Author Topic: Problems With Keisler Install - Tranny Pics Added Friday Afternoon (Read 6487 times)

JeffAARy · « **on:** January 28, 2009 - 01:56:40 AM »

I'm having a lot of problems fitting the Tremec into my previously automatic 71 Cuda. I needed a lot more vertical clearance in the right side of the tunnel than the template provided, and I'm having to notch my existing crossmember. In addition to that, the shifter tower is not centered left-to-right in the opening in the hump. It is hitting the right side of the opening. I'm going to have to make an adapter plate to slide the boot/bezel over. From the installs I've seen in magazines, and what I've read from other forum members that have done this swap, this does not seem normal. The vertical clearance issue with the tunnel, yes. Hitting the crossmember, no. Definitely haven't heard anyone say the shift tower was off center in the hump opening, and I even purchased an original hump hoping to avoid repro issues.

Thoughts?

-Jeff

Chryco Psycho · « **Reply #1 on:** January 28, 2009 - 04:36:40 AM »

I won`t use Keisler stuff , too many problems

dtedler · « **Reply #2 on:** January 28, 2009 - 12:46:01 PM »

Jeff -
I'm sorry to hear of your problems, please call Keisler and ask questions - Richard is very good on the technical end of the installations. I'm from the "Other" company but this is the proper path to start with.

Tony Edler
Classic Mopar 5 Speed

Chryco Psycho · « **Reply #3 on:** January 29, 2009 - 02:55:26 AM »

which engine are you using , do you have the correct left engine mount ??

JeffAARy · « **Reply #4 on:** January 29, 2009 - 04:00:36 PM »

It is the 340 that came in the car from the factory. As far as I can tell the mounts are stock.

Chryco Psycho · « **Reply #5 on:** January 29, 2009 - 08:41:05 PM »

if you have a left 318 mount it will twist the egine & tranny so it is not in the car straight , this could be the problem seeing as the shifter is not centering in the shift hole

JeffAARy · « **Reply #6 on:** January 29, 2009 - 09:55:20 PM »

I don't think twisting is the issue because the transmission mount is almost directly in line with the opening in the floor for the shifter. I can slide the mount slightly forward or back, but not left to right. So if the assembly is twisted, the shifter would still be pretty much where it is because it pretty much is the rotation point.

Regardless, here are some pics of the motor mounts, and a pic showing the relationship of the transmission X-member to the opening in the floor. If you see anything out of whack please let me know.

Chryco Psycho · « **Reply #7 on:** January 30, 2009 - 02:37:30 AM »

having done this swap a few times interferance with the trans crossmember has never been an issue..... is the rear top plate hitting the crossmember ? The shifter should still be centering in the hole if the tunnel is correctly positioned , the engine does look paralelle to the mounts & I assume the auto tranny sat in the middle of the crossmember without prying it over to line up ? I have never done a small block swap , the ones I did were all big block / hemi

dtedler · « **Reply #8 on:** January 30, 2009 - 10:44:02 AM »

Please take a picture of your transmission and post it. Your motor mounts look correct. Do you have a chain that is holding the motor in position....meaning not diving to the firewall? You should about 1/4" to 3/8" of an inch clearance in the stock floor pan support with the machined tailhousing.

JeffAARy · « **Reply #9 on:** January 30, 2009 - 04:16:33 PM »

I'll get a pic with the tranny in as soon as I can. The Keisler rep told me that the tranny needs to be angled down, which is contrary to what it says in the directions about maintaining the driveline angle. Besides, I can't angle it down. There are three spacers (1" tall total) provided in the kit to space up the back of the transmission IF you need to raise it up to achieve the correct driveline angle. Well I need all three spacers just to get my oil pan to clear my center steering link and get the engine back to where it was with the automatic tranny. If I didn't need the spacers I wouldn't have had to modify the tunnel or the crossmember for clearance. From what I see it is the stock oil pan and stock steering equipment, so I'm totally perplexed how if the motor mounts are ok how I could have ever installed this without the spacers.

JeffAARy · « **Reply #10 on:** January 30, 2009 - 07:47:48 PM »

Here are the latest pics.

In this one you can see the engine is centered with the tranny crossmember. If you notice we had to cut some material out of the arch in order to clear the tranny:

In this pic you can see the tranny is sitting on all three spacers, the shift tower is protruding way up into the hump, and it is rubbing on the right side of the opening in the hump:

Here's a close-up of that rubbing issue:

Here is a pic of the relationship between my oil pan and the center steering link. This is with all three spacers holding up the back end of the tranny:

As far as the 4-speed hump goes, I don't know how it could be wrong. It was an original hump that came out of an E-body. It can only go in one location, and when it went in it fit like a glove. I don't know how it could possibly be out of location side-to-side.

thedodgeboys · « **Reply #11 on:** January 30, 2009 - 08:22:37 PM »

422STROKER · « **Reply #12 on:** January 30, 2009 - 08:49:54 PM »

How much room is between the oil pan and centerlink? Did you try loosening the engine mounts(all bolts) an raising the engine up and then tightening them? Just a thought. I took these pics for you showing the clearances to my 340 block pan.

Tom

I have a BB kit to do and this makes me nervous.

JeffAARy · « **Reply #13 on:** January 31, 2009 - 03:32:08 AM »

The more I think about this the more I think it has to be something with the motor mounts or the K-frame. The relationship between the oil pan and steering link concerns me. Is it possible that the rubber isolators are backwards and if I spun them around it would lift up my engine, thererby allowing me to rotate it down without hitting the center steering link and lowering the tranny to where everyone else's appears to be? I'm also wondering if the brackets that hold up the motor mounts have been altered (lowered) for some reason?

JeffAARy · « **Reply #14 on:** January 31, 2009 - 04:08:44 AM »

The only other thing I can think of is the K-frame (or frame) is twisted, causing the back of the engine to rotate down and requiring me to lift it up to clear the steering link and thus causing the tranny to go way up in the back.

Author Topic: Problems With Keisler Install - Tranny Pics Added Friday Afternoon (Read 6487 times)

JeffAARy

Problems With Keisler Install - Tranny Pics Added Friday Afternoon

Chryco Psycho

Re: Problems With Keisler Install

dtedler

Re: Problems With Keisler Install

Chryco Psycho

Re: Problems With Keisler Install

JeffAARy

Re: Problems With Keisler Install

Chryco Psycho

Re: Problems With Keisler Install

JeffAARy

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Chryco Psycho

Re: Problems With Keisler Install

dtedler

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JeffAARy

Re: Problems With Keisler Install

JeffAARy

Re: Problems With Keisler Install

thedodgeboys

Re: Problems With Keisler Install - Tranny Pics Added Friday Afternoon

422STROKER

Re: Problems With Keisler Install - Tranny Pics Added Friday Afternoon

JeffAARy

Re: Problems With Keisler Install - Tranny Pics Added Friday Afternoon

JeffAARy

Re: Problems With Keisler Install - Tranny Pics Added Friday Afternoon