I'm in the process of installing a Centerforce Dual Friction clutch with a McLeod scattershield. For the life of me I cannot get the scattershield to go over the clutch assy. due to inadequate clearance at the top of the transmission tunnel. The bolt flange on the scattershield is too tall, and the scattershield hits the clutch assy at the 12 o'clock position, resulting in the scattershiled being to big to fit between the top of the clutch assy and the trans tunnel. Have any of you run into this problem with the same or other combinations and how did you solve it (yank motor?)

Thanks.

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To see a picture of my car http://www.geocities.com/casanoc

You need to lower the rear of the engine slightly if you haven't already done so. I had a little bit of trouble getting the stock bellhousing in and out the last time I replaced my clutch.

I used a floorjack to support the bottom of the oil pan (ALWAYS put a piece of 2x4 or 2x6 between the pan and jack head to distribute the weight of the engine across the pan). I could then raise and lower the back of the engine as I needed to get clearance. You may need to remove the distributor depending on how much clearance you need. I'm sure this stresses out the motor mounts, but as far as I know, mine didn't break and I haven't replaced them.

Another .02, put the car up on four jack stands rather than just using two stands in the front. It gives you a lot more room and the car is sitting level rather than at an angle. It makes feeding the input shaft into the clutch disk a lot easier. Also, get the car as high up as you can. You want enough clearance so you can put the tranny on a floorjack and jack it into place.

Finally, you can't pull the engine. It won't fit back in with the bellhousing installed - not enough room between the firewall and the rad support. I couldn't even get mine to fit in with the pressure plate installed. I tried this when I had my engine rebuilt two years ago.

This is part of my accumulated knowledge from 3 tranny removal/installs. E-mail me if you have more detailed questions.

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Hugger Orange & white 69 Camaro with supercharged 350, Tremec TKO, and 3.73 12-bolt

See my new and improved website at:

www.geocities.com/gheatly (http://www.geocities.com/gheatly)

[This message has been edited by gheatly (edited 03-29-2000).]

gheatly,

I've got it up on 4 stands, and the engine is free-hanging on the polyurethane motor mounts. Plenty of height to work.

Did you remove the motor mount through bolts to accomplish this? From your statement it doesn't sound like it.

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To see a picture of my car http://www.geocities.com/casanoc

You're right, I didn't remove the mount bolts. I bet you don't have as much clearance as I had because of the poly mounts. The rubber pads have much more flex in them.

You really need to support the engine by the oil pan, expecially when you start bolting the tranny to the bellhousing. I wouldn't want anything like a fully dressed engine block falling on you.

Also, did you check to see if the distributor is touching the firewall or did you remove it? The distributor could be hitting the firewall and holding the engine up in place. This would be bad because it can bend the shaft.

I'm going to be in the same boat as you in about another month and a half. Let me know how you get it in.

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Hugger Orange & white 69 Camaro with supercharged 350, Tremec TKO, and 3.73 12-bolt

See my new and improved website at:

www.geocities.com/gheatly (http://www.geocities.com/gheatly)

[This message has been edited by gheatly (edited 03-29-2000).]

Actually, you can install the motor with the bellhousing attached. I put mine in with the Lakewood Bellhousing and a Richmond 5-speed bolted to it! You just have to lift it fairly high and hang it at a angle - then shift the angle as it lowers into place. Of course, it helps a lot if you have one of those ratcheting angle changing setups for your hoist. The alternative is to block the engine/trans into place with some boards while you let the pressure off the hoist and move the hook to a different place on the chain.

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Scott
'69 400SB, Richmond 5-speed; '99 HD Road King Classic
www.geocities.com/sdenning1 (http://www.geocities.com/sdenning1)

gheatly-

I pulled the distrubutor before removing the TH350. I think I'm going to have to pull the motor. Boy I hope this Dual Friction is all its supposed to be. I don't want to pull the engine to change a clutch!

Rocky-

You're right, putting it is as an assembly is the way to go. Unfortunatly, I don't have the hole cut in the tunnel for the shifer, and I can't cut that until I can measure from the back of the bellhousing, and I can't put the bellhousing on because of the scattershield...... Thanks, I feel better now.

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To see a picture of my car http://www.geocities.com/casanoc

Rock,

I didn't have one of the ratchet dohickeys for the engine hoist. That probably would have made it easier.

Carl, I REALLY hope you don't have to pull the engine. That is A LOT of trouble. You'll have to do it everytime you need to replace the clutch. Is there any way to grind off part of the bolt flange on the scattershield to make it stick up less?

Did that too. No dice. My friend John put one in his 68 with rubber motor mounts with no problem. I believe that solid or polyurethane mounts do not deflect enough to allow the scattershield to clear. Also, the Centerforce Dual Friction pressure plate may be some of the problem as well. There are three large protrusions along the OD of the pressure plate housing that are getting in the way and no matter how I rotate it they cause problems. John does not remember these on his McLeod clutch but he will take a look at mine and I will post what he says. We're going to try disconnecting the exhaust collectors, pull the motor mount through bolts, shove in some 1/4" diameter pins, and hope it will rock enough back to make it in. If not, we'll lift the engine up and forward with a hoist. Either way, it's more work than it should be.

Carl,

Maybe change to rubber motor mounts? But, I understand not wanting to change having already sopent the $$ on the poly mounts.

I bought a set of interlocking safety mounts from Vette Brakes. The interlock tabs limit motor movement while the rubber cushion absorbs the vibration.

Good luck this weekend.

Have you by chance talked with the tech guys at McLeod? Assuming you have the correct p/n for your application it should not be this hard. It wouldn't hurt to verify that you have the correct part and then ask their advice - this can't be a new issue for them.

I ran into a couple questions when installing my Lakewood Bellhousing and their tech guys cleared everything up quickly.

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Scott
'69 400SB, Richmond 5-speed; '99 HD Road King Classic
www.geocities.com/sdenning1 (http://www.geocities.com/sdenning1)

OK, let me get this out of the way early. I'm an idiot.

It's amazing how an exhaust system can hold the back of the engine up so high. It seems that once I unbolted the header flanges, and the collectors fell 3", the silly scattershield slid right into place.

Let the beatings begin.

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To see a picture of my car http://www.geocities.com/casanoc

Whack! Whack! Whack!

How bout undoing two motor mount to block bolts on each side and loosening the remaining bolt to allow the engine to pivot?

You might even get away with just loosening the bolts.
Good luck, David