Hello,

I just replaced the clutch in my 00 C5, with a Monster LT1. I'm trying to reinstall the drive train and it's about an inch or two from being flush with the bell housing. It's engaged with the disc splines but I assume not the pilot. The angle looks good. Does anyone have any suggestion?


Thanks in advance..

Dave

 

Hey man,

First thing, is it an inch or 2 inches? Big difference. Could just need some shaking to actually get it fully splined. If it is an inch out I would say you are all lined up and could slowly tighten the tq tube bolts to pull it in. If you are 2 inches out, you may not be aligned all the way.

 

Thank you... it looks good, I figured if I am in the disc spline that would line up the pilot bearing. I tried shaking it and changing angles slightly. so frustrating, so close....

 

I understand your frustration, I think we have all been there! Some would disagree with me, but I say try tightening the torque tube bolts evenly to try and pull it in. You will know right away if something is binding.

 

Keep in mind that you need to compress the slave cylinder the last inch or so. Think about it. It'll go in smooth then stop a bit less than an inch away when the TOB meets the clutch PP fingers. Get it squared up as best as you can and get the TT to bellhousing bolts started. You should be able to draw the TT in using the bolts. But it it takes too much effort, STOP because something isn't lined up. It should draw in easily with the bolts.

 

Is it just the torque tube or the complete drivetrain?

With just the torque tube, you should be able to push it fully to the bellhousing if you get it actually aligned.

With the whole drivetrain, you just can't easily tell if it is aligned.

Worst case, it's not quite aligned and you just can't hit it. This can happen with the plastic alignment tools. So, loosen the pressure plate bolts enough the clutch disks are loose to move around and then it should line up. This will require you turn the engine over enough to reach all the bolts.

 

this sounds like the problem... crack the slave bleeder screw open and then it won't fight you anymore

 

Once mine was aligned, it went in with minor effort. Personally, I would be real hesitant to pull in with the bolts. Sometimes the plastic alignment tool is not precise enough for alignment and the disc is displaced from the pilot. I think I would back it out and eyeball the clutch disc for alignment and then see where you are. Also, double check your up/down angle, sometimes you can move the motor a bit to get things to line up.

It should go in with little effort if things are aligned.

 

This is a fantastic suggestion.

 

Same here. I could push it up to the bellhousing with one hand.

 

me too. it's way easier if you install the torque tube first and then the rest of the drivetrain.

 

I feel your pain. I literally spent several hours on the garage floor yesterday working to get my TT/Trans back in (slow going working by yourself). Mine is about 1/2" from being seated and just won't go. Something just isn't lined up perfect. Going to fight with it again tonight.

I do agree that I would be hesitant to draw it in with the bolts. If it's not aligned properly, you can damage some things by forcing it. (back in my younger days a buddy and I damaged a transmission in an old CJ this way)

I have a bottle jack under the back of the motor, and then one floor jack with a cradle lifting the diff, and then another floor jack towards the front of the TT. That setup gives you pretty good adjustability for getting things lined up. The majority of the way I could pull the TT into place from the front (clutch end), and a few times I had to get behind the car to push from the transmission end.

Also, depending on how low the transmission end is, be watchful of the shifter housing on the side of the TT (the one the shifter inside the car mounts into). There's a large plastic clip in the tunnel that supports the brake lines and fuel line. The shifter housing can get hung up on that clip and prevent you from pushing the TT forward any more. For me the solution was going higher with the transmission end and eventually the shifter housing cleared that clip.

Best of luck.

 

another way to do it that I have had success with is leaving the pressure plate slightly loose so that once the input shaft is in place you can actually move the clutch around until everything is lined up and once you get the torque tube bolted down to the bellhousing you can remove the inspection cover and manually turn the flywheel to torque the bolts... you should mark the torque sequence on the pressure plate so that you know which order to go in... this also may not work depending on what clutch you have, some clutches may not allow enough room to torque the plate down with everything installed... another option is to remove the driveshaft, install the torque tube to the bellhousing, and then reinstall the driveshaft... if the clutch is lined up properly the driveshaft should slide right in

 

It's way too easy to separate the torque tube off the transmission to even bother fighting with the alignment of the complete rear 1/2 of the drivetrain. I tried for an hour to get the thing to line up. Pulled the torque tube off the transmission and then while at the back end of it, wiggled it around and pushed and it went right in. Just saying...

 

Thanks everyone for your help...

A friend is coming over this week to help give it one more shot, I agree with not forcing it. If it doesn't go, I'm just going to separate the torque tube from the trans/rear end as suggested. That seems much easier to line that up without the entire drivetrain/suspension. Slave cylinder and master cylinder are new and dry so far so that shouldn't be a problem. Changing the clutch in one of these is a ton of fun on your back....

 

Too late now, but this is how I did mine. I took measurements prior to complete removal so reinstallation by myself was actually quite easy. It literally went in by using one hand after I rotated the input shaft to align the splines.

Torque Tube Alignment Method

 

Good suggestion about taking measurements during removal.

Also a good suggestion about separating the TT from the transmission and installing the TT first. I suppose if I ever have the misfortune of having to do this again, I may give that route a try for comparison. Ironically I already had the TT separated from the transmission because I had it apart to inspect the couplers, etc. Could have just left it apart and installed it in pieces.

I finally got my TT back in last night. Took a bit more fighting but it's done.

In other news, I also installed a Tick speed bleeder for the slave cylinder... and I must say it is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Worth every penny. So to the OP, if your install doesn't include the remote bleeder... STOP and buy one before it's too late.

 

AGREE FULLY!! The plastic alignment tool often does not do a good enough job!! I used the same method "lionelhutz" suggested and the TT inserted FULLY by hand.


vettenuts

"Once mine was aligned, it went in with minor effort. Personally, I would be real hesitant to pull in with the bolts. Sometimes the plastic alignment tool is not precise enough for alignment and the disc is displaced from the pilot. I think I would back it out and eyeball the clutch disc for alignment and then see where you are. Also, double check your up/down angle, sometimes you can move the motor a bit to get things to line up.

It should go in with little effort if things are aligned.

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If you force it, you can really damage the PILOT BEARING.. That's most likely where its hanging up.


When the alignment is correct, it will slide in line butter!

Bill

 

another suggestion I've heard is that you can use an old input shaft instead of the plastic tool if you have some vette buddies or a shop nearby that's willing to lend you one. FTR mine worked just fine with the plastic tool.

 

Just a thought: the 2000 model was infamous for some of the manual tranny units having external balance weights driven into holes in the flywheel. REf: field service manual page 6-158.
IF THE LEAD WEIGHT IS NOT REMOVED AND TRANSFERRED TO THE EXACT SAME LOCATION ON THE NEW FLYWHEEL (CLOCKED TO THE SAME MOUNTING POSITION ON THE CRANK) THE ENGINE WILL VIBRATE YOUR TEETH OUT AT 4000 RPM.

Happened to me: absolute nightmare!!!!!!!!!

Not all the engines required this external balance weight, but if yours does, it can be Hell to correct.

I highly suggest you examine your old flywheel for any suspicious 1-2 oz lead weights driven into holes on the FW before spending all the time to reassemble the car.

Lots of info on the forum about this.

Good luck
DG