manual tranny bellhousing won't quite connect to engine

[mattfranklin]

Stock sm465 tranny.
Stock iron bellhousing.
Stock-style Zoom clutch, throw-out bearing, and pilot bushing.
Stock 350 engine.
Bellhousing installed to crossmember.
Tranny installed on bellhousing.
Trying to get the engine in it.
Have a nice OTC leveler.
There is still about a one inch gap between engine and bellhousing. It just does not seem to want to go in. I don't want to break anything. Should I just keep twisting and jiggling things? Or pull it apart and look? What should I look for? What is likely to be wrong?

[geezer#99]

Loosen the pressure plate enough that the disc is free to move. You don't have the disc quite centered with the pilot bushing.
Then it should all slide together.

[mattfranklin]

Interesting, thanks. I used that little fake plastic input shaft tool but maybe that's too loose to center the disk properly.

Originally Posted by geezer#99

Loosen the pressure plate enough that the disc is free to move. You don't have the disc quite centered with the pilot bushing.
Then it should all slide together.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by mattfranklin

Interesting, thanks. I used that little fake plastic input shaft tool but maybe that's too loose to center the disk properly.

I have found that when you use an alignment tool you have to lift up on it just a little when you tighten the pressure plate bolts, otherwise it will sag just enough that the trans pilot shaft won't line up with the pilot bushing.....

Were the trans and bell housing you are using bolted together before?

LockDoc

[mattfranklin]

Yes, original sm465 and bellhousing from the truck as far as I know.
They bolted together fine.

Now the engine and bellhousing just won't quite connect all the way. I can actually fit extra long bellhousing bolts and tighten them, but I don't want to break anything. (I once broke off the ears of a TH400 oil pump by being too quick to tighten bellhousing bolts.)

[geezer#99]

Leave the bolts snugged up as you have them and put your clutch linkage together and have someone push the clutch pedal and the whole thing (with a little wiggle or waggle) should slide ahead in to place. Leave a couple inches of room for the fork to travel ahead, otherwise the linkage will bind up.

[72chevynut]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

Leave the bolts snugged up as you have them and put your clutch linkage together and have someone push the clutch pedal and the whole thing (with a little wiggle or waggle) should slide ahead in to place. Leave a couple inches of room for the fork to travel ahead, otherwise the linkage will bind up.

I have had the same frustration before and this is how I ended up getting it together. Good advice here, since this would be the easiest thing to try without taking it back apart.

[mattfranklin]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

Leave the bolts snugged up as you have them and put your clutch linkage together and have someone push the clutch pedal and the whole thing (with a little wiggle or waggle) should slide ahead in to place. Leave a couple inches of room for the fork to travel ahead, otherwise the linkage will bind up.

Good advice. I'm going back at it again today.

[randy500]

The clutch idea is great and works.
Do not loosen up the pressure plate bolts unless you install the longer bolts putting slight pressure bellhoiung to engine.

Put the trans in gear and rotate the driveshaft, almost always that will engage the splines which is usually the culprit of the problem

[mattfranklin]

Great advice, everyone. It was a little bit of everything. It's in now.
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[geezer#99]

And only just now you remember you forgot to put the throw out bearing in!!!!
Just kidding!!
Been there, done that!!

Good to hear you got it beat!!

[randy500]

Good job!!!!!

[mattfranklin]

Thanks, again!