ARGH! 5 Speed Install Promlems....
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Conifer Colorado
ARGH! 5 Speed Install Promlems....
Alright. Things were going smoothly and the transmission went into the back of the motor well. I'm not saying it was easy, but it did go in. I was even able to access the dust cover and put that extremely difficult screw into the back side of it! Oh how proud of myself i was..... WAS...
When i put the rubber mount on the transmission it seemed to go on just fine, but when i slid on the cross member mount the holes didn't match the rubber! Then i looked through the cross member hole and the holes on the cross member don't match up either! ARGH! What a screeching halt! Has anyone else had this problem? I'm just wondering if i should just drill and modify or if there is a real problem. The tranny seems to be in the center of the tunnel. Even if it wasn't the holes in the mount would not match those on the cross member. any ideas?
travis
thanks guys!!
When i put the rubber mount on the transmission it seemed to go on just fine, but when i slid on the cross member mount the holes didn't match the rubber! Then i looked through the cross member hole and the holes on the cross member don't match up either! ARGH! What a screeching halt! Has anyone else had this problem? I'm just wondering if i should just drill and modify or if there is a real problem. The tranny seems to be in the center of the tunnel. Even if it wasn't the holes in the mount would not match those on the cross member. any ideas?
travis
thanks guys!!
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,608
Likes: 3
From: Canberra AUSTRALIA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Originally Posted by dfdsmokeater
Alright. Things were going smoothly and the transmission went into the back of the motor well. I'm not saying it was easy, but it did go in. I was even able to access the dust cover and put that extremely difficult screw into the back side of it! Oh how proud of myself i was..... WAS...
When i put the rubber mount on the transmission it seemed to go on just fine, but when i slid on the cross member mount the holes didn't match the rubber! Then i looked through the cross member hole and the holes on the cross member don't match up either! ARGH! What a screeching halt! Has anyone else had this problem? I'm just wondering if i should just drill and modify or if there is a real problem. The tranny seems to be in the center of the tunnel. Even if it wasn't the holes in the mount would not match those on the cross member. any ideas?
travis
thanks guys!!
When i put the rubber mount on the transmission it seemed to go on just fine, but when i slid on the cross member mount the holes didn't match the rubber! Then i looked through the cross member hole and the holes on the cross member don't match up either! ARGH! What a screeching halt! Has anyone else had this problem? I'm just wondering if i should just drill and modify or if there is a real problem. The tranny seems to be in the center of the tunnel. Even if it wasn't the holes in the mount would not match those on the cross member. any ideas?
travis
thanks guys!!
Once installed the 5 speed in my friends 63 DID NOT look straight when looking down the tunnel.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,668
Likes: 119
From: St. Charles Mo
CI 5 & 8 Veteran
I am also in the middle of installing my Tremec TKO 500. I tried a preliminary fit check of the new crossmember bracket included in the kit and it fits my crossmember bolt holes fine. The transmission / engine will definitly require some prying to get it centered in the tunnel, but It dosen't appear that there will be a problem in that area.
The problem I ran into was the upper two 1/2" 3/4" hex socket head bolts that mount the transmission to the bellhousing. There is no clearance between the bolt head and the transmision housing to allow a socket. I was able to tighten the upper left bolt with a crow's foot but the upper right bolt is impossible. Not enough clearance for any type of tool I have,... box, box rachet, open end or crow's foot or socket. I picked up a 1/2-13UNCx 1.75 Allen socket head cap bolt that I plan to try one nite this week. That should solve the problem. Wonder why Keisler didn't tell us about this one
Bullshark
The problem I ran into was the upper two 1/2" 3/4" hex socket head bolts that mount the transmission to the bellhousing. There is no clearance between the bolt head and the transmision housing to allow a socket. I was able to tighten the upper left bolt with a crow's foot but the upper right bolt is impossible. Not enough clearance for any type of tool I have,... box, box rachet, open end or crow's foot or socket. I picked up a 1/2-13UNCx 1.75 Allen socket head cap bolt that I plan to try one nite this week. That should solve the problem. Wonder why Keisler didn't tell us about this one
Bullshark
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Wow that is amazing I just looked at mine, you can't get a socket on it and you can't even get a wrench on it.
Makes me really wonder about other things if we don't even get the right bolts
Makes me really wonder about other things if we don't even get the right bolts
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Conifer Colorado
It is the temrek 5 speed from the big k. The install was good except for the tranny mount. I'm not so much concerned about the rubber mount, but the holes are off for the mounting plate to the cross member. No ammount of adjusting is going to fix this unless i've put it on wrong. But i'm pretty sure i got it right. Maybe if you have done it someone could take a picture for me???
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
One thing you might want to try for the guys having problems getting a wrench on the bolts. Lower the rear of the trans as much as you can without the dist hitting the firewall. This might move the bolt head further away from the body of the car and enough clearance to get a wrench on it. Then jack the trans back up and put in the crossmember. This obviously applies to removable crossmembers only. 
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Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
The bolt (head) is too tight to the tranny case ( upper right ), I can't get a wrench on it with the tranny on my coffee table let alone in the car 
I have my crossmember out right now I will put the mount on and take a picture after work
I have my crossmember out right now I will put the mount on and take a picture after work
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,216
Likes: 4
From: Smile, it's just the internet.
Originally Posted by MotorHead
Wow that is amazing I just looked at mine, you can't get a socket on it and you can't even get a wrench on it.
Makes me really wonder about other things if we don't even get the right bolts
Makes me really wonder about other things if we don't even get the right bolts
I warned you guys about that four months ago... Socket head is the way to go.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...8&page=1&pp=20 Halfway down page 5...
Originally Posted by cggorman
11-01-2004, 11:27 AM
I installed mine this weekend. Aligning the Lakewood bellhousing was harder than installing the tranny. I was alone and busy working, so I didn't think to get any pictures. I already had the engine out of the car, so my install was a little different than the one described in the Keisler instructions (which are excellent, BTW). It fit perfectly, with NO cutting or fabrication, and took 4-6 hours. The only tools I could even vaguely consider "special" would be a set of socket hex drivers (or regular allen wrenches, but socket drive is easier, IMO), a clutch pilot tool, and a c-clamp that opens at least 6". Maybe a torque wrench, but you should already have one if you're thinking about swapping a tranny...
There were only two or three things that were frustrating...
The single most frustrating thing was having my good jack stolen from the shop. I couldn't get the car up high enough to work comfortably. Damn theives.
The upper-right bolt that threads into the bellhousing is hard to get a socket on because of the close proximity to the casting webs. Make sure you've got a short, THIN wall socket. An open end wrench WON'T fit, neither will a deep socket. A swivel socket (not a swivel extension...I don't that would fit either) might, but I didn't have one that would take 65 ft-lbs, so I guessed the torque on that one. You may need to modify a socket...I did. Shafi, perhaps a grade 5 allen head bolt or ARP-style 12-point head would be better?
The spring pin that gets driven into the shifter ball socket is kinda hard to reach clear up in the tunnel...not enough room to swing a hammer. I also cringed every time I hit it. A small c-clamp would've been better, but I didn't have one.
Along the same line, the dust cover for the gear selector is kinda hard to both attach (one screw is in a odd place) and seal because of location. Try a stubby #2 phillips.
I thought it was easier to attach the handle to the selector u-joint assembly BEFORE I bolted the assembly to the tranny. Your install may be different.
All things considered, this was a joy to install. Probably the best Corvette-specific aftermarket part I've used. Tied with DeWitts.
I installed mine this weekend. Aligning the Lakewood bellhousing was harder than installing the tranny. I was alone and busy working, so I didn't think to get any pictures. I already had the engine out of the car, so my install was a little different than the one described in the Keisler instructions (which are excellent, BTW). It fit perfectly, with NO cutting or fabrication, and took 4-6 hours. The only tools I could even vaguely consider "special" would be a set of socket hex drivers (or regular allen wrenches, but socket drive is easier, IMO), a clutch pilot tool, and a c-clamp that opens at least 6". Maybe a torque wrench, but you should already have one if you're thinking about swapping a tranny...
There were only two or three things that were frustrating...
The single most frustrating thing was having my good jack stolen from the shop. I couldn't get the car up high enough to work comfortably. Damn theives.
The upper-right bolt that threads into the bellhousing is hard to get a socket on because of the close proximity to the casting webs. Make sure you've got a short, THIN wall socket. An open end wrench WON'T fit, neither will a deep socket. A swivel socket (not a swivel extension...I don't that would fit either) might, but I didn't have one that would take 65 ft-lbs, so I guessed the torque on that one. You may need to modify a socket...I did. Shafi, perhaps a grade 5 allen head bolt or ARP-style 12-point head would be better?
The spring pin that gets driven into the shifter ball socket is kinda hard to reach clear up in the tunnel...not enough room to swing a hammer. I also cringed every time I hit it. A small c-clamp would've been better, but I didn't have one.
Along the same line, the dust cover for the gear selector is kinda hard to both attach (one screw is in a odd place) and seal because of location. Try a stubby #2 phillips.
I thought it was easier to attach the handle to the selector u-joint assembly BEFORE I bolted the assembly to the tranny. Your install may be different.
All things considered, this was a joy to install. Probably the best Corvette-specific aftermarket part I've used. Tied with DeWitts.