Need Help!!! Aligning tranny input shaft with clutch!

[Pocket_Rocket]

Hi guys, I'm having some trouble finishing my BP swap; I can't get the input shaft to go all the way in the clutch. The engine fitted perfectly when I made my test fit without the flywheel and clutch, but now with the clutch, the exhaust side of the engine comes close enough to bolt up, but the intake side has a 1.5" gap. And yes, I have a jack under my tranny to level it out with the engine, and I bashed the frame where the crank pulley hits so there's room now. But still, I can move the engine freely, while it's perfectly aligned with the tranny and it won't go in, and nothing seems to rub or hold the engine back. And when I pull the engine back up the clutch disc is still perfectly aligned with the bearing in the flywheel. What should I do? I don't want to remove the transmission from the car 'cause the bolt are all rusted and I almost stripped one just trying to loosen it. Anybody ever did a BP swap while leaving the tranny in the car? Was it that hard?

[Pocket_Rocket]

I also tried turning the flywheel to align the splines but it didn't work either...

[SimonTuffGuy]

I pulled my engine and tranny out of the car when I did mine... It gave me all the room I needed plus more.

[Seth]

i had this problem. and then Brian and willy came over with a clutch alignment tool and it went in perfectly with no problem. but that was on the B3. but it could still be the same problem.

i thought i could do it without the tool. and i couldnt.

[Pocket_Rocket]

I have the tool as it came with my new clutch, but even perfectly aligned it won't go in...

[fastivaca]

What clutch are you using? If you're using the BP clutch and trying to mate it to the stock transmission there may be a difference in spline count which means they won't go together.

[mattswabb]

I did mine with the trans in the car. I assume you have the clutch/flywheel that fits the trans? Use the alignment tool and really make sure that everything is centered. There is enough slop in the tool that the clutch still could be misaligned.

I've have them just slip in and sometimes I've have to work at it.

[Pocket_Rocket]

I'm using a SPEC stage 2 clutch for a B3 with the B3 flywheel...

[nonamekid]

Those plastic alignment tools are sloppy. I normally can get it in by wiggling the engine or tranny and it eventually slides most of the way together. There is always a little bit of gap before it seats all the way. I normally use the bolts to pull it together the rest of the way. Just make sure you work your way around the motor evenly that way it pulls together evenly, otherwise it will bind and not go together.

[FB71]

I'm using a SPEC stage 2 clutch for a B3 with the B3 flywheel...

let me know how that clutch performs, when you get it all together. I just ordered a Stg 2+.

^^^ the above statements are correct about the tools being sloppy. The tolerances for shaft fitment into the pilot bearing a very tight, so your troubles are not suprizing.

[SimonTuffGuy]

I will note that I had a similar problem when I was doing mine when it was OUT of the car (and that giving me a ton of extra room)... We didn't use the alignment tool, just put our fingers in to line it all up and then put it together.

It did take a bit of wiggling to get it in and working properly though. Just keep trying, you'll get it.

[Pocket_Rocket]

I think I found the problem...I pulled the motor out again and took a closer look around the tranny...I noticed that the inner boot on the passenger's axle had fresh, small cuts, and boot's metal collar was twisted and bent, and the oil pan had black marks in the pass. side axle area, where I trimmed it. After a close examination of the pictures of Matt's BP swap guide, it turns out I have a different oil pan, which caused confusion as to where I had to trim (the tranny holes on the oil pan look alike but are in slightly different locations, as well as the strenghtening web, and bellhousing mating surface), so now I've got to remove the clutch and flywheel, and trim some more, but what bothers me is that there's a oil pan bolt right where I need to trim, so I hope the aluminum isn't too thin in that area...

[Festy46]

If you did your test fit without that p.o.s. tin plate on the block, that may be hanging up now if you are using a stub shaft to keep your spider gears from dropping out of the transmission. Those alignment tools should slide in and out with the lighest possible pressure. If you have to even gently force it (the tool) in or out it's not perfectly aligned.

[jglutz]

1st) Replace the allignment tool and double check. If you force the tranny, the clutch can slide a little bit and then your screwed. When you remove the tool...make note if a peak or valley of the tool is at the 12 o'clock position.. then spin the MTX input shaft accordingly.

2nd) Make sure the clutch cable is not attached.

3rd) Go to the hardware store and buy some extra MTX to block bolts...a minimum of 2...as long as possible. Cut off the heads of the bolts and install them it the upper most postions. Place the tranny onto the bolts and slide into position.

Always make sure the gap betwee the MTX and block stays even...if not...start again.

A pict of some home-made allignment bolts just for this type of problem. (focus could have been better)

[Pocket_Rocket]

I have to remove the clutch cable??? I wasn't aware of that...Will that push the release bearing further in the tranny and give me more room?