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  #1  
Old 01-10-2001, 05:37 AM
Hugh Hugh is offline
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Question

Has anyone ever had the problem of the crankshaft centerline and inputshaft centerline being to far off to get the tranny to go in? I am haveing that problem. I am looking for ideas on how to check for this. I dont have a dial indacater. car is a 68 charger 440 4-speed organaly a 383 but is the #'s matching tranny.

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  #2  
Old 01-10-2001, 06:54 AM
Joecuda Joecuda is offline
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I haven't had the problem, but I am using a Lakewood Bellhousing and expect to when I put it in. The stock Bells were generally pretty good, whereas Lakewoods stink. You need to get a dial indicator and put a shaft into the back of the crank to similate the input shaft and then attach the dial guage to the shaft and check for runout. You then modify this problem by buying OFFSET bellhousing pegs from Lakewood or whoever. I've never done any of this, but I have studied it, as I have to do it, and have asked from machine shop friends. Just my two cents....Good Luck!

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  • 1964 Barracuda Formula S Custom
  • 410ci 340 Stroker
  • 833 Four Speed Custom
  • 3.55 8 3/4 489SureGrip
  • Lakewood/McLeod Hydraulic Clutch Setup
  • Hurst Race Package
  • 1965 Dart GT Front Clip
  • Front 4-Piston Disc Brakes
  • AmericanRacing Aluminum Slot Mags
  • MP SS Hemi Springs
  • Manual Steering
  • Manual Brakes
  • ONE HELL OF A WILD RIDE!!!!!!
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  #3  
Old 01-10-2001, 06:59 AM
Joecuda Joecuda is offline
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I would suggest getting a friend who knows what they're doing.....shop could be expensive....and time consuming...=)

------------------
  • 1964 Barracuda Formula S Custom
  • 410ci 340 Stroker
  • 833 Four Speed Custom
  • 3.55 8 3/4 489SureGrip
  • Lakewood/McLeod Hydraulic Clutch Setup
  • Hurst Race Package
  • 1965 Dart GT Front Clip
  • Disc Brakes
  • AmericanRacing Aluminum Slot Mags
  • ONE HELL OF A WILD RIDE!!!!!!
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  #4  
Old 01-10-2001, 02:26 PM
turbododge turbododge is offline
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You should always check the runout if you change any parts. You can be off enough to cause abnormal wear and tear, even if the transmission goes in O.K.
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  #5  
Old 01-10-2001, 04:56 PM
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road chicken road chicken is offline
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I have done this before. If your mechanically inclined, you can too. Bottom line is you NEED and indicator to do this check. There is no other way to be sure. The Service manual has a good section on checking this. I suggest you find one and look at it, since the pictures tell the story. In short, You need to have the bell housing bolted to the engine. The dial indicator has to be attached to the crank and set up so it can be rotated a full 360 and read the bore where the trans slides into the bell housing,( A surface style indicator works great for this). Rotate the crank to find the point of least deflection, "0" the indicator, rotate it to max defection,( should be 180 degrees from "0"), and read the number. Your housing will need to be moved 1/2 of the deflection shown on the indicator,( reads .016, you move it.008) in the direction of maximum deflection. Recheck. I believe the max allowable run-out is .002,.003 thousands. as close to "0" as you can get is best. I would still STRONGLY suggest you look at the manual. It doesn't have to be for you car, the proceedure is the same for ANY vehical. It isn't hard, but it can be confusing if your not used to it. One last thing. If you do it, you cannot bump or disturb the indicator,( other than to rotate it). If you do, the reading is invalid and you'll have to start over and re zero it.
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  #6  
Old 01-11-2001, 08:10 AM
RTMIKE RTMIKE is offline
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Like Road, I too have gone through this procedure. With any different bellhousing to block combinaton other than the factory stock combination the runout needs to be checked. I have skipped this step before and regretted it. It's probably equal to installing a new clutch/pressure plate and reusing the old throwout bearing. Two of the most apparent problems for me were extra vibration felt through the shifter and the pilot shaft bushing would wear out very quickly. Re-balancing the driveshaft does not cure this problem. After I picked up an Ansen bellhousing at a swapmeet, I went through the trouble of centering the bellhousing to the crankshaft centerline like Road described. After I put it all back together the pilot shaft bushing wear and vibration was eliminated. It's probably like degreeing in a cam....it will run without doing it but it's certainly not optimized.
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  #7  
Old 01-12-2001, 01:29 AM
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pishta pishta is offline
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The runout on my friends lakewood was so far off when he bought his car, that when we tore it down looking for a vibration, we found the throw out coller cracked all the way through. The only thing that kept it from spinning was the fact the crack couldnt seperate due to the pressure plate pressure. I heard you drill out the mounting holes, mount the thing, center it and weld bushings onto the holes. Custom bolt position!
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  #8  
Old 01-12-2001, 01:57 AM
Dragracerr Dragracerr is offline
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Hugh, You are using the stock components? This would probably be a stupid question, but did you use any type of pilot shaft when you assembled the clutch to the flywheel? Is it possible the clutch disc and crank C\L are not concentric?
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  #9  
Old 01-12-2001, 03:07 AM
Hugh Hugh is offline
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Cool

Thats not a stupid question. The only stupid questions are the ones not asked. I do have a alignment tool, its the crappy plastic thing that came in the box with clutch. I am going to go out in a little and check to see if it is all right. For some strang reason, my bearing retainer has broaken at the base of the sleeve. new one should be here tommorow. thanks guys
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  #10  
Old 01-15-2001, 06:52 PM
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road chicken road chicken is offline
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Got a couple of more observations. One, make sure you have the proper size throwout bearing. There are two sizes, and using the large one on the small pilot WILL cause a vibration from the bearing slapping side to side on the pilot.( This might cause the pilot to crack too, I don't know for sure)
Two, if you don't have the alignment tool,(like me), try this. Bolt up the bellhousing,( after you've got the alignment done) and clutch assy, but don't tighten the pressure plate bolts, yet. Get them snug enough to hold the clutch plate, but not so tight that you can't slide it around with a little pressure( it is a real fine line). Then install the tranny, and tighten it to the bell housing, carefully. Keep checking and don't force anything. You might have to move the clutch plate to get the trans pilot through it,( one other note, leave the tranny in 4th gear that way you can turn the output shaft to rotate and engage the clutch splines) and slide it home. Then tighten up the pressure plate bolts like the normal cross pattern. I know this is a bit of a pain, but it does work. I've done 6 clutches like this on the V8's and it hasn't caused a problem. Just take you time and if you get frustrated, take a break. No use in having to take it apart again.
Third, for you guys running Scatter shields, you may want to see if you can locate a 64 hemi race bellhousing. They use the small pinion diameter, but they are made from cast STEEL. I saw the lakewood cluster F@#k, and searched until I found a steel unit for my RR. The best of both worlds. Hope that helps

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  #11  
Old 01-15-2001, 10:49 PM
PRO PRO is offline
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Hughdude,1st if your run out is off it will still go in,just not all the way,if you cant get it even started you probably have a clutch alignment prob,try this,loosen your pressure plate from the flywheel enough so you can move the disc by hand,now stab the trans while someone moves the disc around and bingo youre in ,bolt up the trans and evenly tighten all the PP bolts,,if it wont even start take the pressure plate and disc completely out and try stabbing the trans,if it wont even start theres a prob with your pilot bushing.If you actually have a runout prob,youll still be able to get the trans in you just wont be able to line up the trans to bellhousing bolts......PRO...
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  #12  
Old 01-15-2001, 11:02 PM
PRO PRO is offline
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Oh yeah if your present motor came out of an automatic car the pilot hole wont be deep enough to accept the trans input shaft completely,if so you can cut off 1/8th of an inch from the end of the input shaft or pull the crank and have it drilled.There is a pilot bushing avail from NAPA for an auto crank,they have a smaller diameter hole than 4 spd cranks....PRO...
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