915 rebuild question?

[kchun]

I currently have 90 Wt leaking from my tranny, the clutch really jitters when I engage the clutch, the syncros grind when I put it in gear, and there is a terrible rubbing/grining sound at times from the tranny/engine mating joint when I engage the clutch. I took my '80 911 to a Chevy mechanic and he thought I just needed a pilot bearing and not a transmission overhaul. OK, why am I taking a 911 to a Chevy mechanic? I have a Chevy 350 TPI motor in where the boxer should be. Now, my question. The mechanic was saying that since there was not pilot bearing, the shaft is loose in the crank and blew out the oil seal, is mis-aligning the tranny so the gears grind, and the shaft could be free grinding against the crank shaft making the terrible noise. My dilemma is this. I know that I have to drop the motor/trans to put in a pilot bearing and replace my oil soaked clutch. Do I put the whole thing back in the car and hope that the syncros aren't bad or do I rebuild the tranny? Anyone have any good thoughts on how to test the tranny out of the car? I was thinking about just sending the tranny out for a rebuild while I have it out of the car but I'm a little gun shy to spend $2000 on a rebuild if I don't have to. Any thought?

Thanks in advance.

[JackT]

Is there a Chevy transmission that will fit where the 915 is now? I would think that the torque from a Chevy 350 is too much for the 915 transmission. At least the one and only small block chevy engine that I have seen in a 911. Its a 327 corvette engine and he ruined the 915 transmission at the track. He sold the car after the transmission went.

[john walker's workshop]

no pilot bearing. crikey! that mainshaft would be swinging around like crazy, clutch chatter and everything. probably killed both mainshaft bearings in the diff housing. take it apart.