Attaching the Motor to the Transmission

ElectroAuto instructions continued:

13. Installation of adaptor on motor is complete. Now install the motor/ring/hub assembly on the transmission bell housing. You will need to purchase new bolts of the appropriate size, thread, and length to accommodate your bell housing and the profile plate. Use the original factory locating dowels. If these dowels were not salvageable, order new ones from the dealer for your make of vehicle.

NOTE: Even among vehicles that supposedly have the "same" transmission, there are sometimes minor variations. Your adaptor may seem to have "extra" holes that do not match any on your transmssion. These may be for a slightly different version of the transmission. Or your adaptor may seem to be mission some holes. These holes may not exist on all versions, and are not necessary for structural integrity. The dowel holes are the critical ones for proper alignment. Other holes provide clamping/supporting action for the adaptor against the transmission.


The Warp9 motor was already on the furniture dolly, so I put the transmission up on 2x4s to get it close to the same height as the motor. After some wiggling, the transmission slipped on and the alignment dowels slipped into their holes. The info for ordering the alignment pins, in case you lost them is in this blog post.


With the transmission mated to the motor, I installed the mating bolts. Here is my list of bolts:

• 1 12mm thick bolt 50mm long (note misaligned hole)
  
• 1 8mm thick bolt 45mm long
• 1 10mm thick bolt 50mm long
• 4 7/16" thick bolts 3 1/2" long, each with two washers and a nylock(essna) nut (note misaligned hole)
  
• 1 3/8" thick bolt 4" long with two washers and a nylock(essna) nut

Note that one of the 7/16" bolts had a mis-aligned hole (see two photos down), so I'll probably have to replace that with a 3/8" bolt. The 12mm thick bolt also had a mis-aligned hole, so I probably won't be able to use that one.

Make sure you bring along the original mounting bolts from the transmission with you to the bolt store to verify the proper threads.



With the motor mated to the transmission, I shifted the transmission to neutral (remember where the "bitch" pin came out of?) and applied 12V successfully. I added a rubber band to the clutch throw-out arm to keep it from vibrating forward and crashing into the flywheel. Normally, the hydraulic clutch would apply the same pressure as the rubber band.


As mentioned in the ElectroAuto notes, not all holes in the plate lined up with the holes on the bell housing. This hole, just above the clutch throw-out arm, was off by a millimeter or two. I plan on drilling this out and putting in a bolt anyway to provide structural integrity. I might just slide in a smaller bolt instead of drilling it out.

The bolt hole just above the output shaft drive was also off by a millimeter, so I might drill that hole out or just leave it be.


The whole assembly is rather difficult to maneuver down into the top of the car, so I jacked up the car a few inches and slid the the motor/tranny assembly (on the furniture dolly) under the front end of the car.


Here's the assembly under the engine compartment, ready to be lifted into place. When I purchased my motor-to-tranny bolts this morning, I forgot to purchase the 1/2" hook-bolt that threads into the Warp9 motor for the engine hoist. I'll head back to get that along with the thinner bolt that I can use for the mis-aligned hole shown two photos above.


Just a quick note about the starter hole on the back of the transmission bell housing. One of the original transmission mounting bolts (the 10mm one, I think) from the motor fits very well into the top starter bolt hole, so don't forget to keep all your bolts. I'll have to manufacture an aluminum plate to cover this later.

Thats all for this weekend. It feels good to make some progress. I hope to get more done soon.

Cheers,
Tim