alright so im putting my new auto tranny in my 95 legacy-- AWD. im having trouble, it seems like the "flywheel thing" is sticking out maybe 1/4inch too much. this causes it to bind on the flexplate before the bellhousing and tranny are connected. is it supposed to do this or is something wrong?

Classic problem. The TC is not fully seated. The problem is that small splined shaft inside the input shaft is hanging up inside the transmission. You just have to wiggle and turn it until it slides all the way in. This can take hours. If you have already torqued the bellhousing bolts during the installation, thinking the transmission would "jump" that last 1/4" , the transmission is probably now junk.

The Torque convertor is not all the way in. Sorry to say, you will have to drop the trans. This trans has several items the TC and its shaft mate with. It must be engauged with all of them. Pull the trans out and then rotate the TC while pushing aft. You should feel it slide into place.

 

If it does not go in, you may have a damaged seal or spring clip that is holding it up. You may want to try a search on this, several members have delt with this in the past.

i backed the tranny out some, lined up the little "stub" on the flywheel and its gone in fairly smooth now. i have two of the flexplate/flywheel bolts in and have rotated everything, it all rolls over as smooth as an engine does.

 

 

 

i measured the gap on the old tranny/flywheel thing and its the same as the one in the car (flywheel-tranny housing--and it is the same)

 

 

we shall seein a few more hours

as long as you didn't crank anything down or force anything you should be fine. last 1/4" of the TC seating is tricky and will break the oil pump inside the trans if not done correctly.