Screwed up my first tranny install: need help

[TurboMike]

Put in tranny after getting it back from BM/TT. Drive the car maybe 20 miles and I get a nice jiggling noise whenever I touch the clutch at all. 20 miles later the clutch is engaging right off the floor and smoke coming out the the bell housing vents. Got it home (I was 5 miles away) and now when I hit the clutch the squeel is extreme and it wants to stall the motor.

So I figure either the TOB is destroyed because I installed it wrong, or the pressure plate is either warped or too tight or too loose. A few guys in NYDSM said maybe the bell wasnt tight against the motor and that can cause the same symptoms but I didnt notice any seams or looseness when I took everything off.

I've got everything off the tranny and its got one bolt holding it to the motor and one passenger mount bolt in, so its ready to drop. I've got a new TOB clutch and pressplate ready, just in case. Before I drop it (and I'd like the help lowering it) I need someone who knows what they're doing so I dont screw up the TOB or PP again. I also need the help getting the tranny back up.

So if anyone is near Tenafly and can stop by any day after work this week and help me lower it, look and see what I screwed up, and show me how to put the presplate and TOB on properly then help me get the tranny back up on the shaft, I can do the rest myself. I'm hoping I can get this car running before the weekend since theres an ETown autox on Sat and an autox Cup race on Sunday. THANKS!

PM me or 201 543 35 54 (trying to fool the phone # bots)

[MikeL]

there isn't too many places to go wrong with a clutch install. I assume you greased the TOB and the shaft, and tightened all the PP bolts to about 25 ft/lbs? I would think it's more of a clutch adjustment issue, you had the slave or master preloaded and it just was never disengaging. You want to make sure the fork sits centered in the bellhousing "window" and that there is at least an inch of free pedal play at the top of the throw. I would definitely focus on making sure the clutch is right before driving it at all. Make sure the ball pivot for the fork didn't work itself loose too.

[91tsiguy]

I believe the pressure plate bolts only go to 14 ft/lbs. Too tight and they like to snap off easily. :wink:

[MikeL]

I believe the pressure plate bolts only go to 14 ft/lbs. Too tight and they like to snap off easily. :wink:

Maybe so, but I don't trust anything at 14ft/lbs on a vibrating dsm :) I don't have a wrench that even goes that low. ;) Worked fine for 110k and 6 clutch/tranny swaps.

[gtluke]

make sure you have the TOB clip on correctly

[Muggus]

Yeah is sounds like the tob to me.