Another "Engine-Transmission Separation what am I doing wrong" thread

[gjmascoli]

'76 911S, 2.7L, 915 transmission.

So my first engine-transmission drop was a non-event, very easy. The most drama was over how to get the tail high enough to extract the engine, but really surprisingly easy, thanks to all the posts here and in the Tech Info Center.

But now what seems to be a hard spot for many folks, including me - I can't get the transmission separated from the engine. I've read a bunch of posts, so I understand that alignment is key or the main shaft will bind. I also know that the throwout splined rod needs to be free to rotate so the throwout arm will disengage. This seems to be my problem. Symptoms:

- Starter is removed
- clutch lever arm is removed exposing the splined shaft, just the slightest rotational play in the shaft. I can hear the arm making contact;
- I can get about 1/4" gap between the engine and the transmission cases at the upper stud / bolt locations. If I rais the nose of the transmission, thats gap closes down.
- I can get about 1/8" gap at the lower left stud. Note that the nut is well fused to the stud with rust, so the stud is backing out rather than the nut coming off the stud, but I figure as I move the transission away from the engine, I'll eventually have enough clearance to remove the stud'
- I CANNOT get any gap between the cases at the lower right stud, (below the starter). I assume this is held by the throwout arm being engaged.

So, any tricks? How hard do I need to force things? How much damage might I have already done by rocking the tranny up-down?

Help.....

[mreid]

Rotate the tob shaft as you pull the tranny away and it should come right apart.

[gjmascoli]

OK, so I'll refit the clutch arm to to the TOB splined shaft, making sure it has clearance to rotate freely. I think the shaft should rotate counter-clockwise when viewed from above, correct?

[Flat6pac]

76 only has a single lever arm so removed, the release fork should rotate freely away from TOB.

Bruce

[gjmascoli]

Yeah Bruce, so I thought, but the shaft has no play by hand and the transmission is hung up. Has to be the TOB being engaged.

I will get a helper to hold the engine in place and I'll try to work the transmission case side to side rather than up-down. I'll also try to move the TOB shaft and work the case off. Felt like if I put the clutch arm back on the spline I might move the shaft a little with a pry bar, but I'm afraid of forcing things siince I'm supposed to be able to simple pull the two cases apart.

BTW, without a helper I can pull the engine across the floor.

[gjmascoli]

Jeez, what a PITA. OK finally got everything separated. In the end, pretty easy, just like everyone said. Problem was that the one "stuck" stud was completely jammed due to corrosion between the case hole and the stud.



I finally resorted to brute force and pounded it free with a hammer.
Once that was free, the transmission separated just like everyone said it would!

Since I always try everything and take the requisite cooing off period before I start pounding on things with hammers, took me longer to separate the transmission than it did to drop the engine!

Check this out, looks like a helicoil in this stud hole in the engine case.



OEM or did the shop that did the clutch 13 years ago mess up the hole?[