Transmission install?

[1320B4U]

I am in the process of my first clutch job on my DSM. I had everything dropped, tagged, and bagged in about 4 hours. Had the flywheel machined to .610, everything torqued to spec, OEM TOB, Pilot tool, etc. I just cannot seem to get the trans. back on. After nearly 4 hours yesterday (from using a large floor jack-to supporting it from above w/a pulley system) it seems the input shaft is making some contact because when I spin the X-case shaft with vice grips the flywheel turns. Yet up top there is over an inch between the block and trans. Is there a certain way/trick to get the tranny on, or is it just manhandling it?
Thanks, Isaiah

 

[95 esi 90 AWD]

I just starte messin with it and kicked it and it finally just went on. It took me like 2 hours from where you are.

 

[leet]

It really helps if you have a friend to help you install it. We got it up to where we had contact then we used a bolt to slowly pull the tranny and engine together. Don't use TOO much strength doing that, you DO NOT want to break anything. If it doesn't go smooth, try over.

 

[rabidfox]

I had the same problem, try using studs with shoulders and a philips head groove in the top. Then put them in where the bellhousing bolts go, they'll act as dowels, and you can slide the tranny on from there. This is what I ended up doing after inventing a few new curse words. Once you get it wiggled on there, you can start replacing the shouldered bolts with the right bolts and start torqueing them down in a 1, 4, 2, 3, pattern o the tranny goes on straight.

 

[wastefuldreamer]

set on your chest lift it up and wiggle the crap out of it til it goes in.

 

[pneumo]

The tranny has to be aligned with the block very accurately or else it won't go on smoothly. Compare the gaps at the front and rear locating dowels to see if the trans is going on evenly. From under the car you can see the space between the bellhousing and the flywheel. It's easy to see if one end of the bellhousing has more of a gap than the other side, plus you can see if the tranny is angled one way or another. Once it's all lined up it goes on smoothly.