Could really use a little help here. Removed the motor from my C5 from the top. It really wasn't that bad, just beleive the part about dropping the engine cradle - it may look like you will clear it, but you can't!

I now have everything I needed to transfer over to the new motor transferred, and am in the process of reinstalling this thing. One problem... It seems that I can't get the input shaft of the torque tube to slide into the splined output off the flexplate. I have done my best to get this thing aligned (to the point of completely dropping the rear of the engine cradle for a better angle), but it still doesn't seem to want to slide in... Man that sounds bad.

Do I need to lube this thing with graphite or WD-40, or will it just take more wiggling and patience. That's basically what I've been trying - wiggle, shove, turn it over, wiggle, shove, turn it over.... You get the idea.

So do I just need more patience or am I going about this the wrong way? Thanks again for the help....

Scatter'd

 

I just kept wiggling and it slide right in

 

Hey Scatter'd,

It's a biotch of a job. I just got done installing new Textralia Twin in my vette the other day and converting from an auto to a stick. Still cleaning things up a bit.


Whatever you do, DO NOT put any grease on the spline shaft or you'll destroy your clutch.

-Best thing to do is to remove the inspection plate on the bell housing.

-Make sure your tranny is in neutral.

-I suspect that you used some type of alignment tool to make sure that your clutch disc is in proper aliginment.

-You're going to need a couple of friends to help you. Have one of your friends lower the motor why you are underneath guiding in the torque tube.

-I don't know what clutch you used but you won't be able to push it in all the way because the throw bearing will up against the pressure plate fingers.

-I wriggled my torque tube until I saw that the splines were lined up. It helps to have a bright light down there to see. I used one of those bar clamps like they use in a wood shop on the bell housing and the torque tube to draw it in all of the way.

-It took me a few tries (3 hours) to get it right, but you'll know it. It will slide in very easily with the bar clamp.

 

Thanks for the replies guys... Probably should have mentioned that its an automatic...

Scatter'd

 

You really need a friend to give you a hand. Have him push up or down on the front of the engine while pushing back at the same time. While your under the car guiding the turque tube. You should be able to get it in pretty easy that way.

 

It should be a piece of cake, compared to a stick shift. Just make sure that the collar ring is loose. Have two people and line up shaft. Make sure it's in neutral so the spline can move a little bit to line up correctly.

 

I'm doing the same thing, just a couple of days behind ya, I'm about to yank my old one, just picked up a hoist and only have the trans cooler lines and drive shaft to unhook.

Is dropping the engine cradle just 4 bolts or do you have to unhook suspension stuff as well?

Good luck!

 

Are the splines aligned? I just did a clutch and did some disassembly measurements to help with re-alignment and installation. It slid right in, but I also had to spin the input shaft with my fingers. If you can't do that then a flywheel wrench will work also. It will slide right in once it lines up so take some measurements between the torque tube and the bellhousing side to side and top and bottom to try and get it square as you can.

 

Dropping the engine cradle is just 4 bolts, but you need to remove the upper control arms and unclip the brake lines from their mounts, as well as remove the bottom shock bolts to get the cradle to drop.

Scatter'd

 

Thanks, have any luck getting it lined up yet? What about disconneting the drive train? I haven't gotten a good look at it yet. Just removed the radiator and fans, and disconnected the trans cooler lines. I took a break because my fears were correct I have to buy a oil pan and they are not cheap...

 

I just swapped out my motor on sunday..It went in fairly easy....2 people, only thing I had the cradle comletely out. (flexplate car also).