I took apart my tranny this weekend to get out my diff. so I could send it to Retrofit. I remembering reading somewhere recently that there is a trick to putting the bell housing back on.... a certain gear, or washer, or something needs to be packed with grease. If someone could clear this up for me so I know what I'm doing, I'd appreciate it.

1999 Eclipse GST 4G63

I'd read that packing the race bearing w/ grease to keep it in the upper half as you drop it down onto everything else worked well. I was never able to get it to work. I put lighter half back on and was just very careful as it lined up onto the race bearing b/c it's somewhat fragile. Once you get it down fairly close, just start to wiggle the shifter levers and it should drop shut.

/edit/

Just don't force anything. It will close under it's own weight.

99GS MT | Star Stage 2 | GC coilovers | HurriganeGS tie bars | Tokico Illuminas | 17x7 Enkei RS5 | Baer track brakes |+

Yeah, I just used normal wheel bearing greese, and loaded up the output bearing and race with it. This keeps the bearing on the bellhousing. Workded great for me. Once the bellhousing is on the trans, it will prob get stuck with about 1/2" to go. The shifter lever rods in the trans is what's holding it up, and some people have just wiggled around the shifter levers, but i used a small, longer flat blade screwdriver, to kind of "push" each round rod into its race. Once each shifter rod is in, the bellhousing will pop right down into place. Be sure to use Anerobic sealant on the casing halves, and be sure there are no gaps in the sealant. Torque the bellhousing bolts down to spec. Be SURE to put that output shaft bearing in the right way! One end is taperd over the other, and it goes in a specific way...its been awhile, not too sure which way..

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a few more things...

the output shaft bearing goes in only one way. there's a little plastic rim on one side and not as much on the other, it's kind of hard to describe, but if you flip it like a pancake and put it in the wrong way you'll have problems.

there's a little black plastic washer that goes on the rail that the reverse gear sits on, don't forget to put that in or else you'll never be able to find reverse...

"transmission lubricant" or vaseline works best to keep the output shaft bearing in it's race when you bring the clutch bellhousing into the transmission.

one more thing... the output shaft bearing is a caged roller bearing - if it falls apart, as in one of the little cylinders comes out, you have to take the hit and buy a new one. you can't put it back together.

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Is the bearing you guys are talking about the one that kinda looks like a girls braclet. It's about an inch thick and maybe 2" in dia. It's kinda floopy when it's off. If so, I carefully wrapped it in a paper towel and left it alone. So it is tapered on one side and only goes in one way? Which way? - taper up or down? Hmm, this is going to be a bit more challenging than I thought. Thanks for the great info - you guys rock. I'm going to print this out and study it!

1999 Eclipse GST 4G63

99GS MT | Star Stage 2 | GC coilovers | HurriganeGS tie bars | Tokico Illuminas | 17x7 Enkei RS5 | Baer track brakes |+

Yep. that's it. It's been too long since I did it, so I don't remember which way it goes in. I thought it was obvious when I looked at it though (sorry, but that's all I remember).


That's arlight man, I'll figure it out. Thanks for the replies.

1999 Eclipse GST 4G63

I pulled my 355 tranny apart to see for you and the taper is to the top. that is the narrow plastic ring is on top and the wider one is on the bottom.

Terry

Thanks man. I hope you didn't take it apart just for me So, as I drop the bell housing back on the narrower section, the taper should be facing up towards me. I think I got it.

1999 Eclipse GST 4G63