slownrusty Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 Well Gang - Just tried reinstalling my tranny by myself - I spent three + hours and had absolutely ZERO luck....have any of you guys done it alone? Man that sucker has some weight to it...sheeesh! Using my floor jack and pure tug power were my only tools! I have a clutch alignment tool and feels like I have the input shaft on the tranny splined into the clutch disk but cannot seem to get the tranny bell housing any closer to the block. On the passenger side I can thread one of the bolts into the block but on the driver's side there is a several inch gap, too much too allow me thread the bolt in. So basically the tranny is sitting at angle. Looks like I will need to call on a buddy to get that last bit in - sheer brute power. I can barely see the ring gear in the space between the block and the bell housing, so I feel like I am close, however feels almost like the snout of the input shaft does not want to go into the input bearing. Any tips you guys can share? Regards - "A Very Tired" Yasin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Juday Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 ...feels almost like the snout of the input shaft does not want to go into the input bearing. Any tips you guys can share? Regards - "A Very Tired" Yasin That's basicly it. Brute force won't help. Take that other bolt out. It's keeping the tranny at an angle to the block and not allowing the input shaft to align with the pilot bearing. No tricks or secrets. Just keep at it untill you get lucky. I hate that part. But just when I think I've had enough and decide to give up, POP, it drops in. Just make sure when it does you have that bolt ready! Nothing more frustrating that fighting with it for an hour only to have it slip out again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Brian260ZT Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 Just chiming in to agree with everything up there ^^ I've never had help with the tranny's.. and always had to use my regular floor jack. If memory serves.. I used another jack (near the front or rear.. cant rmember) to angle the engine a little so it would like up easier with the tranny. When it's lined up..it just slides right in. Sadly my front and rear tranny seals are leaking and Im about to R&R the tranny again. good luck.. and be patient! Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slownrusty Posted August 5, 2004 Author Share Posted August 5, 2004 Dan Brian260ZT - Thanks for the suggentions guys. I will tackle it again tomorrow after work and hopefully report back with good news! Regards - Yasin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
260DET Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 You have it in gear and are turning the output shaft a bit? So that the input shaft splines line up with those in the clutch plate? I've made up a jacking point for the front of the gearbox, bolts to where the clutch slave cylinder goes on. For the back, a rope looped down through the gear lever opening in the trans tunnel. A bugger of a job though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 305240 Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 Jacks? Jacks? Hmmm. Does that mean I can't use My big a$$ belly anymore? I always used to put it on my belly and sorta wiggle it in. It never was fun, but it sure felt great when it slid in!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SportZ2 Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 Never used a jack before, just lifted the car, rolled underneath with the tranny on my belly and slid it in. If it doesn't go in the first time and you get tired, set it back down on your belly, rest and try it again. It's a one man job when you do it this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cody 82 ZXT Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 The last time I did mine I had to do it by myself (no fun). One thing that helped me was that I bought a small transmissin jack. Mostly it helped to get it all lined up and ready to go in with out me having to wiggle it around. Not being the biggest guy I can't just belly flop it in there it's a really long bench press. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=39178 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 It depends on the tranny, If you are putting in a T56 by yourself, you are not going to put that thing on your belly, it's way to heavy ! I tilt the rear of the engine down a bit, so you can lift the rear of the tranny up to help align it in. Did you check the pilot bearing to make sure it's in good shape? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gramercyjam Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 The first time I tried to put a 5 speed back on I thought I could press it on like a weight lifter too. But that tranny gets pretty heavy after holding it up for a few minutes. Use a jack. It doesn't need to be a tranny jack, a regular floor jack works fine too. It's a 1 man job and takes about 15 minutes to get it in and bolted up. Use a jack to lift the tranny and get the input shaft lined up and started. Grab the tailshaft and work it side to side and up and down. Turn the output shaft a little if it seems like the splines aren't lining up. You should be able to get it within a 1/2" or so that way. Add the 4 bolts that hold the tranny to the block and tighten each one a little at a time to pull it up tight after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orklc Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 Sometimes it helps if you hook up the slave cylinder and step on the clutch pedal. The release of the clutch disc is sometimes enough to cause the input shaft in the transmision to align more closely with the pilot bearing and facilitate the rest of the alignment between the motor and the transmision. You will be able to feel the difference when all is aligned. All other comments are also valid in terms of facilitaing the alignment from engine to transmision. Good luck! KC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 Ugh, I lost count of how many times I had to do that job. I hate it! as a matter of fact I recently had too do it twice because of some misinformation I got from Zcar.com!BAH! I put the transmission in gear and slide an extra yoke I have into the rear of the trans. then I bolt the mount to the trans. I use a floor jack on the edge of the bell housing to get little movements out of it, and use two scissor jacks on the outsides of the mount to get it to the right height. after if feel its in the right position I will gently slide the trans into place until i feel that the splines are close to engagement. then I will get under the trans, hold the tailshaft, and then remove the two scissor jacks. I wiggle my way under the trans and then kinda curl up into a ball and set the trans down on my shins (my legs are folded) this way i can get as much power as I need out my legs will still having my hands free to wiggle it or spin the yoke. after the splines engage I unfold my legs and place the scissor jacks back into place. on a good day I can do it in about 30 minutes maybe a little less if the thing pops right in. but that has only happened once. good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cody 82 ZXT Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 From some of the replies to the post it sounds like none of us what anyone to film us "in action" while doing this job. All kinds of crazy positions are being brought up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forrest Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 I am glad someone beat me to the punch and even provided a link. You HAVE to get a transmission jack. Those things are so helpful...you can use them to swap diffs by yourself too. Talk about a world of difference. I do not consider that an optional tool. They are often on sale for only like 49$ too. -Forrest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 I got a pilot bushing that was WRONG from the local autoparts store last time. the ID was about .005 too small. Really frustrating figuring that one out. If you've ever seen a professional mechanic do this they are NOT gentle. Grab the tail shaft and wiggle and shake the crap out of it while pushing the trans forward. Also Mike Kz is right, if you lean the engine back then it is easier to line up. On my L6 I loosen the motor mounts and let the engine tilt back and rest on a 2x4 set between the valve cover and the firewall. I always lift my trans on a normal floor jack. The Nissan trans has a little nub that sticks off the bottom and you can just set that nub in the cup of the jack and it won't fall out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gramercyjam Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 I am glad someone beat me to the punch and even provided a link. You HAVE to get a transmission jack. Those things are so helpful...you can use them to swap diffs by yourself too. Talk about a world of difference. I do not consider that an optional tool. They are often on sale for only like 49$ too. -Forrest Cant agree there. I have one but don't use it at all. I'll tell you why. On my car, to get the tranny in and out with out removing the headers, it needs to be rotated to the side a little bit for clearance as you put it up to take it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forrest Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 Why can't you rotate it on the jack? What do you do instead? I mean, before I was positioning it with a floor jack, that was a nightmare. As far as getting it off, it's not like you can't take it off the jack once it is down. Anyway, if you never use yours, maybe you should send it to Yasin. I use mine all the dang time. -Forrest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted August 6, 2004 Share Posted August 6, 2004 I can tell you this, I will not try to wrestle with the 700R4 that I bought the other day. Man that thing is a monster! I only weigh about 160 lbs and there is no way I will be laying under my Z with that thing in my chest crushing the life out of me. I will probably put the engine and tranny in as a single unit. That may be the easiest way to go for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slownrusty Posted August 6, 2004 Author Share Posted August 6, 2004 Well Gang - SUCCESS! -I got the tranny back in tonight with help from a good friend, we got it in in less than two minutes. Having another pair of hands is the lifesaver! Tranny is all bolted in, tranny x-member, driveshaft, shifter, starter, clutch slave etc etc.....only thing left to bolt in is the exhaust and fill it with Amsoil Synthetic 75W90. Next is the Autometer Gauges Install! More on that coming...I am hoping to have Autometer Oil Pressure, Oil Temp and Boost all mounted and operating by Saturday evening....we'll see....naturally lots of pics will be coming. Thanks for all that chimed in and the help encouragement - Mucho appreciated - Yasin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
260DET Posted August 6, 2004 Share Posted August 6, 2004 Some of you blokes must have a lot of guts, sitting gearboxes on there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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