Separating 1970 Tranny from Engine

[Allen Henderson]

For the mechanically inclined,

For the 1970, at least, the Factory Manual says you have to release the pressure plate by inserting three screws through the top opening in the tranny to allow rotation of the throw-out bearing in order to separate the 901 transmission from the engine. I encountered this part of the manual when I was doing so and was REALLY worried since my engine won't rotate, is stuck. However, I found I could rotate the throw out bearing without releasing inserting the three bolts, as pictured, in the repair manual. Does anyone know what the three bolt process is all about, why it is in the manual? THanks.

-Allen-

[LeonardZ]

Hi Allen,

I remember reading the same. I too had a seized engine. Seems like I ended up rotating the tranny on the engine to remove the bolt on the clutch fork.

I would like to know about the three bolts as well.

Leonard

[john rice]

I wish I could help but cannot help myself from relating [mid 80s here so I have a time/age excuse] when I reinstalled my 2.2S engine and trans and finally got it all fired up. After I got everything... ready... I was going to go for a test drive. Only the clutch would NOT engage!!! I had forgotten to remove the 3 magic bolts! I slept on it and the next day I carefully lined up an imaginary straight line into the rear of the seat box, marked it and drilled a small hole right there [yes the uphl was removed first]. Sure enough, l could shine my flashlight straight into the bolt. From there it was simply a matter of locking the flywheel and using several long extensions and rotating the engine until I had all three out. I put a nice Factory rubber plug where the hole was and the car was fine. It beat the heck out of removing the engine and trans again! [of course that 911 now had a non-Factory HOLE in the chassis.... eeeek].

I seem to remember that this particular clutch setup will hang up and you cannot remover the trans from the engine otherwise. The bolts load the clutch and free up the T/O bearing and all... something like that.
JR

[MarkS]

Allen, I'm not sure anyone other than the guy that wrote it and or translated it knows. No need, as you found out just use a tool (long screwdriver) to rotate the two T/O bearing ears past the T/O bearing arm, same to install. I leave the trans axle a bit loose on installation so I can rotate the ears back on easily then tighten/torque to engine case.

[Allen Henderson]

Allen, I'm not sure anyone other than the guy that wrote it and or translated it knows. No need, as you found out just use a tool (long screwdriver) to rotate the two T/O bearing ears past the T/O bearing arm, same to install. I leave the trans axle a bit loose on installation so I can rotate the ears back on easily then tighten/torque to engine case.

Bruce Anderson thought it must have been a joke. The instructions are so detailed. It just makes no sense to me. Perhaps, something early on in the design of the throwout bearing locked it to the pressure plate springs and they changed it. Anyway, by now it is just a useless piece of early 911 trivia I guess.

-Allen-

[Paul Schooley]

I have a 901 tranny 'stuck' to a siezed 2.7 engine and been wondering how the heck I'm going to separate them. The good ol Upfixin der Porsche has an article on separating them with the three bolts. Reckon I'll have a bash at it one of these days soon.