Engine and tranny is out, anything I need to know or double check before separating?

[Hotwatermusic]

I have the engine and transmission out, on an ATV jack, and I'm about to separate the two. I have the 4 connecting nuts removed between engine and tranny. Is there anything else I need to look for or make sure of before I pull them apart? Does the tranny need to be in gear or absolutlely out of gear to do this? Will fluid of any sort spill out? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[shadowjack1]

No Fluid should spill out. Make sure the engine does not tip forward as the tranny is the counter weight. In gear or out makes no diff.

[dtw]

Pull the solenoid trigger (yellow wire) off the starter and the reverse light wires (at snout of tranny). I like to pull the starter off just to have it out of the way, but no biggie. Looks like you already pulled the throttle rod. If you have an Omega spring type clutch throwout assembly, it helps to remove that assembly first.

Other than that, pull it right off. Watch your fingers. Also, the aluminum case 915s weight about 120-130 lbs, so careful with your back.

[Hotwatermusic]

Ok, this is so frustrating. I have the 4 nuts off, and the starter removed, but I CANNOT wiggle the transmission from the engine. What's the trick? I can literally see the magnesium case getting shaved by the threads on the bolts as I try to work this thing back and forth. I am moving the entire engine and transmission across the platform I've built on the jack as I try to pull, but have only managed about a 1/4 inch of separation. Help!

[zippy_gg]

Resist the temptation of using a screwdriver or other metallic tool to separate the tranny from the engine. Instead use plastic tools such as the ones used for car upholstery and work evenly around the seam.

[Hotwatermusic]

So that's the trick, to slowly pry all the way around the bell housing?There's only 4 bolts holding everything together, right?

[dtw]

Status of clutch release assembly? You could be hanging up on the release lever under the tranny. Remove the whole assembly.

Do not pry. Shouldn't have to when everything is ready to come apart.

[pete3799]

Is the clutch release arm removed?
The release shaft must be able to turn (disengage the throw out bearing) as the engine is separated.

[Hotwatermusic]

Originally Posted by dtw

Status of clutch release assembly? You could be hanging up on the release lever under the tranny. Remove the whole assembly.

Do not pry. Shouldn't have to when everything is ready to come apart.

That's just the thing, I can't remove the release lever under the tranny because there's a pin holding it on. Long story short, I tried to drill the pin out to assess some clutch adjustment issues (to no avail), that went badly and it lead me to having to remove the engine and trans to figure out my clutch issues. That being said, if I can't remove the release lever arm, should I at least have it in a certain position? Pulled towards the front of the car, or back in normal resting position? The only thing on is the long lever arm and the Omega spring. The small arm is off.

[dtw]

There's no pin. Just a circlip.

[Hotwatermusic]

Originally Posted by dtw

There's no pin. Just a circlip.

No, there's a pin. I am one of the unlucky ones that has a pin holding the long release lever to the shaft. The little arm came off with a circlip, yes. There was a 4 page thread here a couple weeks ago detailing my crappy saga with trying to adjust my clutch cable that ultimately ended in me trying to drill out the pin to remove the long arm. It went 99% perfectly...with the bad 1% being when the drill bit broke inside the hole after removing all the pin material. So down came the engine and trans.

My big question is, does the clutch (and thus clutch release arm) need to be in a particular position to be able to remove the trans from the engine? Something is definitely holding these two together and it isn't a bolt, and it's not seized in anyway. So does the arm need to be in the fully "disengaged" position, as if some was pressing in the clutch pedal?

['78 SC]

I just did this operation this weekend on my 1978 SC. The "little arm" came off a splined shaft, right? That shaft operates the throwout bearing, so you should be OK. The big arm can stay. Maybe you could rotate the splined shaft a bit to verify it is free.

Yes, four nuts. Three hex nuts plus one barrel nut on the starter.

It did take a bit of wiggling to get it separated. Careful not to pull the engine off the ATV jack. Maybe get some help to steady it while you wiggle the transaxle.

Good luck.

[dtw]

If the splined shaft is free to rotate, you should be good to go. That means the throwout fork is free to rotate off the throwout bearing. Make sure you lift/support the tail of the trans as you pull. If you don't you will bind the mainshaft and make it difficult to pull the trans. Let's go ahead and take 30 seconds to eliminate that starter from the mix too.

I am concerned that the engine is wanting to tip forward due to poor load balancing, thus binding the mainshaft. If the splined throwout shaft is free to rotate and not binding against the lift or omega spring assembly, and you have pulled the 4 nuts, there's just not much left.

[Hotwatermusic]

Originally Posted by dtw

If the splined shaft is free to rotate, you should be good to go. That means the throwout fork is free to rotate off the throwout bearing. Make sure you lift/support the tail of the trans as you pull. If you don't you will bind the mainshaft and make it difficult to pull the trans. Let's go ahead and take 30 seconds to eliminate that starter from the mix too.

I am concerned that the engine is wanting to tip forward due to poor load balancing, thus binding the mainshaft. If the splined throwout shaft is free to rotate and not binding against the lift or omega spring assembly, and you have pulled the 4 nuts, there's just not much left.

Oh I could definitely tilt/lift the engine by pulling up on the end of the transmission. The load balance is actually pretty good. I have a big board on top of the ATV jack and the engine is placed far forward on the jack. Is the motion to remove the trans to simply pull it straight away from the engine, like this <---{+++}? No tilting or back and forthing?

I know though that something is holding the two together, I just can't tell what.

[DRACO A5OG]

HWM, get on the Engine Rebuild Site, those fellas will know what is hanging up.

I feel but not sure it may be that damn clutch arm. Can you get to it and pull or push it forward or back as you pull on the trans. I think you need a helper (a really nice girlfriend ). I bet it is hung up there. My 2 cents.

Jim

[dtw]

Check all the clutch arm comments. The splined shaft must be free to rotate, and cannot hang up on anything.

Yes trans pulls straight off with maybe a bit of wiggling/coaxing. Remember any downward pressure will bind thIngs up.

Quote de dtw

If the splined shaft is free to rotate, you should be good to go. That means the throwout fork is free to rotate off the throwout bearing. Make sure you lift/support the tail of the trans as you pull. If you don't you will bind the mainshaft and make it difficult to pull the trans. Let's go ahead and take 30 seconds to eliminate that starter from the mix too.



I am concerned that the engine is wanting to tip forward due to poor load balancing, thus binding the mainshaft. If the splined throwout shaft is free to rotate and not binding against the lift or omega spring assembly, and you have pulled the 4 nuts, there's just not much left.

Oh I could definitely tilt/lift the engine by pulling up on the end of the transmission. The load balance is actually pretty good. I have a big board on top of the ATV jack and the engine is placed far forward on the jack. Is the motion to remove the trans to simply pull it straight away from the engine, like this <---{+++}? No tilting or back and forthing?

I know though that something is holding the two together, I just can't tell what.

[BrokeMyCar]

Did you ever get it removed? I'm in exactly the same situation (engine out of car, impossible pin holding the long-arm in place, trying to pull, etc...)

Babak

[BrokeMyCar]

Oop, I spoke too soon - got mine off by:

1) ensuring there was play on the spined rod

2) raising the engine to just the right height (pump ATV stand, try to pull, repeat)

Now working on the stuck bell housing on the transmission, but this feels like great progress!

Babak

[Hotwatermusic]

Originally Posted by BrokeMyCar

Oop, I spoke too soon - got mine off by:

1) ensuring there was play on the spined rod

2) raising the engine to just the right height (pump ATV stand, try to pull, repeat)

Now working on the stuck bell housing on the transmission, but this feels like great progress!

Babak

Stuck bell housing as in you can't separate the trans from the engine, or something else? I had to push the clutch arm forward pretty good to get the engine and trans to separate, but it finally did. I also had to rubber mallet the pressure plate/clutch a little bit to get it to finally separate as well. It sounds like you're only a couple steps behind me with everything, and every issue you run into I am sure I just had, so they're fresh in my mind!

[BrokeMyCar]

Apologies- I meant to say stuck on getting the nose cone off of the transmission. Was that easy in your system? Cool that we are doing this in parallel-