i have a 1954 chevy 210 235cid with a standard 3 speed transmission. I'm simply trying to remove the engine to put a 350 in It's place. I Can't disconnect engine from transmission ...I have taken all necessary bolts motor mounts etc.....but no matter how much jiggle and pull, the bell housing will not separate more than an inch or so from the tranny. The engine can jiggle a lot, enough to tell that it is free from obstruction. I also removed the clutch fork from the throw out bearing, but still cannot disconnect.... any suggestions??? Thanks!
You may be hangingup on the clutch disc splines. If you don't support the trans at the same angle as the engine is tilted, the splines often will bind in the clutch disc hub. Try keeping the eng/trans in alignment when seperating, the same as you would if installing the trans. Ray
I wonder if the pilot bearing might have welded it's self or froze to the input shaft on the trans and is hanging up on the clutch disk spline. Being able to move it that far before it hangs up sounds right for that.
Perhaps you can help the situation by removing the bolts from the pressure plate to the flywheel. In either my scenario, or that of Mr48chev, doing that would improve alignment and/or access. Ray
I was thinking big slidehammer but also thought about what Hnstray suggested on unbolting the pressure plate bolts and you should have enough room to see up in between the clutch and flywheel and see what the problem is.
I always remove engine and transmission as a unit for this reason. So much easier to separate and mate properly when both are out of the car.
I think he is saying he removed the clutch fork, leaving the throwout bearing on the transmission input shaft sleeve.
Had this same thing happen to me when separating a '37 Ford V8 from the trans. Combination of rust , grime and age. I made sure all fasteners were removed then went it SLOWLY. After several tries, using Liquid Wrench, etc, they separated. Keep at it. Remember take your time. Less chance of damaging either.
Have you checked to see if there are any bolts on the inside. I seem to recall hitting this but it has been fifty years ago.
There are two bolts into the tranny from inside the bellhousing on this model. I had thought about that too, but discounted it as the OP said he had "seperated them about an inch".......I reasoned that if the lower bolts were in place, they would not permit any movement, much less an inch. Ray
Yes like he said 100 % easier and cleaner where you dont brake your back pulling something on the ground or in the air
Hook up the clutch linkage, and push in the pedal, see what happens. Might move the tranny a little. Make sure you got a jack, or sometng under it.
floor jack under trans. and lift the engine up and down a few times while pulling forward, it has to break free. The pry bars with the weight removed from the input shaft also will do the trick.
when I have encountered this... it has been rust on the pilot shaft, and it won't pass thru the clutch.. so you are pulling on the pressure plate springs and getting that "jiggle" movement... if you can get a wrench in there to undo the pressure plate, the trans will separate then... hope that helps
i read your first post again. you do know that a V8 bellhousing isn't going to bolt to your original tranny right?
I've even had the pilot bearing stick on the input shaft and come out of the back of the crank instead