Ok, 97 Legacy Outback - 2.5 and 5MT:

 

I'm swapping the engine and I cannot get the two to get together. They look square, but it just won't go. They were difficult getting apart, but that was just because of one of the pins was stuck. It took quite a bit of finagling to get my 86's engine and tranny together, but it finnally just went. This one is just plain being a pain in the neck. I've been fighting with this for about a month now, and it's driving my crazy! Any ingenious ideas? Billy Bob don't like being stuck in that stuffy and cramped garage. He wants to go buzz buzz! Besides, mom's van just lost a CAT Conv. and now, you can't use no more than half throtle. HAve you ever tried towing a 4horse trailer with a plugged Cat? sllllooooowwwww goin.

Anyways.........Back to BillyBob's engine issue.............HELP!

are you turning the crankshaft while you try to get them together?

Manual or automatic?

On manuals clutch alignment is often a problem and on automatics a poorly seated torque converter. A bit more info is in order.

He did put the 5MT in his first line, I missed it too.

Jacking up the front of the transmission helps sometimes. Gives a different angle to work with.

If you replaced the pilot bushing

did you check to see if it fits the tranny input shaft

 

wrong parts are not common butttt....

 

thin coating of grease on the input shaft nose, splines and

tranny input shaft collar helps sometimes.

 

Putting the shifter in gear, locking one wheel and turning the other helps.

 

I will assume you used a clutch plate alignment tool.

If not once you have it close loosen the PP bolts through the starter opening or under the car by the flywheel.

 

Don't forget to tighten them when it seats.

 

Good luck, hope this helps some.

I recalling there being a lateral mount (maybe on the tranny) that if its not disconnected makes installing an engine almost impossible (i may be wrong).

 

nipper

Yes, I did use a clutch alignment tool when I put it together. I'm useing the existing clutch because it was done about 3 months ago. I have lifted the tranny with a jack so, the engine mounts clear the crossmember. I'll try putting the tranny in grear, cleaning up the imput shaft again and add a little grease and see how that works.

 

Thanks guys!

also clean up the pins while you have it out. Lube everything you can lightly, and sometimes a longer bolt can be used to help pull it in. I also use a measurement too, tape or caliper to be sure the gaps are the same top and bottom and side to side. I can't always tell by eye. Even using the clutch alignment tool you can be off. It's best to test fit parts first.

You say you are swapping the engine. Mean replacing the old one with a different one?

 

Make sure you don't have an extra dowel pin in the engine or trans.

I've never seen that WA, but that would sure do it wouldn't it. I've seen backwards clutch plates, non fitting pilots bearings, misaligned clutch plates plenty. On my commercial trucks I used to sharpen the mainshaft to make the clutch align better because we changed so many clutchs due to SF hills.

I've learned that the hard way. You never know if those pins will stay in the trans or the engine. When replacing either with a used part, you have to check.

They're together! I cleaned out the splines, put a little grease on it, and with a little twist of the crank it slid right in! Now, off to put everything back on. Then struts, brakes, and there was something else.............

 

Thanks guys!