a833 install

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nodemon

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I'm ready to attach tranny to engine.. I've read a little bit about it in the manual but wanted to ask those that have first hand experience to offer their knowledge.. What do I need to grease, how much and best grease to use..? Also, is it just that simple to slide in the shaft and bolt to bellhousing..or do I need to turn it a certain way, line up with something, etc..? Throwout bearing position, clutch fork install..? Thanks in advance for your help...and if you were to draw up an easy to follow instruction diagram, that'd be cool too..lol
 
You need a clutch alignment tool---or an old front shaft........to get the clutch disc aligned

I used to put it in reverse and any forward gear, or use an old yoke into the rear. Putting it into gear locks the shaft so you can wiggle the gearbox and get the splines started

Put a little grease into the pilot bushing cavity. smear a LIGHT coat of grease on the TO bearing retainer on the trans LIGHT

I used to be able to get the fork into (B body) after the trans was in, don't know if you can do that in smaller A bell

How strong are you? I ALWAYS used a jack, sometimes just a floor jack

Make sure you "try" the bolts that you didn't EG paint up the holes and now the bolts don't go in easy

Don't let the weight of the gearbox "hang" on the clutch splines you can damage the hub, etc.

It often will not "seat" with hand pressure but it should not take much "wrench" pressure to pull it into place the last 1/4--3/8. Only a finger or two on the wrenches. "Wiggle" it to get it "helped."
 
Apply a liberal amount of wheel bearing grease to the inside of the pilot bushing/bearing, you don't want any outside of the bearing.
Resist the temptation to grease the splines- use a dry graphite spray lube on them. Any grease on the rotating assemblies stands the chance of being thrown off onto the friction surfaces.
Get a GOOD clutch alignment tool- most of the universal/plastic ones leave a lot to be desired. I use an old input shaft. In a pinch, (I'm assuming this is all out of the car) you can carefully use the transmission (sans bellhousing) to align the clutch disc, but it's awkward- so be careful.
Use the graphite on the input collar/throwout bearing interface, too. A dab of grease on the clutch fork fingers where they contact the T.O. bearing, and a dab on the pivot.
Bolt the bell to the trans, and assemble your T.O. bearing and fork; then slide the trans/bell assembly into position on the engine. As said, use your driveshaft yoke to turn the trans a bit to help engage the splines. If you're careful with the line-up, it should slide together relatively easily. Using longer bolts for initial installation to the engine can aid in aligning the units, but resist the temptation to use the bolts to pull it into place- it should slip together without excessive force.
Now bolt it up tight with the correct fasteners.
 
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Additionally;
if you don't have a jack, then you will need a couple of alignment pins to hang the trans on. I make these out of left-over bolts, about 2 inches long with the heads cut off and a screwdriver slot cur into the top. And chamfer the cutline. Now you can heave the trans up, slam it in and onto the pins and take a breath. the rest should be easy; unless of course you forgot to slide the TO bearing onto the pilot, lol.
After the trans has slid all the way forward, install the top bolts all the way but not tightened; then remove the pins.
The first pins I made, one of them (the driver's side I think) was too long and I couldn't get it out. I had to slide the trans back out a bit. But my pins were like 3 inches long. So before you heave it up, make sure you can get your pins out.
I use the pins even when I use a jack. It makes it almost impossible to stress the disc or bend it.

BTW-1
for oil, I use 50/50 Dextron II, and 85/90 EP Non-synthetic
I highly recommend NOT to install anything with 140 in the designation, unless you don't mind a POS shifting trans until the oil gets hot, which IMO will never happen in North America, lol. Also IMO, I will never use a full-synthetic in that box. I tried everything in my box, wasted a couple of weeks of trying to make it work. In the end I re-installed my 50/50 and with all the mods I made, the box shifted like lightning all the way to 7000 and beyond.
BTW-2
yes the fork can be installed afterwords. It's only slightly tricky.
Yes the oil can be installed afterwards but it's a real PITA if you don't have an injection pump.
Don't forget to put the box back into neutral before you start installing the shifter...... lol.
Make daymn sure the shifter adapter is on tight, I Blu-Loctite those three specialty-headed bolts for good measure. It is such a pita when it comes loose, and you are 300 miles from your tool box.
If you have headers, do yourself a favor; move the locknut for the free-play adjuster to the back of the swivel, so you can lock it from the back with a deep socket, when the headers are hot. Drill the rod and install a hitch/cotter pin so that when it comes loose, it can't go MIA on you. I hate when that happens lol.
 
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I don't know about the later A-bodies, but on the early A's you don't want to try to install the trans with the shifter body in place.
 
You need a clutch alignment tool---or an old front shaft........to get the clutch disc aligned

I used to put it in reverse and any forward gear, or use an old yoke into the rear. Putting it into gear locks the shaft so you can wiggle the gearbox and get the splines started

Put a little grease into the pilot bushing cavity. smear a LIGHT coat of grease on the TO bearing retainer on the trans LIGHT

I used to be able to get the fork into (B body) after the trans was in, don't know if you can do that in smaller A bell

How strong are you? I ALWAYS used a jack, sometimes just a floor jack

Make sure you "try" the bolts that you didn't EG paint up the holes and now the bolts don't go in easy

Don't let the weight of the gearbox "hang" on the clutch splines you can damage the hub, etc.

It often will not "seat" with hand pressure but it should not take much "wrench" pressure to pull it into place the last 1/4--3/8. Only a finger or two on the wrenches. "Wiggle" it to get it "helped."
Thanks for the response..!
Flywheel, clutch and bellhousing are already installed ( hoping I did that right ).
Apply a liberal amount of wheel bearing grease to the inside of the pilot bushing/bearing, you don't want any outside of the bearing.
Resist the temptation to grease the splines- use a dry graphite spray lube on them. Any grease on the rotating assemblies stands the chance of being thrown off onto the friction surfaces.
Get a GOOD clutch alignment tool- most of the universal/plastic ones leave a lot to be desired. I use an old input shaft. In a pinch, (I'm assuming this is all out of the car) you can carefully use the transmission (sans bellhousing) to align the clutch disc, but it's awkward- so be careful.
Use the graphite on the input collar/throwout bearing interface, too. A dab of grease on the clutch fork fingers where they contact the T.O. bearing, and a dab on the pivot.
Bolt the bell to the trans, and assemble your T.O. bearing and fork; then slide the trans/bell assembly into position on the engine. As said, use your driveshaft yoke to turn the trans a bit to help engage the splines. If you're careful with the line-up, it should slide together relatively easily. Using longer bolts for initial installation to the engine can aid in aligning the units, but resist the temptation to use the bolts to pull it into place- it should slip together without excessive force.
Now bolt it up tight with the correct fasteners.
Question, if I grease the pilot bushing, especially with a liberal amount, won't grease then transfer to input shaft and spline..? If you're not suppose to get any on shaft, how do you avoid it when sliding shaft in..?

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I don't think you need a lot of grease on pilot bushing because it is an oilite bushing and has some lube impregnated into bushing already.
 
Question, if I grease the pilot bushing, especially with a liberal amount, won't grease then transfer to input shaft and spline..? If you're not suppose to get any on shaft, how do you avoid it when sliding shaft in..?
Well, the best time to apply the grease would have been before mounting the disc and pressure plate, but can still be done if you're careful. If you apply it to the inside of the bushing/bearing (as stated), the nose of the input shaft will push the excess into the pocket behind the pilot bearing. As rustycowl said, an oilite bushing doesn't require much grease, but you never said if you were using a bushing or roller bearing, so better safe than sorry.
 
I use a pump up sprayer with the nozzle removed to pump gear lube into the transmission and rear diff. Works awesome and pump up sprayers are inexpensive.

I like to install the clutch fork t/out bearing before the transmission goes in, especially with a safety bellhousing.

Harbor Freight makes a nice transmission jack for about $150. You do not want to hang the transmission from the input shaft at any time or you could create problems. I would also install and adjust the shifter on your bench prior to getting in the car. Once it is installed in the vehicle you can install and re-check the adjustment which will be really close.
 
Well, the best time to apply the grease would have been before mounting the disc and pressure plate, but can still be done if you're careful. If you apply it to the inside of the bushing/bearing (as stated), the nose of the input shaft will push the excess into the pocket behind the pilot bearing. As rustycowl said, an oilite bushing doesn't require much grease, but you never said if you were using a bushing or roller bearing, so better safe than sorry.
I'm not sure what's in there, bushing or roller bearing.. I know ZERO about this stuff...lol. Learn as I go, and helpful advice like yours and others here.
 
Think about when the input shaft is not turning at crankshaft speed , and you will relax.
The only time is when the clutch disc is slipping.

BTW
>I strongly advise to remove the distributor before installing the engine.
>After the distributor is out, this is the best time to prime the oiling system and make sure you have oil pressure. You will need to pull the pumpdrive back out and sub in a hex-drive tool in it's place.
>And yes you can install the engine and trans together IF you have an engine-tilting tool. If you don't, I strongly advise not to try it.
>I have never installed an engine with the exhaust manifolds installed.
>If you have installed a Milodon roadrace oilpan, you may have to notch the K-member for clearance. In this case, I advise to attempt the first install without the trans, because after you have marked the K, you will have to pull the engine back out for the cut-work. Mine required a triangle piece on the passenger side to be removed about 1" on each of the short sides and about 1.5 on the uncut side. I can't recall if the driver's side needed anything, but I don't thinkso.
 
Thanks for all the responses..!
So, in the service manual it doesn't mention using new bolts for flywheel, or using loctite... Is that something I should have done..?
 
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