Otto Mechanic

I'm having some trouble getting the clamping collar that connects the transaxle to the drive shaft to line up and slip onto the drive shaft. I have the transmission/transaxle bolted up loosely to the torque tube, which is itself loosely bolted to the clutch. I've fully torqued the bolts on the transmission mount bracket so I'd be able to remove the transmission jack and get under the assembly to reach the access ports for the clamping collar, but after several hours of "jiggering around" using a jack under the TT and alternately under the transaxle I'm stumped. It looks (and feels) like it's lined up, but I can't get it to engage.

The transmission cross member is also fully torqued, I'm wondering if that needs to be loosened slightly? Is there some simple secret to this or is it just jiggering around until it works?

odonnell

You need to fully bolt the transaxle to the torque tube

KevinGross

The hanger bolts should be in and tightened. On the four bolts that connect the transmission shell (large aluminum differential carrier part of the case) to the flange at the end of the torque tube, snug them then back them off maybe one turn. You want things lined up via the four bolts, but you want a little wiggle in them to get the coupler to slide.

Make sure you have the two dowel sleeves installed in the transmission shell bores for the top two of the four bolts. They're absolutely necessary for alignment.

Use a thin smear of anti-seize on the splines of both the transmission input (main) shaft) and the torque tube shaft.

Hope this helps! Good luck.

bordin34

Also be sure both bolts are not in the coupler

Otto Mechanic

Thanks guys, I'll apply all that today. Kevin your comment on the sleeves might be the largest hint; during this refresh I replaced the torque tube with the pre-88 "non-split" tube from a salvaged 944 turbo and it's very possible those sleeves ended up stuck in the old tube. If that's the case, my problem is solved.

I'll report further once I've exposed those parts.

KevinGross

Cool beans. If you need the dowel sleeves, let me know. New from Porsche they are silly expensive at present (but made from nice stainless). I can send you a couple good used ones.

Otto Mechanic

Kevin - I'll send you a PM later after I look. Strange though it might seem, I fell down my front stairs day before yesterday and cracked my elbow. Sort of put a damper on things. What a week I'm having

The swelling's down so I hope to get back on it today.

Van

Usually I need all tranny mount bolts loose, and sometimes the back of the transmission needs to tilt up or down.

Otto Mechanic

Hey there Kevin -

So I got to the point I can raise my arm over my head again and I took out the upper passenger side tranny bolt to check for a sleeve. From the PET it looks like it goes in on the TT side of the tranny case, the bolt runs through it and threads into the TT bell housing. When I run a small probe down the hole from the rear of the tranny (where I'd insert the bolt) I can feel a ridge telling me there's a reducer in there that the bolt passed through. I can't see it but I can feel it about an inch down the hole.

So I think I have the sleeves installed. That would make sense since I don't remember removing them from the transmission before sending it in for the LSD installation and they didn't come back in a spare parts bag either. I can't imagine the tranny shop taking them out and keeping them

I'd thought they were part of the TT, not the transmission but the PET says otherwise. Unless they somehow could've gotten stuck in the old TT when I separated them. Does that even sound possible? Do they extend beyond the transmission bell? Doesn't look like it from the drawing.

I'm pretty sure they're in there so I'm going to put it back together and just keep fiddling with it for now.

Thanks to all for the advice and the parts offer.

KevinGross

Hey Otto, the dowel sleeves fit into the bores in both the TT flange and the transmission case, which you would expect. When you take the transmission out, they can remain in either -- kind of a coin flip, whichever side has more galvanic corrosion between the steel sleeve and aluminum bore! They are not permanently part of either side of the equation.

Glad to help, good luck with this!

Otto Mechanic

Aha! so they do join the two parts! That tells me everything I need to know since I would have had to line them up while installing the transmission and I didn't do that. There wasn't anything extending between the tranny and the TT flange, nothing like rollpins that stick out. In fact, the fit was so tight I'm not sure how I could have done it. I assumed (from the PET) the sleeves were inserted in the transmission bell and were flush with the face. They must have come out with the old TT, which I left at the salvage yard when I picked up the solid tube.

So I'll take you up on your offer and it looks like I'll be dropping the transmission yet again.

Thanks for the diagnostic. If you send me the price + shipping I'll PayPal you again, I still have your contact info from the gaskets.

Otto Mechanic

Hey Kevin -

Just got the sleeves! Thanks! I dropped the transmission while I was waiting and discovered there was only one sleeve in it, the other is probably somewhere in Berkley. You remotely diagnosed that problem perfectly! 100% accurate. Thank you!

It's hard to express how grateful I am. I want you to understand how much I appreciate your personal effort; It makes me very happy I discovered this site.

Best Regards,
Scott.

PS: I really can't remember ever having anyone do this before. Congrats! Really. This is unusual. Normal people don't do this.

Otto Mechanic

Now I'm on the second attempt I'll do exactly that Van and thank you in advance. I've been a constant supplicant and I'd miss you. I do appreciate your advise. Really.

Van

Let us know how you make out!

Otto Mechanic

Will do. I'm in for another delay though, had to leave my car to go back to the new house (and new shop) this week to take delivery on shop cabinets and flooring. I've just finished a 900 sq' shop addition on an existing detached garage. Got to get the cabinets and floor in so I can move the car down here as soon as it's done so I can sell the one I'm in now. I need someone to clone me, being two places at once is a real challenge. For now it's a week or two at the new place then 250 miles back for a week or two on the old one.