Transmission install

hastypacer
hastypacer Member
in "How To" - Skills, mechanical and other wise

My transmission input shaft will slide into flywheel past the clutch and pressure plate, but will not insert itself into the two ring guides at 10:00 and 5:00 on the bell housing. It is maybe 1/16 in. from flush, and no further. Can anyone advise me to correct this? I have resurfaced the flywheel and inserted a new pilot bearing. Is it possible that the pilot bearing needs to be pressed in another 1/16 in.?

I am new at this and want to do a correct install. Thanks for any help.

Answers

  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor

    What year and model are we looking at?

  • hastypacer
    hastypacer Member

    Thanks Geoff; I have a '53 Wasp 262 with 10 inch clutch and pressure plate and single lever trans/overdrive. I can't believe I omitted that important information. I may uninstall pressure plate assembly and look to see how the bell housing mates up with the plate to eliminate possibilities. All my drive parts are same as when it last ran well, before the engine rebuild, so I know they fit before. Only change is the flywheel resurface, new throwout bearing and new WRP pilot bearing.

    I am wondering if my pilot bearing needs to be recessed in the flywheel a bit to accommodate the last 1/16 inch. I installed it flush to the outward face of the flywheel and if there is room to nudge it backward, that may fix the issue. I looked for a spec but couldn't find one for pilot bearing tolerance.

    I appreciate input from the experts and think others may have had this or a similar issue.

  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor

    The pilot bearing should be a flush fit in the flywheel. It's easiest to fit a couple of three inch studs to help install the bell housing. I take the front seat out and use my engine crane through the door to hold the unit up and inch it forward onto the studs. Major thing is to ensure the lip of the throwout seal does not curl back. Insert the other bolts and then remove the studs. If you are doing it on a hoist your will need of course a transmission jack.

  • railknight
    railknight Expert Adviser

    Doug Wildrick has an informative YouTube video on attaching a stepdown transmission to an engine: Hudson Throwout bearing and transmission install

  • hastypacer
    hastypacer Member

    Thanks Geoff and railknight. I am grateful for your interest and advice. I must have watched the Wildrick videos 20 times and have followed their excellent lead exactly. My engine block sits up on blocks like in the recommended video, with two cut bolts to support the bellhousing assembly as I guide the input shaft into the pressure plate, past the clutch center and into the pilot bearing. I am using a transmission lift to maneuver the trans. All goes according to the video's expectation except the last 1/16 in. This is the distance needed to clear the ring detents that match the positioning bolts at 11:00 and 5:00 on the mounting plate at the back of the block. Gentle rocking does not seem to true it up. My fear is that without clearing these detents, how can I be sure I have the two pieces mated properly? Can I use the 7/16 fasteners to draw the pieces up. I would be more comfortable knowing there was no binding.

  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor

    I know it's a lot of bother, but if you remove the clutch cover and plate, and offer the transmission up to the flywheel, you will be able to see exactly where the nose of the input shaft is going, in relation to the pilot bearing.

  • railknight
    railknight Expert Adviser

    I'm curious in that your '53 Wasp has a 262 engine and a single lever transmission/overdrive. In 1953 Hudson used the 262 engine in their Super Wasp and it had a double lever transmission. The '53 Wasp itself had a 232 engine and a double lever transmission/overdrive (if so equipped). I'm wondering if your Wasp is instead a '52 model. The '52 Wasp had the 262 engine and I believe the early ones built still used the single lever transmission/overdrive before Hudson switched over to the double-lever for the remainder of the year.

  • hastypacer
    hastypacer Member

    Thanks, Geoff, I have just removed the clutch and pressure plate. After reintroducing the bell housing to the rear block plate, everything came right together with just a little jostling. So everything should mate together after I reassemble tomorrow. It was a bit of bother, but I wanted assurance. I think I can put things back to where I had them, and bring it together using the 7/16 bolts to draw it up. I will watch carefully to be sure I don't bind anything.


    And thanks also to railknight. A bit of history on the single lever. While my Stepdown is a '50 Pacemaker, I upgraded to a '53 262 Wasp engine with 10 in clutch for more power hauling. I kept the original trans/overdrive. Al Saffrahn helped me with that. I will look for a casting number to look up before it all goes into the bay

  • railknight
    railknight Expert Adviser

    Well, that answers that! Thanks for the background history on your Hudson's engine and drivetrain.

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