Hey folks, I'm having some serious trouble mating my transmission to my engine. Here's the backstory:
OEM clutch overheated a few weeks ago so I'm upgrading to McLeod RXT twin disc unsprung hub + McLeod billet steel flywheel (part # 6435825M). Since I'm in the trans, I'm replacing pilot bearing with Ford Performance High Load pilot bearing (M-7600-C)and TOB with Ford OEM throwout bearing (BR3Z-7A508-B) and installing ARP flywheel bolts (156-2801), and McLeod stainless steel clutch line. Removal of old parts and installation was great. At this point, I have the new clutch and flywheel in, the new pilot bearing and TOB installed.
I cannot get the transmission to mate to the engine. I have about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch gap still to go. I can draw it in with the transmission bell housing bolts if I really try but as I've heard a million times, I never want to do that since if the transmission isn't slipping in nicely by itself, it's caught up somewhere. As I turn the engine crank, the flywheel and clutch spins so I know the input shaft is engaged into the twin clutches and flywheel. The transmission is not caught up on the headers or anything outside the case. The transmission is also inside both the driver and passenger side dowels. The transmission has been in neutral (if that matters). We've wiggled the trans up and down, left and right, and pushed from the rear of the transmission even with the manpower of legs about 1000 times with no results. The clutches are perfectly aligned using the McLeod plastic clutch alignment tool as we've loosened the pressure plate and re-aligned the clutches and tried again with no luck. This leads me to believe that the pilot bearing is either not installed correctly (which I don't believe is the case) or the inside diameter of the bearing is smaller than required (factory defect of some sort) making it extremely hard to insert the input shaft. Or maybe the FP high load pilot bearing is not meant for the stock MT-82 input shaft (even though it is listed as good to go).
I'm looking for any ideas of why my transmission is not slipping in with ease based on the info above. I can provide any pictures necessary.
Thank you to everyone that can help me out here. Looking forward to hearing the thoughts.
Car Specs: 2013 Mustang GT with Gen 1 5.0 + 2013 stock MT-82 6-speed manual transmission
OEM clutch overheated a few weeks ago so I'm upgrading to McLeod RXT twin disc unsprung hub + McLeod billet steel flywheel (part # 6435825M). Since I'm in the trans, I'm replacing pilot bearing with Ford Performance High Load pilot bearing (M-7600-C)and TOB with Ford OEM throwout bearing (BR3Z-7A508-B) and installing ARP flywheel bolts (156-2801), and McLeod stainless steel clutch line. Removal of old parts and installation was great. At this point, I have the new clutch and flywheel in, the new pilot bearing and TOB installed.
I cannot get the transmission to mate to the engine. I have about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch gap still to go. I can draw it in with the transmission bell housing bolts if I really try but as I've heard a million times, I never want to do that since if the transmission isn't slipping in nicely by itself, it's caught up somewhere. As I turn the engine crank, the flywheel and clutch spins so I know the input shaft is engaged into the twin clutches and flywheel. The transmission is not caught up on the headers or anything outside the case. The transmission is also inside both the driver and passenger side dowels. The transmission has been in neutral (if that matters). We've wiggled the trans up and down, left and right, and pushed from the rear of the transmission even with the manpower of legs about 1000 times with no results. The clutches are perfectly aligned using the McLeod plastic clutch alignment tool as we've loosened the pressure plate and re-aligned the clutches and tried again with no luck. This leads me to believe that the pilot bearing is either not installed correctly (which I don't believe is the case) or the inside diameter of the bearing is smaller than required (factory defect of some sort) making it extremely hard to insert the input shaft. Or maybe the FP high load pilot bearing is not meant for the stock MT-82 input shaft (even though it is listed as good to go).
I'm looking for any ideas of why my transmission is not slipping in with ease based on the info above. I can provide any pictures necessary.
Thank you to everyone that can help me out here. Looking forward to hearing the thoughts.
Car Specs: 2013 Mustang GT with Gen 1 5.0 + 2013 stock MT-82 6-speed manual transmission