Engine installation 61'

[Phil Fischer]

Would anyone have any suggestions as to why I can't get the motor in my 61' to mate up with the bell housing. I removed the motor only, and left the bell housing and trans in the car. I now have the motor back in the engine compartment, but it is about 1" from mating up with the bell housing. I have tried using the bell housing bolts to draw it up tight, and this causes the top of the block and the top of the bell housing to close up, but the bottom won't pull together. I end up with a 1" gap at the bottom. I have tried prying, wiggling, and raising the motor, or raising the trans, but nothing seems the allow the two surfaces to meet evenly. HELP !!! Phil

[William C.]

Re: Engine installation 61'

Sounds like you have a misalingment between the clutch plate and the throwout bearing. Align the clutch disk with a trans input shaft, borrow one from someone, rather than using one of the "alighment tools" that can be bought at tool shows and shops. You will have much better results

[Dennis C.]

Re: Engine installation 61'

Phil - Listen to Bill. Do NOT force a reunion of these components. When things are "right", it will just slide together and put a smile on your face. I once had the misfortune of destroying an entire automatic transmission by thinking all I had to do was put a wrench on the bellhousing bolts. EXPENSIVE !!!

[Mike M.]

Re: Engine installation 61'

what bill and dipstick filed to go into detail about is the need for you to remove the engine, loosen up the 6 botls fastening the clutch pressure plate to the flywheel, then use an old input shaft or the plastic jack shaft aligning tool (that usually is included in the clutch, press. plate assemble-- as bill indicated a real input shaft aligns better than the plastic splined dummy shaft)then lift the clutch disc with the old jack shaft or plastic dummy, and jiggle it till the old jack shaft or plastic variety moves foreward into the pilot bushing pressed into the back end of the crankshaft.then retighten the 6 press. plate bolts and drop the engine back into the engine compartment. I have found that its easier to install the bellhousing on the back of the block/case before dropping the engine into the compartment. By all means, don't force the alignment of the tranny into the clutch/pilot bearing using the 4 tranny to bellhousing bolts. gently jiggle the tranny while gingerly tightening the 4 tranny to bell bolts. Back in the dark ages, i ruined a perfectly good T-10 case by overtightening a misaligned assembly that resulted in a T-10 case with only 3 ears.good luck, mike

[Don H.]

Re: Engine installation 61'

Another suggestion to try before pulling it out is to have someone get in the car and push in the clutch pedal. Assuming the clutch pressure plate is aligned this will fix it. I had the same problem with my '60 years ago and after hours of frustration I called a friend with much more experience than me. He told me to have the wife push the clutch and boom it slid together. It is worth a try. Don H.