nfran

After reading quite a few of the threads about Muncie 4 speed removals and having just gone thru that, is there any tricks to getting the trans back into the car? My 65 needed a new clutch, pressure plate, TO bearing and trans rebuild. I had to drop the bell housing along with the trans to clear the input shaft. How do you keep the shaft on the TO bearing while trying to slide everything back together, lining up the input shaft with the pilot bushing?

65tripleblack

Install the bellhousing. Lower the rear of the engine until the engine is laying at about a 30 degree angle with it's back lower than its front.

nfran

65tripleblack, I have the engine resting right now on a small hyrdaulic jack but when I lower it, I can remove the jack and not get anymore tilt out of the engine, PITA!!

Double-E

Lift tail of trans onto xmember and have loose bellhousing over front shaft; raise rear of engine, then lift front of trans, pushing forward to start into TO bearing. You could now attach bellhousing; you may have to adjust the engine height to get the right alignment to trans. Once it is aligned put headless alignment pins into the bellhousing to keep trans aligned as it goes in; I use the top passenger side hole and the bottom driver side hole for the guide pins; have someone step on the clutch as you push the trans forward; it will take a few attempts to get it in; DO NOT try to force the trans in by installing the mounting bolts into the bellhousing and tightening, you'll break the ears off the trans.

66BlkBB

I found that the easiest way to do this was to install the bellhousing w/TO bearing. Then let the engine down as far as it will go. Slide the transmission up into the frame and turn the transmission 45 degrees. It will slide back further and then you can lift the front of the transmission up and into the hole in the bellhousing. From there you have to wrestle with it to get it in place. Just my way of doing it. Good luck.

DZAUTO

This is the best way to do it.
No need to take the bell housing loose.

Tom Parsons

rengawdor

Is the distributor hitting the firewall, preventing it from tilting enough?
Rod

w1ctc

The first time I did was 30 years ago and the second time was last year. I found that the trans had increased in weight by at least double and I could not easily lift it into position. A wooden trans cradle bolted to a floor jack made it much easier.

tuxnharley

I've had exactly that problem myself! Try pulling the distributor; that will give you a lot more clearance to tilt the back of the engine downwards.

simard

Try loosening the exhaust pipes before letting the engine drop. Then watch out for the distributor.

Chuck Gongloff

I've found that most of the time, it's the tach cable that hangs you up.

I'd disconnect the tach cable from the back of the distributor, and then remove the distributor cap with the spark plug wires attached, and "wire" it up to the wiper blades.

THAT will allow the back of the engine to come down further, and you need it down as far as possible, IMHO.

Having 2 people helps too. I'm not as strong as I used to be and having an extra pair of hands to help you "horse" that trans in place makes the job much easier.

Chuck

Razzle

Letting the motor hang that far has a stack of problems. The easiest way I've found is for one guy to raise the trans while another raises the bellhousing in place together. It sounds harder than it really is. Leave the TO bearing out til all is in place and the bell bolted up. Then install the TO brng, slide the trans into it and that's it. Letting the motor down can do anything from ruining motor mnts, pushing the fan through the fiberglass fan shroud...................

Bottom line, a bad idea. Plus, by the time you've removed exh, dist cap, tach cable, positioned the fan etc....I've finished.....without stressing all those parts.

JRD77VET

I'm going to add one thing which I will assume was overlooked---------put something in the tail shaft to keep the trans fluid in.

Here's the perfect example--- back in my early 20s, I helped to replace the trans in the chevelle my friend Tony had. "Mr Know It All" Mike was there was was giving me a hard time because I couldn't get the tranny in. He grabbed the trans, placed it on his chest and proceeded to lift it in place.

One small problem. He had knocked the rag loose I had stuffed in the tail shaft and used 90wt tranny fluid was pouring all over his crotch

Needless to say, he didn't get "lucky" that night on his date

midyearvette

......

JohnZ

The wooden cradle supports the engine from the pan rail (so you don't damage the pan), the alignment studs avoid damaging the clutch disc, and the plug avoids a gear lube bath.

Larry N. Johnson

[fran,

If you have this setup The best solution is to pull that old 396 and ship her my way. I'll send you a new SBC crate in exchange if your 396 is a good runner and an original 65 Vette engine!

Then you can install the engine/trans as a package and BINGO, no more issues w clutch, TO bearing, or bell housing!!

nfran

Larry, that's kind of tempting but.....I've grown very fond of my big block, always wanted one and finally got a beast under the hood.
Thanks for the kind thought anyway

66BlkBB

A simple wood block on the floor jack cures that problem. I don't know of anyone who doesn't support the engine via the oil pan when doing this.

65tripleblack

Except that I use a cinder block or whatever is handy under the pan..............of course with wood on top to prevent damaging the pan.

I remove the floor jack and use that for lifting the trans. If the floor jack is tied up, then I use a bottle jack to release the engine from the chocks while "sticking it in".

66BlkBB

I keep using the lift/grunt method from the stomach. To damn old to learn, I guess.