Trouble Realigning Transmission During Reinstall
 

Well, I've got firsthand experience today removing the side shifter transmission from my 914. I'm now in the process of intalling a rebuilt one, but having some trouble realigning the transmission with the engine.

I've got the car on jackstands so the tail is up in the air, a jack at the rear of the engine and a jack under the transmission. I've got the two lower mounting bolts from the engine case inserted into the two lower holes on the transmission case. And I checked the alignment of the upper right mounting bolt inserted into the transmission case, with the engine case. Looks fine. But someting seems to be hung up when I try to push the transmission to fully mate with the engine case. Any tips? I've been varying the height of the engine a bit, by raising and lowering the jack that's supporting it. Maybe I just need to find the right combination between the two supporting jacks to line things up?

Could be the transmission splines not lining up. Try rotating the engine a little or put the tranny in gear and turn one final drive flange while holding the other.

I'm with Ed. Put it in gear and rotate the out put shaft. You might even feel the splines line up.

Thanks, but how do I put it in gear without the shift linkage hooked up? Also, how do I rotate engine wiithout the transmission installed and CV joints hooked up?

1st of try grabbing both cv output flanges & turning a wee bit, the input shaft will turn.

2nd if you need to get it in gear. With the side shift assembly installed push it forwards (towards engine) or backwards. You'll feel the gear engage.

You may need to slide the selector knob in toward the transmission or out away from it a little, in order to be able to twist it so the knob goes forward or aft.

And yeah, just grab both output flanges and twist one while holding the other. The input shaft will turn. If you don't hold the other output flange, it will just turn and the input shaft won't.

--DD

Thanks Dave. Does it matter which output flange I twist?

Nope. You're just trying to get the input shaft to rotate some small amount, so the splines line up with those on the clutch disk. Either flange, either direction. How much you have to spin it depends on exactly which gear you select.

--DD

Ok. Thanks everyone. Will give it a try tomorrow and hopefully get my new tranny installed.

All your great advice was applied and my new transmission was successfully installed. Thanks again folks! The next one I'll tackle is engine removal and reinstall, but I guess we've got a great tech article on that one.

Also, don't forget about the positive cable that runs across the top of the tranny in the front and down the side to to the starter. If it's not properly restrained, it will interfere. Not that I would know!