Gear Box Main Shaft Issues

[Doug C]

66 2a 109.

After months of staring at the bell housing, I not wanting to tackle replacing the clutch plate I finally did it. I slid everything back and replaced the clutch and what not and put it all back together... that was the easy part. I cannot for the life of me manage to get the main shaft married back up with the engine. Everything is in line, all the splines match up, ie. pressure plate and clutch plate. The closest I can get is about 1.5" from the bell housing holes. It just seems that the shaft is getting hung up somewhere and I'm so close to getting the bell housing back bolted on but the last inch seems impossible. Does anyone have any tricks or suggestions on getting the shaft to marry up with the engine?

[jp-]

Did you use the little plastic spline aligning tool?

I have also had similar problems. First, make certain that there is nothing preventing it from going forward, say for instance a pilot bushing (bearing) that may have pulled out of the flywheel. Once your sure of that, use some long 3/8" bolts with or without the heads cut off (I don't cut mine off, I just screw them into the engine housing through the bellhousing when I get ready to go back on, two or three will usually do the trick.). Those bolts are only there for positioning. Next ease the transmission into the engine with the transmission in gear. Have an assistant turn the output shaft back and forth while you keep forward pressure on the transmission. Eventually the splines will align and she'll go in.

[Doug C]

I did use the spline aligning tool and it goes in all the way so I know that the splines are in line. The only thing that I am not sure about is the pilot bushing bearing... how do I make sure that is in check? What about putting a little grease on the end of the shaft to help it ease in? I'm going to try your trick of buying some long bolts and using them as a guide, I suppose. Also, do you know how much torque to put on the clutch bolts by any chance? Thanks for the help.

[jp-]

The way to check the pilot bushing is to get a socket extension or other rod about the same length as the input shaft. Just put in as far as it will go and measure how far it went. Then measure the length of the input shaft from the tip to the contact point of the throwout bearing. Or if you had a mirror where you could look into the end of the flywheel, that would be better. The pilot bushing is probably not your trouble, I was just mentioning it because it would be better to check it.

A little grease wouldn't hurt, just don't put too much.

You should be using grade 8 bolts, and if I remember they are 5/16" diameter. Just go by the bolt torque recommended in the front of just about every car manual; it's based on diameter and bolt grade. I don't use a torque wrench personally. I just tighten up good and snug with a lockwasher on them. The only thing I use torque wrenches for are main bolts, rod bolts, flywheel bolts, output shaft nuts, and u-bolts.

[I Leak Oil]

Put the box in gear and rotate the tranny brake drum while you push the tranny into the clutch. Make sure the tranny is level to the clutch housing or it won't go in easily.
Jason T.

[Tim Smith]

I remember having some problem getting the two to mate up again but don't think I ever figured out the cause. This was a while ago. I do remember jumping up and down on the bumper while wiggling the engine hoist all around. After some of this, it just clicked and slid right back together.

Then I celebrated my uber wrenching skills with a pint.
:gulp: :p

Still don't know what caused the issues though.

[Doug C]

Done!!! I used some long bolts as guides and I can't say that it simply slid in, but it's in and I'm done with it. That was the hardest job so far and in my conquest of getting it in, my help (my dad), broke the gear shifter off the swivel so until we get a new one, we won't even know if the new clutch works... if it's not one thing, it's another. Anyhow, thanks for the advice on using the long bolts.