Rust Advice 78 280z

[Dave WM]

yes I would def replace any missing dowels, they are there to precisely align the bell (and therefore the input shaft to the pilot). Installing the bell to the engine is one of those things that you can mess with for hours laying on you back trying to get it to go, or sometimes a couple shakes and its in. I like the trans jack and the engine floor jack (using suitable 2x6 to distribute load) and then get them close use the guide bolts, and adj both engine and bell so the gap looks even. You have to get the angles right sometimes adj the engine up or down helps.

I don't recall the dowel types or location just that they were there.

[EuroDat]

Looking at your photo of the clutch disc and pilot bearing. It doesn't look like it's lined up enough to get the input shaft to slide into the pilot bearing.

I would try to line up the disc a little more. Feel around the outside of the disc and check if it is centered on the pressure plate. You can do that at three positions through the pressure plate cover. You need to get it within 1/2 mm.

DON'T pull the transmission into position with the bolts. You could damage something. Just jiggle the back of the transmission it around and push. It should slide in.

[Zed Head]

19 hours ago, gotham22 said:

The engine is on a hoist.   

If you don't have support under the transmission it might be dropping downward to the amount of play in the bolt holes.  Get support under it so that it's not hanging on the back of the engine.  Then fiddle around with alignment, get it all squared up, and give the transmission some wiggling while you press it forward.

[AZDatsun]

I agree I have done this about 4-5 times I always need to Jack the transmission up to get the right angle and wiggle the engine


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[grannyknot]

And when you have done all of the above you can try this incantation, GET the F__K IN YOU MOTHER F__KING PIECE OF S__T!!!  As you repeat those words violently shake the end of the transmission while pushing it forward toward the engine.  This method has a surprisingly good success rate.

[Captain Obvious]

Hahahaha!!!!!  

[gotham22]

All thanks for the help!  I got it  together!  I removed the clutch and re-centered it and I still could not close that gap. It made no sense. So I removed the clutch again and I removed the pilot bushing that I had put on about a month ago.  The bushing's inner diameter is slightly too large and does not fit over the spindle. But the plastic tool worked just fine which is why I didn't think of this at first. WTF??!!   Luckily as I was searching through my parts boxes I had bought another one on ebay a long time ago and forgot I had it.  Once I put the new one in and put the clutch back on the whole job took 5 mins to align.

She is ready to go back in!  Been a long time coming.  

 

 

[gotham22]

Its been sometime since I posted.  Finally getting back to work on the car.  The engine and transmission is in!!   Goal is to drive this summer! 

 I realized I am missing a prop shaft bolt. Can I use a regular Hex bolt or does it have to have the square side like this one?

[grannyknot]

That flat side anchors the bolt against flange so you only need one wrench to tighten it, it's very tight in that spot to begin with. You could modify a standard bolt to do the job but you really want one with the same length of shaft so you have maximum strength were it's needed.

[gotham22]

As I am going through the engine and I found this less than ideal electrical connection. 🙂 Does anyone know if this part can be replaced or fixed?  Searching on google only resulted in deletion plates but not the part. Also, I made a very bad rookie mistake.  My labels fell of my wires and I am not 100% sure I know which is my cold start connector and which is for  the aux air.  How screwed am I?

[Yarb]

That’s the bccd solenoid switch. That bullet connector should be coming off the fender well area pretty close to the switch iirc.

[gotham22]

Is there a way to fix that connector?  Or buy a new one?  I still cant find one online.  Also, another terrible rookie mistake:  I just found out that the thermotime polarity actually matters unlike the fuel injectors.  How can I determine which is hot and which is ground?  The battery and the rest of the wiring is disconnected so I am going to have to wait until I get that all done.  Once done can I start the car with it unplugged and use a meter?