it's a welch plug that needs replacing.

Was reading another thread and sounds like it may be the heater hose connector circled in red.

Is a welch plug what is circled in green? Did a search and there weren't any other posts about welch plugs.. maybe different terminology?

[rcfanatic]

That, or if this thing didn't run before you started in on it, maybe it's a welch plug that needs replacing.

It ran fine, but about a week before the throwout bearing failed I noticed I was starting to burn some coolant, so I assumed the head gasket was starting to fail. Swapping a milled head in a couple months but waiting to save up some more funds.

This secondary leak just started last night after I got the engine mounts located. Guess I'll feel around one more time and just crank her up and see where it starts spraying from...

[Farbin Kaiber]

That, or if this thing didn't run before you started in on it, maybe it's a welch plug that needs replacing.

[rcfanatic]

Way too much trouble and effort for a lowly Eta. Just donate it to pick-n-pull already.

Haha.. yeah all m20's are lowly in my opinion. I bought this vehicle because it drives like a go-kart, is light, and looks awesome.. not for its powerplant

I would be willing to bet that you punctured a coolant hose moving the engine around. Probably one for the heater core.

That's what I thought but I can't feel anything wet on the hoses entering the firewall. Could it be that the heater core itself got smashed from the engine pushing against the firewall? If that was the case, I thought the leak would be evident in the cabin.. puzzling where it's coming from and how it's making its way to the bottom of the transmission

[BimmerTim]

I would be willing to bet that you punctured a coolant hose moving the engine around. Probably one for the heater core.

[Teaguer]

Way too much trouble and effort for a lowly Eta. Just donate it to pick-n-pull already.

[rcfanatic]

Wow.. way more success than I was suspecting

I raised the tranny and low and behold due to the engine being so far forward I could reach the starter nut/bolt from the top. Stuck a box end wrench on it, and completely tightened it down. Problem 1 solved.

I then tried raising the engine but it wouldn't give.. because the tranny was already up. So put the tranny down, raised the engine, then raised the tranny and was able to start working on the engine placement. I had to *cringe* use the steering rack for leverage to move the engine backward, but I got it eventually. Problem 2 solved

So now, of course with my luck... throughout all of this shenanigans I somehow sprung a coolant leak. It is dripping from the bottom of the bellhousing. It dripped rapidly (about 3 drips per second) after I had the engine settled on its mounts and with the transmission still raised. When I lowered the transmission to let it hang the drip slowed to about one every 15 seconds or more.

I noticed a small puddle of coolant in the area circled in red, but it was motionless and didn't seem to be related to the problem. Everywhere around the top of the bellhousing was dry from what I could see/feel... Anybody run into something similar before?

The title of this thread should have been "How many new problems will I run into before the thread is over"

[rcfanatic]

Also, I'll have to look into renting.. I had no idea you could rent an engine hoist

[rcfanatic]

If you don't rent a hoist, you will have a hell of a problem.

I also have one other suggestion, not listed here, yet.

Put the transmission into 5th gear and wiggle the output flange. With a jack supporting the tailshaft region level with the crankshaft, and push the jack with your feet.

Ah so get leverage on the transmission instead of the engine. I'm sure I'll be trying that as well. Thanks

[rcfanatic]

Upon several people's suggestions I raised the motor to tilt down the transmission. Had to do this in order to reach the top transmission bolt with a dremel and cut off the head.

I'll try your suggestion, raise tranny first to level position and then motor. Hopefully this will keep it from hitting the firewall.

[Farbin Kaiber]

If you don't rent a hoist, you will have a hell of a problem.

I also have one other suggestion, not listed here, yet.

Put the transmission into 5th gear and wiggle the output flange. With a jack supporting the tailshaft region level with the crankshaft, and push the jack with your feet.

[BimmerTim]

Well, for the starter bolt, you should get a friend to hold it in place from the engine bay while you tighten the bolt from under the car.

For the motor, you should make sure the tail of the trans is lifted up to where it would normally sit. Then jack the motor up just enough to clear the studs on the mounts. Push.

Next time, don't take it off the front mounts like that. Not sure what the point of it even was.