Is a spacer needed?

[slamdbusa]

Okay I made my adapter plate out of 1/2" plate 6061, now I cut and filed the transmission bell-housing and mated it to the engine. Here is my question, did anyone use a spacer between the crank and flywheel? I am wondering because the flywheel doesn't look like it is far enough out to engage the starter fully from the looks of the opening of the starter hole in the transmission.

Also did anyone use a pilot bushing in the crank? I bought a 300ZX unit but the crank hole seems too small for the bushing to fit properly. I went to the local parts store to see if any other Nissan bushing would fit, but all Nissans use the same part. I will most likely have to make the hole bigger in the crank so that it will fit.

I also noticed that the transmission input shaft is too long to fit the transmission flush to the block, did anyone have to grind it down abit?

[Carl H]

gotta pull the autotrans pilot bearing out first...

[elwesso]

Youll need to use a spacer as well. You might be able to use a couple of the stock spacers.

[T45]

First off there is no auto trans pilot bushing. The torque convertor bolts to the flywheel and the flywheel is hubcentric to the crank. The trans input shaft goes into the torque convertor, not the crank.

I had to clean my crank out with a dremel sanding drum to get my pilot to fit. It does fit though and actually after I got it past the first part it got loose near the back of the hole in the crank. There is a groove in there and it was as if the front of the hole was smaller than the back. Oh well, it's just what it says, "pilot bushing". It's just there to get the shaft and clutch centered while mating the trans to engine and after everything is bolted up it wears until it doesn't touch the shaft anymore. I never understood installing pilot bearings either. Just one more thing to fail.

Are you using a TT trans or NA trans? I used an NA trans and TT flywheel. I welded my bellhousing using VH auto bellhousing grafts and the transmission is flush with the engine. I still had to shim the flywheel with a stock spacer to get it to fully engage with the starter.

If you're using 1/2" plate and say a TT trans and flywheel you'll probably need at least a 1/4"-3/8" spacer. 2-3 of the stock spacers and probably longer bolts as well. Just a guesstimate.

What trans and flywheel/clutch are you using?

[slamdbusa]

First off there is no auto trans pilot bushing. The torque convertor bolts to the flywheel and the flywheel is hubcentric to the crank. The trans input shaft goes into the torque convertor, not the crank.

Are you using a TT trans or NA trans? I used an NA trans and TT flywheel. I welded my bellhousing using VH auto bellhousing grafts and the transmission is flush with the engine. I still had to shim the flywheel with a stock spacer to get it to fully engage with the starter.

What trans and flywheel/clutch are you using?

I bought a N/A transmission, it came with the flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, transmission, driveshaft, and starter.

I made the adapter plate in my garage and hacked off a 1/2" of the bellhousing. I did find that there is a bushing for the torque converter on the end of the crank. I took me an hour to get that thing out. Its 1/4" thick and a snug fit. With that removed the 300ZX pilot bushing went in with no problems. I then used the shim from the auto flexplate ( that is between the bolt heads and flexplate) to move the flywheel out farther, that did the trick, no more sloppy play between the pressure plate and release bearing.

I don't know how it fixed itself, but the inputshaft on the transmission doesn't hit the crank anymore, possibly the auto pilot bushing was the cause, lol.

[T45]

Lol, yeah probably. That's funny though because I don't remember removing a auto pilot bushing. I may have but I don't recall.

Anyways I'm glad you got it to work. Mine was a ***** too.