houtex

2006 Mustang GT, TR3650 transmission. You may have seen the driveshaft topic earlier last week.

Well, I am gonna say this: I am an idiot. Truly. The very fact that I thought that after watching some videos... maybe picking up a few new tools I didn't have... I could do this. It's 'just' a clutch swap, right?



Lesson learned. This ain't a backyard deal.

I mean... I MEAN... I finally got it all to where I can get... and did get.. the transmission to slip backwards. ******* finally!!! A whole inch backward! Should be good to get out now... Two weekends shot to heck on this 'I can do this' stupidity and so, yay, I'mma get that transmission out and...

...and it won't come out. It physically *can't*. The starter bulge gets in the way of the side of the tunnel. There's some ear above there that's hitting the tunnel if I move the bulge by turning the transmission in the jack. Then it skews and gets stuck on the clutch line... move that.. the throwout clutch line fitting now hits the tunnel... and it won't come down from the bell housing end anymore. Input shaft is, I believe, totally not connected to the clutch or pilot bearing... it should just come on down, but it doesn't... like the input shaft it's hitting the clutch springs and that's that...?

It's honestly stuck in there somehow. I don't get it.

I had the engine supported by a 1"x1.5" dowel slid in between the oil pan and the crossmember, but that seemed to defeat a tilting down to get the trans out... so I took that out, lifting by the oil pan (I really *REALLY* didn't like to do that, but I felt I had no choice at that point... it's a wide seat on my jack so seemed to not do anything bad..)... No bueno either... same interference issues, and the engine won't tilt no more... afraid to tilt it further anyway...

I also have what appears to be a completely useless trans jack. Guess it works good for 60s cars, but man, this trans and it do NOT get along, it's sliding forwards on the tranny, tilting upwards in front, just... not good.

After three hours of grunting and groaning and taking a break lest I break something and doing some more hunting online for hints/tactics/info, going back out trying again and finally... I'm stuck. I got a car in the garage, on jackstands, I've banged my head more times than I can count, and even cut it and guys and gals...

...I'm an idiot. I apologize profusely for my impudence. I will never do this again. I will pay dearly for someone else to do this. Or the engine. *Everything else* I can literally do, but apparently, a transmission is not one of them...

But in the meantime, I gotta get it out, because I got to get it back in and get it back on the road, so that means I *have* to do this... somehow... whimpers sadly I hurt so much right now...

So I'm going to go get an upgrade nicer tilt mechanism arms to hold/cradle hydraulic pump chain holddown (but have straps to do that if I choose) transmission jack, hoping the tiltawhirl and arms thing will help it out. Yet another dang expense on this adventure, but hey... I'll have it. So there.

I swear upon lots of things I hold dear and some that y'all may hold dear as well that the transmission is *completely and utterly* clear of all wiring or other things that will keep it from coming back and out. There's' no forgotten bolts or anything. It's backed off at least 1 whole inch all 'round from the engine block. It's simply the interference of the body of the trans and the body of the car and some tilt problem thereto.

For now... and I hated to do it, but I just can't anymore tonight... I put my big and new jack under the back of the trans, and the trans jack (which is mechanical screw kind) under the trans itself, and am hoping it will survive until I can get the other one under there. For sure the trans jack should hold it, the back mount jack is sort of insurance.

If in the interim somehow one of you guys can talk me out of the tree, I'd appreciate it, and if not, well, thanks for reading this at-the-very-least cathartic to type out diatribe.

I'll follow up if I get the dang thing out.

/I don't know why Awesome's having issues... I'm tryin' honest.

wanted33

You're a better man than I my friend. I would have given up, and called the roll back for a trip to a good mechanic. I wish I could help, but I'm just a shade tree mechanic at best. Good luck.

houtex

I almost... *ALMOST*... did exactly that. The problem? The trans was in a way that it could not be done. I was in it to win it at this point, failure (to get it out) was not an option... and I ain't puttin' it back in either. Heh.

But just a few minutes ago... I did it. Yay and things.

The trick? Don't use a non-adjustable tabled trans jack. Might work for an auto, but for a manual, no bueno.

I got the upgraded tiltawhirl version (which is taller, more on that in a second) and... with much finagling, jacking, repositioning, etc, ad nauseum, put the new transjack under it... backwards. Long story.

And the chain to hold it down? Pfft. Don't. I had a come along strap, got that figured.

And then... it STILL DIDN'T COME OFF. At first.

But then I got it a little farther...and by now, with all the crap that'd gone on... the trans was rolled about 45 degrees to the left side. Which made it all very interesting even more...

...and then... I was able to see the problem... It was mostly out, just the input shaft was stuck on the clutch pressure plate finger springs. So just a little farther... But the trans tunnel... little more down... a little more tilt (like 25 degrees or so! Did not expect that...) wiggle wiggle wiggle...

HECK TO THE YAY, SUCCESS WAS HAD.

I had to then transfer it to the creeper as the height of the car on the current 2ton jackstands was not tall enough to roll out on the transjack. Which was interesting, so in a way I'm thrilled I had the jack on backwards, 'cause I'm not sure it'd work the other way... So did that, shuffled all the things out (creeper, trans, transjack) and the trans is now just sitting on the creeper. I'll have to get a friend to help me lift it onto the transjack later. 150 awkward pounds I can actually lift, but... yeah. Maybe a strap to do this would help... And yep, goin' to the store to get bigger jacks.

Ridiculous. Learned all kinds of stuff though, so I'm actually ok with it, just a timing problem of large magnitude now. Need. This. Done. But one has work to get money to pay bills unless one is a rich sumgun, so that's an issue to deal with... But I have good people who lent me a car so I'm okish for now...

Anyway. Did it. Yay and things. Install should be hilarious.

---

TL;DR: Four things about a TR3650 removal from a S197... 1: two way tilt tabled trans jack with hydraulics is required. 2: 30 degrees tilt down from engine *once the input shaft is clear of the pilot bearing.* About 1.5 inches. 3: Who the heck puts a wiring keeper on the top of a transmission?! 4: Luck is a little involved, so whatever lucky thing you can do to help out, do it, you're gonna need it.

Cavero

Good deal I think you did the right thing by walking away from it for a couple hours and approaching it from a different angle. I've been there a few times with everything from bad brake jobs (screw you, Honda CR-V), to dislodging a motorcycle driveshaft from the final drive. Sometimes going to youtube for a quick sanity check helps too.

I've never dropped the transmission on mine -- too much a coward. I've been through two clutches and swapped out the 3650 for a Tremec 6 speed, but I've paid a pretty penny for a mechanic to do it every time, and the clutch jobs have cost me over $1000 between parts and labor. You sir have saved yourself a ton of money.

Jacking by the oil pan isn't the preferred way to do it, but as long as you put a block of wood between the jack and the pan, it's generally ok. That's how I did my engine mounts.

Any pics of the different transmission jacks?

houtex

Ok, full disclosure, Horror Fright is not what people consider 'best', but if it looks janky, I don't get it. And I didn't get the first one:



Which is about as good as a regular jack for all it does to 'help'. It's honestly not made for a manual, I think.

So I went and got this one:



Which actually is very nice! But again, I had to get the thing on backwards, so that was weird to deal with. And the chain that comes with it is not useless, but the catch for it on the plate is. So I got straps with clamp comealongs. Worked great, using the chain mounts/catch as the strap locations for deinstall. That tilt came in supremely handy, which the other one doesn't have. All the difference in the world for only $50. Worth.

Now, a professional would probably not do this... but then, they'd not have a floor jack, they'd have a lift capable jack, so that too...

---

I figured out how to get the thing off the creeper. Put down a fatigue mat (CHEAP at Horror Freight! Worth 3 times as much, I tell ya, use 'em all the time.) Upend transmission on bell housing, fatigue mat ensures no damage on input shaft. Roll creeper outta the way, position transjack, downend transmission onto the plate, position as needed with a little bit of effort, put the four 'ears' in place to hold it where ya want, strap it down, done!

I like it. For a backyard, on the floor transjack, it's nice. And it'll work if I need to do the axle or such. It *might* even lift my PC800 motorcycle, it's not 800 pounds... But I think I won't do that.

All this learning is hurting me though. My hands... back... neck... This is why people have lifts. Or wayyy taller jack stands. That's next. And maybe the creeper with the adjustable headrest...

wanted33

Oh boy, success is sweet. But, sometimes it's a very difficult thing to obtain. Glad you got 'er out my friend.

BTW, I use Harbor Freight a lot for those cheap "one time use" tools. Cheap enough, and does the job, and they now hang in the basement work shop for any neighbor in need.

houtex

I think I should own stock in that company by now...

Now it's the pilot bearing. The inner part came out... and now the outer part is stuck in the crankshaft.

Just... I don't know. It's like Awesome is for some reason *liking* being on jackstands. C'mon, baby, help me out here... I miss you...

I've gotten two different kinds of pullers for this type of thing, the right ones, good ones... one of which didn't get the thing out at all, wouldn't grab. Two leg version. Just sliiiid and scraaaped inside the inner bearing. Ugh. The other of which, three legs, just *barely* goes in the bearing, but it fits!... and pulled the inner right out! Yay! Wait... no... Lil' needles everywhere... *goes to watch a video or two*... no that's actually sorta normal, so get the outer now... Maaan... now the outer race is in there and but good, AND mangled up on the inside a lil' from trying to use that same puller to get it out, where it just sliiiid and scraaaped... Ugh.I'm not sure I can even get a purchase on it that'll work and so...

Got a slide hammer kind.. nosir/ma'am, it's still in there. I really, honestly tried. I painted the thing to see progress... and I don't see progress.

I'm kinda hurting now from trying all the things(tm).

So I went out and I got a couple of big ol' 3/4" bolts, gotta tape it up a little ('cause I can't find a 22mm bolt) and I'm going to desperately try the bread trick... which I shoulda tried first... and then if that don't work, I'm going to chisel the (insert word for to describe a thing what holds back water, but add an 'n' on the end to get the right variation) thing out (got those too, and hammers to go with) and screw it. Yeah, I've heard about grease, clay, caulk... the bread seems to work best outta all the ones I've seen. And then the chisel (to which I got the proper cold ones, and some sacrificial wood ones with better 'hitting' ends) is because I've read it's next beyond heat or cut or just other jeapordizing methods.

You'd think there'd be a better way... oh well.

I'm *going* to get this project finished this weekend, come (insert word for where you go when you expire from this Earth and you weren't a good person, according to certain teachings) or high water.

But I'm le tired.

*trudges off to try again...*

EF1

You are really making me think twice about pulling my MT82 to replace the clutch.

houtex

Well, hold on there padna, I got you covered on ALL THE THINGS now.

First, lemme point you to this:


That there is a fairly fantastic video on the entire operation. That said.. it has issues here and there so watch the entire thing, then watch it again. Little 'that seems backwards' things. But overall? Best video out there you ask me.

---

Now as to the pilot bearing issue... just after I posted that, and fiddle (passing gas word starting with 'f')ing around with the slide hammer ONE MORE TIME, just to be sure I had it in the right place and centered and this and that.... yeah, no.

So. To the rescue! This is the key for a destroyed and left behind outer race of a Ford pilot bearing in a 5.0 (either one) or 4.6L motor (I suspect the 3.8L and 4.0L might be the same, since the same pilot bearing is used on all of them, seems.)

One loaf of Kroger 100% whole wheat bread (or equivalent, this is what I bought because cheap... but it's actually tasty, had a couple sammitches with it.)

1 3/4" wide bolt of some length (about 3"? I had a 5 inch, but that would have been a little tough to hammer on in the space.) (Also, it should have been a 21mm, but good luck finding that, it was fun finding the 3/4" bolt.) (Note: if the entire pilot bearing is still in there, a 5/8" or 1/2" will work for that... can't remember which one, never did it. )

Electrical tape.

Brass hammer. This is actually important, DO NOT NOT USE ONE OF THESE, they're cheap at Horror Fright Tales, go get that 2 Lb honey of a tool. A deadblow will maybe work, the steel or whatever will bounce too much and slide off... this brass hammer is one sweet thing to have for just this purpose. And it won't cause a spark, not that that matters here, but still. But hey, you do you, don't listen to me, use that steel claw hammer, good dang luck.

---

Now. Wrap the end, AND ONLY THE END, of the 3/4" diameter bolt with electrical tape. Wrap it exactly 16 times. Not 17. 15 might be ok, but it's important to get it the correct diameter (remember the 21mm thing? That. That's JUST inside the ID (approx) of the outer race, it appears.) Start it on the end, and wrap perpendicular to the bolt, covering the previous layer exactly, tightly. Until you've counted 16 times, then snap it off smartly and smooth it out.

To the outer race now. You can try to lube up the thing with penentrant and do so before hand, and tap it and all that, but it probably won't matter. I sprayed and sprayed this thing with so much it should have *lept* outta the crank. Nosir, no avail. So your call, I probably won't bother next time.

Ok, so get comfy. For me that was on my back, feet to radiator, head to axle, chest under the oil pan. It (word for siphoning with a large amount of negative pressure through a hose) but that was the only way to get positioned seein' as I don't have a lift. Meh.

Now. I happened to take the first heel slice of the wheat bread. Ripped off a small section, push and stuff it in the cavity of the bearing race/crankshaft. Repeat until it's flush.

Take your modified bolt, and use it to tamp the bread as much as possible.

Take your brass hammer, and beat that bolt in to the cavity. Maybe 7 whacks or so. Don't super gorilla it, as you might damage it, but with enough force it makes sense. Don't be angry. It'll be ok.

Take the bolt out. Bread has compressed and moved about, so you need to add another ripped piece of bread. Now at this point, don't fill it *all* the way up, that was the first step to get it to compress. Now you can leave a little lip for the bolt to go back in. Whack the bolt.

Repeat. At some point of the repeating, that thing will start to move. For me it was the third(?) time.

Holey mackerel. IT WORKS. And about the sixth or seventh time.. tada, you have an extracted pilot bearing outer race!

Just for your info, it actually took me less time to do the bread thing start to finish than type all this up. About 15 minutes or so? Yeah. I feel dumb for not doing it first now.. Live and learn and spread the knowledge!

Video of what it looks like:


I'll edit later to attach pics to prove things that I did it m'self.

EDIT: Here ya go:
https://imgur.com/a/c8VcYu4

So don't be skeert, and please, I beg y'all... learn from this here idiot's mistakes. It's not impossible, I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back home, they're not much bigger than two meters, and so you can do this if you drink your school, stay out of milk, and go to drugs, you can get the transmission and the pilot bearing out no problem!

---

TL;DR: Get a good impact torque wrench and LOOONG extensions and wobble sockets and Liquid Wrench penetrating fluid and a tiltawhirl version transmission jack and 6 ton jack stands for the height (along with two each paving stones to stand them on, 8 total) and a tall rising floor jack and a 3 pronged pilot puller and a loaf of bread and a big ol' bolt and some electrical tape and a brass hammer... this stuff comes right out and is not a big problem at all!

DEWIT. - Emperor Palpatine.

---

Edit: I must also add that this seems to be ok for a 302, 5.0, 4.6 and maybe the 3.8 and 4.0. Can't say for other engines or makes. I've read that doing this to a Chevy 5.7 or 5.0 might screw up the crank itself because of an oil something. But the Ford cranks mentioned here they seem to not have a problem with this method. So do your research and then decide. I sincerely hope I've helped people with these tales of interesting. Learning is fun... and painful... and costly... so I pass on the savings to YOU.

wanted33

Well for Heaven's sake, who would have thought that you needed bread to get that there thing out. The guy that thought of that is my "Shade Tree" mechanic hero. I used a lot of strange things to get jobs done, but bread has never been on the list. I'm amazed, and humbled at the genius of it all.

houtex

Ok, lil' update.

I had an issue yesterday, so I didn't get as far as I'd like. Still, ALL disassembly was completed. Right on.

Now assembly can take place. Polished crank for main seal. Main seal installed in plate, gooped as needed on the plate, plate installed, keeper installed, Engine plate installed, flywheel...

...there's only 5 bolts. Why are there only 5 bolts?!! I had ALL THE BOLTS RIGHT HERE.

Scrounging, begging, pleading... nowhere to be seen. I swear, it walked.



Ok, so surely, there's some out there?... yeah, no. Not on a Sunday. I looked, I drove a little... Grr. Whimper.

I get a very late lunch, then go home. Wallow in sorrow, knowing that I have to wait until Monday AM to go to Ford and overpay for ONE STINKING BOLT... 'cause it' a special one, M10x1.0-25mm and grade 10.9 Nasty stuff, rarified air, all that.

After I eat and think and look on the interwebs to get more info and maybe stumble upon a bolt to go get... on a Sunday... I go back out and trash the garage ONE more time...

... and there it is. It had somehow slipped my hand when I was picking them up and wound up in a trash bag I had there for easy use...

Thank. (insert deity here, I'm going with Pele).

So... all bolts accounted for, yay and things, onward as much as I can that night that's left...

Flywheel installed and bolts torqued with loctite, clutch disc and pressure plate installed, aligned and bolts torqued with loctite. Time to get transmission in...

Oh. Car's not tall enough for the contraption and trans. But that's ok, that's why I got the tiltawhirl jack! Tilted it wayyy over so the bell housing gets under the car, into the tunnel, and then tilt back so the other end gets in there... no problem!

Ok, line it up and... oh. Oh no...

The transjack will not tilt backward Like, at all. It only tilts one way, and it's on backwards to how I need it to tilt. Handy for gettin' it under the car but there's no way to get it in the tunnel and on the engine.

Man. I'm just...

...ok. So that's enough, I'm done. I know what I have to do now. Of course, I unslid the trans from under the car, 'cause of what I gotta do tomorrow...

---

Good mornin' everyone...

So today, after breakfast, I unmount the transmission from the transjack, and then with the strength of the Hulk... or at least me... I take it off, set it on the ground. Flip the transjack around, pick up the trans, and remount.

Now it'll tilt the right way to mount to the engine.

Now it won't go under the car.

Now... what.

Ok, so back to Harold Frank Trowels for ONE MORE THING... the Last Thing(tm). I ain't kidding (as I type this, I'm pretty sure I'm there now...)

https://www.harborfreight.com/Steel-...eam-63138.html

Get home, mount that on the jack, screw the pads all the way tall, get under the right side of the car, jack it up, reset jackstands, remove jack, car is now tilted JUST ENOUGH to get the transjack/trans under the car. Get the contraption in the tunnel.

(another word for condemnation) straight.

Put jack contraption under right side, lower it back to level with the left side on the jack stands, remove jack contraption.

Install transmission.
(NOTE: 'Install transmission' is the shop manual equivalent shorthand for saying 'tilt transmission while jacking while inching slowly forward, then seeing you have interference from ears sticking out and the hump being too small for the trans to fit except as mounted to the engine, also loosen the engine from the wood piece that you used to keep it level on the crossmember so it lines up better, and also eventually tilting the transmission 45 degrees, aka listing it to the left quite a bit, AND tilting it so the rear is down about 30 degrees from level, ALL just so you can get the input shaft past the pressure plate, at which point then magically it sort of just all winds up getting lined up with a few more jacks, retilting into plumb-level-true, and then magic happens and tada and (another word for excrement).)

I can only hope that I got it in the pilot bearing ok. I know I hit them spines, the output shaft quit moving soon as it got rotated in and shoved a little. (EDIT: This was due to the transmission being put into gear unknowingly, but hey, that worked, I'm ok with it.. if it didn't go in, I woulda figured it out. ) Not like it's locked up, just like it's got a clutch holding it to the engine. And it *seemed* to be ok... no way of knowing for sure, but there wasn't any resistance to it indicating that things weren't happy...

*crosses fingers, 'cause he really don't wanna have to do this anymore or take it anywhere... I could use a good bit of luck now right?*

Once you get the trans in, you can put the side bolts in loosely, sort of working them all on slowly until they're snug but not tight... then you have to lower the trans/engine to get the top bolts in... THEN you can put the transmission cross member in. That can't go in until those top bolts are all done.

And that's where I'm at as I type this. I have to remove, one by one, the trans bolts on the sides because I didn't apply anti-sieze and I want to before torquing them all down. Also gotta torque the trans mount, it's just in goodentite right now.

Shifter bracket front bolt, shifter bracket nut on shifter handle, h pipe, front right HEGO install, electrics on trans and pipes, driveshaft, mid pipe, axlebacks, alignment and tighten for tips...

...bleeed the brakes... Bleeeed the clutch with the 50 pump trick (already vacu-bled the line, and also vacubled previously the reservoir and put new in, so... should be good, just gotta clear the brake lines)

Get car off stands and on her own four feet and let's see how I screwed this up. Heh.

Thanks for readin' this all, y'all. I know you don't gotta, and it's more a cathartic thing for me to diatribe here... clears the mechanism don't'cha know.

I'll final update after I know how I did.

SpectreH

Wheel bearing grease also works, but is messy. Bread for the win!

Cavero

There's just something wrong about the term "bread plug"... I've heard of using grease or wet paper towels, but whole wheat is something else.

BTW, if your car has the exhaust hangars you see the guy struggling with at 3:45 in that video, you can just bend them back. Ford had a TSB saying they were just for assembly at the factory. I know, I know, after all that harrowing experience this guy goes and gives you a lousy tip about exhaust hangars -- after you've already put the car back together

houtex

The exhaust was no trouble going out or going in. I want to say that's a 2010, not a 2005-9, so the exhaust was probably tweaked for that model year... and there's absolutely no need to bend back tabs or move the sleeves... the mid pipes just back out and then come forward over the axle. Surprisingly easy, with a little twisting. Same for goin' back in.

Even the H-pipe wasn't an issue, except that one dang nut. Pops right off the transmission mount, into my chest, oof, move it, ok, it's out. It's just awkward because of the cats' weight so it's offset to the front, but I bench pressed it up into position, hung it on the hangers, bolted it up front, done, yay and things.

Cat backs as we know are pretty much dead simple, just that alignment pin, and the fronts of the mid pipes gotta be all the way shoved forward. Align the tips, tighten the axleback clamp, tighten the mid pipe sleeve, all while keepin' the tip where you want it. Fun by one's self, but no big.

---

I ran outta steam. I tried, folks, I really did. But I can't. It's 10pm, I gotta go to work tomorrow because I played hooky today and gotta catch up...

I did get the entire thing done to the exhaust hanging, then the oil swap out (polishing a crankshaft/main seal area is not without metal particles falling in the oil pan, so out the oil comes, in with fresh) and I hit a wall. I'm a bit tired and hurtin'. Shut it down, that's 12 or so hours today. BTW, I'm slow because I avoid using air/power tools. I don't like 'em, and I can't trust the torque factors. Uninstall, sure, assembly? Hand tools only. I know. I'm weird. Couple that with the heat/humidity, and there has to be breaks, or heat stroke happens. Happened on the first Saturday of workin' on this three weeks ago... So fun this has been...

Dunno when I'm gonna get her on the ground, I was shootin' for tonight, but that'd be life.

A much better day overall than all the previous days combined though.

/I just want my baby back now.

wanted33

A story for the ages my friend. Drama, mystery, comedy, the perfect mix for a saga to match that of a Stephen King novel. I laughed, I cried, it was an emotional roller coaster, and the ending was awe inspiring.

Happy you got her ready to go houtex.

houtex

Update the finality:

SHE LIVES TO DRIVE AGAIN!!

Today, this rainy 4th I'm off from work (yay holiday for me) so I went out to the garage, double checked things before I took her off the jackstands (a five step process, mind, don't wanna tilt her too far one side, y'know... I trust my jackstands, but not to that degree...)

During the letting down, I put the right front tire on, then got her on all fours, then torqued the lugs to 100 lb-ft as per prescription.

Put the battery negative terminal on (with a re-slathering of dielectric grease, remember that, kids!) She didn't spark like cray cray so I guess I got the electrics ok...

Then... a little nervously... I finally, after three weeks, sat in the driver's seat. Oh, it felt so good to be back where I belong instead of the borrowed rides I'd been in. Now, don't get me wrong, they're fine vehicles, but there's only one Awesome, y'know?

So anyway, finally... I pump the brakes. Firm as they should be while off. I pump the clutch pedal. Meh. Pump and pump and pump and... you get the idea.

Finally felt like I was getting some sort of pressure (although I figured since I vacu-bled the line from the bottom side, I'd gotten rid of some nasty fluid in there, so it probably should feel different with new fluid...)

Turned the key to 'on'. Wait... All seems well...

Push in clutch. Stick in neutral. Park brake is on. Brake pedal pushed.

*inhale... exhale...*

Turn your key sir!

*chuggachugga for a bit while the fuel rails repopulate*...*vroooom*...*sputter-due-to-being-reset-no-battery-on*...*valve rattle because TiVCT ain't full*...*and then settle down to normal*...*Man, she sounds good, love those GTAs*

Ok, she runs! Kinda figured that probably would happen, but still.

I let off the clutch while in neutral. I can hear the friction material slide a little as I do so then it gets quiet, while the input shaft and idler gears(?) start to whir. Excellent. Clutch is working! Ostensibly...

I press brake pedal again... yep, firm. So fluid is not a problem for those.

Pump clutch some more. I can hear the friction zone being gone through with the new clutch disc... it's neat. It'll quiet down, sure, but still, means the throwout is working, so that's good news.

I get brave. I say "I think it's good enough, let's roll."

I stick it in reverse. The garage is level, and she's not rolling as I have the clutch in.
Good. Let out the clutch slowly... oh. The friction zone is a little differently located, but not a lot. Pedal acts a little different.. But to be expected, not unsurprising.

Back her out slowly... brakes work. Thank goodness, as there's quite the lil' downramp outta my garage, so that's always fun.

Back her all the way, turned in the alleyway I'm in... and then clutch in, move to first, clutch out.. and stall.



Friction zone has moved, remember? Right. My bad.

Restart.

Move forward. Dang. Forgot my garage door opener. Go get it. Get back in... it's raining, remember? Ugh.

Anyway, I go for a leisurely stroll through the neighborhood, not stomping it (that comes later... 500 miles later...), just doing a lil' check ride to ensure all is as good as it can be.

And about 10 minutes later, I trundle back into the garage, a happy camper. Lil' perturbed the rain is around, 'cause eh, never have liked that stuff. Except in Hawaii. No rain, no rainbows, but this ain't Hawaii, it's Houston, and it's freakin' humid and dank and gray and grey and ugh.

...um, anyway. SHE LIVES.

I'm so happy.

I got the thing aligned and the pilot bearing hit ok, and just... man, I could have screwed up so much (beyond just starting this project in the first place, of course, that was a pretty big screw up right there) and to have her back on the road after all the things(tm) that happened these past few days-as-I-could-work-on-her have gone...

Well, what can I say? To quote Korben Dallas, I'm...




Thanks for reading, again, hope I helped someone with this journey, and if any questions are needing answering that I might can answer, hit me.

Mustang Freak

Glad it all worked out for you!

EF1

Congratulations on finishing the project, but i am still not sure I want to try and remove MT 82 by myself. It may be worth the $500-$700 to have it pulled and reinstalled.

houtex

Yeah, well, when you don't trust anyone to touch your car, it's hard to give her up and let someone do it.

And the ones I do trust? I'd still be waiting to get it done, 'cause they're busy...

I know... I have mental issues. And I'm hard headed sometimes. But it worked out I guess...

So... yeah. While it was a pain in the shoulder (literally, but since the shoulder of a side of pork is called the butt, I figured I'd just say that anyway) to get it all apart and ready to assemble... the actual assembly was butter. Just put it together like Lego. Hardest part was the maneuvering of the transmission into place and worrying with accuracy of the input shaft homing inside the clutch splines and the pilot bearing... and those two top bolts. Ugh. Yay paper trick though. Excepting those two things, all the bits pretty much flew together.

Next time (and yeah, I'm probably gonna do it again) it shouldn't take but the weekend, no big deal, 'cause I'm all learned up and wise and stuff.

---

Just for info purposes... I've been driving her around a little bit to get that computer happy. It's a little cantankerous when you retrain it. Throws a wrench light, won't idle, have to restart... oh yeah, maybe train the throttle pedal position sensor... there we go... Drove a bit, stopped somewhere, got a drink, backed up, checked the pavement, drove around some more, parked in the garage at home...

SO FAR... Like Johnny Bench might say:


No runs, no drips, no errors! Shifter is still a little notchy, but that's a remote shift three rail TR-3650 for ya. The Pennzoil nee GM Synchromesh, all 3.2 quarts of it, seems to have done a good thing(tm) in there, but it's early yet... Still, I've heard it's the stuff to put in, and it reminds me of when I first put in Royal Purple Synchromax, so... yeah. I'm overall very pleased at the end result!

*crosses fingers, hopes that garage floor is still no-puddled tomorrow morning...*

wanted33

You did it, and it's a great day my friend.