tranny wont bolt on!

[EVO9_Inside]

Ive been at my tranny swap for 6 hours now, we got the engine in and bolted up in less than 20 minutes, but weve been going at this tranny to go into the dowels and bolt holes for what seems like forever.
i have 2 jacks getting the angle right and a engine crane getting the up and down position yet we cant get it in.
is there some sort of trick to getting these dsms to bolt up?
i got 3 in at one time but the back engine bolt hole/dowel refuses all attacks, i just unbolted the rest of the 3 bolts before i came in for the night so it didnt split the bellhousing when it got cold. so ill be back at step one tomarrow.
THE QUESTION So,the rear dowel pin, is there a trick to get it to line up, and where do i bolt it in at? a picture of the bolt would be great because im not sure how im suppose to get one in there.
thanks a million, any bumps or answers would be wonderful.

if i can find a way to upload pictures to the site ill shoot up some pics of the install.

 

[92AWDHX40]

No it should hook right up ive done this many times, dowels line up and in she goes not easy but possible.

 

[3kgt2nv]

make sure you dont have a down in both sides or that it didnt get knocked out of alignment

 

[BogusSVO]

Are you a 5 speed or an auto trans?

 

[EVO9_Inside]

What do you mean by knocked out of alignment?
so far i can tell is that its cockedeyed in the input shaft and i need to reset everything and do it over.

we installed the motor
pushed the tranny underneath the car
used the crane to haul it up
and then ####ered with it untill it went over the clutch
we use the crane to rotate the trans untill it was even with both dowels
now i cant get it to move over and fit over the dowel pin


but im also confused on this part, the hole for the dowel pin is threaded, what bolt do i need to get it through there?

Are you a 5 speed or an auto trans?

5 speed 6 bolt 1991 gst.

 

[92AWDHX40]

There is a bolt in the rear for trans its not easy, it can be a pita, and it may take time, 20 min job for engine install good, but the trans can be frustrating you can wiggle it and keep at it. Were you expecting it to be a easy job. Its not easy to line it up and get it situated, but eventually me and a partner will get it in.

 

[MITSUMURDOK]

i was going through the same thing as you when I did the clutch in my 90 GST. I finally got pissed and man handled the tranny in. I set the engine at a good working height with the engine crane and then set the trans in my lap and "hulked" it up into place. It seemed that when I was actually able to feel what was going on, it was easier to get it in. Also make sure your pressure plate is aligned correctly. FWD trannys are not that heavy and I was surprised that I could lift it into place on my own. Hope this helps a little....good luck man, you'll get it in.

 

[EVO9_Inside]

yeah, all 3 of us have done tranny jobs like this before with VWs and BMWs, just i was the one to branch out and get a dsm as my fast car after my bmw didnt make it down the track, and usually we can can get a car back on the road within 2 days, so yeah, i expected alot of easy manuvering and then bam, done.
the back bolt bolts in from the engine side and goes into the tranny right?

ill be using ratching tie downs i use for hauling things tomarrow, i think with ratching the tranny at 2 angles ill be able to align it and move it alove easier than these huge chains i have currently, which seems like a good approach.

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[92AWDHX40]

Yes its threaded into the tranny from the block side.

 

[EVO9_Inside]

Yes its threaded into the tranny from the block side.

does it thread from the begining to the end? because i cant quite remember but i thought i saw a post saying that the tread diamater was diffrent than the one that bolts into the trans.

 

[92AWDHX40]

Its a bit longer skinnier, and mine threaded right in before it broke i have stud now on it. It threads right in unless its stripped.

It should thread nice and flush.

 

[doubleclutch99]

does it thread from the begining to the end? because i cant quite remember but i thought i saw a post saying that the tread diamater was diffrent than the one that bolts into the trans.

The back bolt is a smaller diameter and threads in from the timing belt side. it doesnt thread into the block .
it passes thru the block a half inch or so and threads into the trans. make sure you have the right lenth bolt.
too long and it won't tighten down. to short and you'll pull the threads out of the trans. but i have to ask. are you sure the clutch was aligned properly? if it's off a smidge you'll fight with it all day and still lose. check it to make sure it's right and you might save yourself more headaches. just a thought

 

[hypergenesis]

i was going through the same thing as you when I did the clutch in my 90 GST. I finally got pissed and man handled the tranny in. I set the engine at a good working height with the engine crane and then set the trans in my lap and "hulked" it up into place. It seemed that when I was actually able to feel what was going on, it was easier to get it in. Also make sure your pressure plate is aligned correctly. FWD trannys are not that heavy and I was surprised that I could lift it into place on my own. Hope this helps a little....good luck man, you'll get it in.

I did my tranny the same way for some reason the jacks just don't cut it for some reason. I just man powered that mess up into its spot after a lot of cussing. My whole clutch job basically wasted more of the time getting the tranny back on than everything else.

-Armin

 

[EVO9_Inside]

im a light guy, i can barley lift it on my own, so man handling has never been my thing, im more of a air tools person haha.

my clutch aligment tool didnt fit in my clutch so i said eff it and just bolted up the pressure plate after sticking a punch in the center of it to line it up, i dont know how a clutch tool would effectively align the clutch when it can just move around once the tool is removed to put in the tranny.

 

[doubleclutch99]

The alignment tool should be able to move around a bit if the clutch is centered right. that's why you can pull it out when the pressure plate is bolted down. i'll bet that's your issue.

 

[94_TSi]

im a light guy, i can barley lift it on my own, so man handling has never been my thing, im more of a air tools person haha.

my clutch aligment tool didnt fit in my clutch so i said eff it and just bolted up the pressure plate after sticking a punch in the center of it to line it up, i dont know how a clutch tool would effectively align the clutch when it can just move around once the tool is removed to put in the tranny.

No your disc should not be able to move. This is why you put your alignment tool in and torque the pressure plate to hold the disc during the install. It is in a engaed state until it is released by the tob. Check to ensure the dowel that is giving you trouble is still in "round", not oval shaped or anything. Also even though you are a light guy as you said physically putting the trans in is the best way to do it. It gives you the feel for it as mentiones before, you cant feel through hoists, floor jacks and ratchet straps. Have a friend under the trans to take some weight off and hang over the side of the fender.

 

[EVO9_Inside]

so i went out and bought the alignment tool
had a fun arguement with the guy at the counter about which tool i needed, he insisted it was a pilot bearing tool and i told him i didnt have a pilot bearing, so 2 minutes of him searching pilot bearing on his computer with no results he types in clutch tool and bam, 4 in stock, i 'd pretty hard.

but i droped the trans, took everything apart again, reset everything, used the tool, the clutch did stay in one location. used the two ratchet straps to get my angle right and just rocked it back and forth a few times and it slid right in.
bolted it up and my motor swap is done!
well, the motor is in the car anyways.

 

[94_TSi]

so i went out and bought the alignment tool
had a fun arguement with the guy at the counter about which tool i needed, he insisted it was a pilot bearing tool and i told him i didnt have a pilot bearing, so 2 minutes of him searching pilot bearing on his computer with no results he types in clutch tool and bam, 4 in stock, i 'd pretty hard.

but i droped the trans, took everything apart again, reset everything, used the tool, the clutch did stay in one location. used the two ratchet straps to get my angle right and just rocked it back and forth a few times and it slid right in.
bolted it up and my motor swap is done!
well, the motor is in the car anyways.

Great man glad you got you got it.

 

[doubleclutch99]

Glad to hear that you got it as well.

 

[dot45]

Haven't worked on a dsm yet, hoping to buy a 99 gsx this weekend. But, can you mate the engine and trans and drop them in as a single unit?

 

[newTSIguy]

Yes, and in my opinion is much easyer.