E36 transmission install help!

[Phil Trill]

So for the last week or two I have been pulling out my hair and wanting to take my e36 to the dump because it is just refusing to accept the transmission fully. I can get the input shaft to slide into the clutch disk but it will not go into the pilot bearing. I've tried everything I can think of and have read about but nothing is helping me bring the transmission in the last 1/2" or so. If anyone has any tips for me I would greatly appreciate it.

I've tried pulling it in with the bolts, having a buddy barely push on the clutch pedal, jacking up the front of the motor, and pushing while turning the output shaft with it in gear.

With this and the fact that the rear subframe bushings are refusing to come out, I cannot even express how frustrated I am with this car at this point.

PLEASE HELP!!! I really don't want to pay some random person to come out here and break something trying to force it in

[atdM3]

Did you use a clutch alignment tool to bolt down the pressure plate? You need the special tool for this. It is very hard to eyeball correctly.

I found this to be very helpful and it was posted on the M3 forum.
Go to Home Depot and buy a couple of hardware store M12 bolts about 3 or 4" long. Cut off their heads with a saw and use a Dremel tool a create a screwdriver slot in the cut end of the bolt shank. You can thread one of these in on each side prior to installaing the transmission. These will help to support the weight of the transmission and they'll act as alignment studs when you put it back.

[bmwdirtracer]

There are three things which can cause this issue:
1) The alignment sleeves, or their corresponding holes, were not carefully cleaned of rust and corrosion, and then greased or antiseized. Check particularly the one at the starter, it's infamous for this.
2) An error has been made in reassembly. Perhaps the clutch disc is the wrong way 'round, or the splines weren't cleaned and greased, etc.
3) Wrong part: Did you use a new pilot bearing? If so, did you check it for correct fit over the input shaft first? I've gotten the wrong one many times.

[Stewie Topless]

So for the last week or two I have been pulling out my hair and wanting to take my e36 to the dump because it is just refusing to accept the transmission fully. I can get the input shaft to slide into the clutch disk but it will not go into the pilot bearing. I've tried everything I can think of and have read about but nothing is helping me bring the transmission in the last 1/2" or so. If anyone has any tips for me I would greatly appreciate it.

I've tried pulling it in with the bolts, having a buddy barely push on the clutch pedal, jacking up the front of the motor, and pushing while turning the output shaft with it in gear.

With this and the fact that the rear subframe bushings are refusing to come out, I cannot even express how frustrated I am with this car at this point.

PLEASE HELP!!! I really don't want to pay some random person to come out here and break something trying to force it in

im currently having this issue, did u come up with a fix?

[ewrjontan]

I realize that this thread is pretty old but I am having the same issue. I know the pilot bearing fits, clutch was aligned etc. any ideas? Any reason to pull the whole thing out and try again from scratch?

[bmwdirtracer]

There is no magic here. I installed an E36 trans today, no big deal.

Of course you need to pull it back out: IT'S NOT IN!

Likely causes of this issue:
Wrong pilot bearing for your input shaft.
You didn't lightly grease the input shaft.
You're misaligning the trans to the engine. (You know you have to raise the front of the engine, to tilt the back end down? Make sure to remove the fan)
Wiggle it, man. You aim the shaft, get the angles about right, and then wiggle hell out of the back end of the trans, while pushing forward, until it goes "CLUNK"
Starter in the way? Starter comes after transmission.
Dowel pins holding the metal shield between engine and trans?

[ewrjontan]

I'll recheck the alignment of the clutch/pilot bearing again.

Pilot bearing fits the shaft
shaft is lubricated
Engine is tilted back
wiggling hard
starter is removed (putting in the updated starter with threaded holes)
dowel pins aren't making contact with the tranny yet

[jclausen]

It has to be the alignment of the input shaft splines or If the trans was hanging on the input shaft something got damaged?

[bmwdirtracer]

Yeah, realign the center disc. You have the correct alignment tool, I trust? (Let me say that I went though the thirty different alignment tools I have, before I found the exactly correct one, Friday. The one in the clutch kit box is often wrong, and does not match with the pilot bearing or clutch splines).

[ewrjontan]

Hmmm...well my clutch kit (FX racing stage 2) came with two alignment tools and two pilot bearings. I purchased genuine BMW pilot bearing since I heard the ones in the kit were shit. The included alignment tool was just a tad bit tight on the pilot bearing so I filed it down a hair to get it to fit. I aligned it as best I could with it but I guess it must be off; with the tool inserted in the clutch disc and pilot bearing there was still a bit of play/movement to work with in terms of centering the clutch with the pressure plate.


I lubricated just the splines on the transmission input shaft, but is there any reason to lube the tip of the shaft that actually inserts into the pilot bearing? All of the videos that I saw never seemed to show that.

[jclausen]

Sure why not Lube it. Did the trans go in.? This old time mechanic taught me this trick about clutches, he never used an alignment tool. He would bolt up the parts just enough to hold them in place, then center the disc by eye in, moving the disc if needed at the sides. If the disc had the exact outside diameter as the plate he would just line up the outside of the s disc to the plate and tighten the bolts. I did this way a couple of times and it worked.

[ewrjontan]

So after pulling it apart and taking a look at the alignment, it seemed that my disc wasn't exactly centered with the pressure plate opening. It was still inline with the pilot bearing but there was quite a bit of play. So aligned it with the pressure plate by eye and guess what, the tranny slid in on the first try. Thanks all!