Aligning Clutch, Sm465 Trans, And Pilot Bushing Amc V8

I'm having a #*%$&@ of a time getting my jeep back together

I'm mating a sm465 to a 304 using the novak bell, pilot bushing, and adjustable throwout bearing.
Adapting AMC I6 & V8 Engines to the SM465 Transmission

I can get the shaft into the clutch, but It seems that I cannot, for the life of me get the splines, to line up and get the bolts in. I can feel them start to engage and resist turing the input shaft, but it just won't slide in.

any tips or experience?

 

Did you try the clutch part on the transmission to make sure it will fit in the splines?

Also with my last clutch kit they supply a small amount of graphite to help installing the transmission into the engine.

Also you can engage the first speed of the tranmission and turning the output yoke to help ligning the transmission into the engine.

 

This... Also screw two 6" long bolts with the heads cutoff into the two top holes of the bell housing to assist in alignment.

 

Everything has to be 90 degrees to the bellhousing..........up/down & left to right..............If you have an angle finder.......check the angle at the face of the bell housing as it will help you on height and angle as you try to slide the tranny in....................Like Walt said above .......a couple of starter bolts do help , but cut a screwdriver slot in the end for easy removal later.....a slight...slight...slight dab of antiseize on your finger and then rub the splines both internal and external.........a little goes along way...

 

I did check the clutch disk to trans shaft fitment, probably 7 months ago when I installed the clutch, but it fit perfectly.

 

In that case i would say what other have said.

Did the job 4 times with my t18, and 2 times it get there pretty easy and the other i had to work hours to get in...

 

turn the lights off
I built a special transmission support for my floor jack
either way that's a large and heavy transmission
did you try with bell housing on transmission with alignment pins(cut bolts) on block
like tarry said it's got to be dead nuts for it to slide together

 

This is what I always do. It makes it much easier to see if anything is misaligned.

 

Did you test fit the pilot bushing onto your input shaft before you installed it?

 

Did you make sure the splines are cut deep enough for the clutch disk to slide all the way back onto it when assembling. I had that issue. I also had issue of the pilot bushing being a couple thous small.

 

Was the clutch disc assembled perfectly centered on the pilot bushing, when the pressure plate was torqued down? Sounds to me like the shaft may not be entering the pilot bushing.

 

alignment issue. when correct, it slides together easily. i spent a long evening trying. next day, took about two minutes to get it right.

 

I think I remember test fitting the bushing on the shaft, but this project has been sitting around getting one or two hours of work every so often for about 6 years now. So maybe I didn't. I'm pretty sure, but I don't remember. explicitly. Heck, I installed the bushing in like, april or may last year. I've been busy, lol.

I got the disk pretty well centered, but I couldn't use the alignment tool that came with the kit because I'm using a Chevy disk in an AMC cover/flywheel. I'll try to re-align it.

I haven't tried the guide bolts, but I'll give it a shot.


Man, it wasnt this hard on the race car. But a 27 spline clutch and shaft, having the engine and trans on the floor, and the t9 weighing about 40lbs, probably make that easier.

 

I'll try to clean the nose of the shaft with some emery cloth and put a little lube on the splines when I get out there again.