by Phil Allen
- Always check the face of the bell housing and the engine rear plate/block to ensure that no burrs exist to cause mis-alignment and subsequent related clutch/transmission faults.
- Inserting a 6″ piece of threaded rod into one of the top bell housing stud holes before offering up the transmission for alignment will help position the transmission so that the input shaft can line up with the clutch disc serrations and make installation much easier. A nut can be threaded on to the end when the rod is projecting thought the bell housing and help maintain the position as the transmission is pushed into place.
- When installing the transmission assembly, it is quite common to have the release bearing thrown forward and dislocated from the slide tube because the cross shaft arm snags on the floor as the transmission is being maneuvered into position. This requires the transmission to be pulled back and the release bearing re-positioned on the slide tube. To prevent this, the cross shaft arm can be securely held by passing a plastic tie strap through a convenient bell housing bolt hole and the cross shaft arm. When the transmission has been slid into position and the bell housing mating face is within 1/8″ of the engine plate, cut and remove the strap.