I posted this over in the 3rd Gen Engine & Drivetrain forum and no one seemed to care...
I'm getting ready to remove the stock clutch and replace it with a South Bend DD 3600 this weekend. I'll also be draining the transmission and transfer case and refilling with Amsoil. I've completed many, many searches and reviewed many, many threads and I have the following questions:
- How high does the truck need to be? I'll be completing this job in an attached 18' x 18' garage and am limited in height by the garage door opener. It's supposed to rain and I can't do the job in the driveway. I will be removing the transfer case as well to hopefully make "stabbing" the transmission easier.
- Since I have the G56, the upgraded hydraulics are mandatory. How does the new master cylinder reservior mount to the firewall? I've read that people are just zip tying them to other components under the hood.
- Can I refill the transmission by pouring the Amsoil through the shifter? I've done it this way on multiple vehicles in the past. I don't really want to squeeze 6 quarts into the fill hole unless absolutely necessary.
- I've spent some time crawling around the truck the past couple of days and it appears that the transmission has developed the famous top leak. Does any one know what the seal is called or the part number so I can order one from Chrysler? I know I can replace it after the clutch swap through the interior if it doesn't arrive in time.
- What is the best tool to use to bar the engine over? Will a half inch ratchet with a pipe work well enough?
- Last question, hopefully, I promise. Where does the blow by tube attach to the engine at? It's causing a build up of road grime and grease on the drivers side of the bell housing. I'd like to extend it else where, maybe to the rear bumper.
I know this is a lot of questions and I greatly appreciate y'alls help in advance. Also, if anyone has any recommendations or tricks of the trade, please post up. I do have a transmission jack and a helper so the job should go smoothly.

 

I seemed to care...just saw it. Go check again!

--Eric

 

Fill throught the shifter.
Blow by tube under the plastic valve cover???

 

I put my SBC 3250DD in on my back it wasn't that bad. I put the truck up on jack stands on all 4 corners ,had the tires about 8 inches off the ground. It wasn't bad at all I had the t-case off and the trans out in about 2 hours. I did have a super heavy duty trans jack ,one used for big trucks that made everything easy.

 

Yes fill the trans through the top about 6 quarts. I have my resevoir zipped tied until I bend up a custom bracket. I just used a pry bar to bar the engine over prying on the teeth of the flywheel. Stabbing the trans was kind of a pain took me about an hour just to get it right. I was on my back and by myself though. The g unit is kind of heavy to man handle. Also the stock flywheel is very heavy so be careful not to drop it on yourself.

 

Why do you have to bar the engine over? Also what does stabbing the trans mean, aligning the input shaft?

 

The engine needs to be barred over b/c the stock pressure plate attaches to the dual mass flywheel like a torque converter to a flex plate. There's an access door on the passenger side of the engine that must be removed to access the pressure plate bolts.
Stabbing means placing the input shaft of the transmission into the clutches.
Thanks for the help every one.

 

...........

 

When i do i like to after the trans is out. Jack up on the front of the motor and rotate the flywheel end of the motor twards the ground this helps with clearance problems. Also makes the stabing of the trans much easier.

 

I can't remember putting the truck on Jackstands but we must have. I used a tranny jack similar to this. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=4075


Fill through the shift tower. Much much easier than any other option.

My seal was ripped too. I however didn't replace it. I probably should before winter.

I was able to turn the flywheel easily by hand.

x2

 

Well, since the posting you had in the driveline forum disappeared...

The part number for your orange inner shift boot is #5191985AA.

PourinDiesel covered the rest.

--Eric

 

Thanks for chiming in Justin, I was hoping you would share your wisdom.
I'm limited on how high I can get the truck b/c the garage is so small and the garage door opener hangs kind of low. Does that Snap On tool get inserted through the starter hole? It's kind of late to get one in time for this weekend, but I'll definitely be getting it prior to next project that requires the engine to get barred over.
So it sounds like I should jack up the front of the engine when I get ready to stab the transmission. No big deal.
Also sounds like I'll be zip tying the reservoir in place until I can make a bracket.
I'll probably order the seal next week and replace it prior to the next big trip.
I've got the 800 pound capacity transmission jack from Harbor Freight. It's not a low boy or goes as high, but I think it should work since I can't get the truck that high.
Thanks for the help every one.

 

The barring tool gets inserted on the passenger side through a small hole that is exposed once you removed the access cover on the trans adapter.

 

I got the clutch installed over the weekend. Started on Friday night, had the transmission, clutch and flywheel out in about 4 hours. Worked on Saturday for about another 7 hours and had it finished. I wasn't able to use a ratchet and socket to bar the engine over like expected (I thought it only had one bolts holding the balancer to the crank, but it has five). A pry bar worked very well. This was actually the easiest clutch install that I've ever completed. No rust or dirt in the face and no broken fasteners. I ended up getting the tires about 4 inches off the ground and everything worked out well, except for the POS transmission jack from Harbor Freight that quick working half way through the reinstallation of the transmission.
The pedal is stiffer, the clutch has the DD noise and changing gears or going into reverse is a little more difficult. I spoke to Peter and he recommended to turn the master cylinder rod out a little bit more which helped. All in all, I'm very pleased with the clutch and it's performance and I can't wait to start testing it. Only another 100 miles or so to go and she should be broken in.

 

What's everyone doing with the new hydraulic line? It's a lot shorter than the stock one so I can't route it that way. Is every one just letting it hang? I can't seem to find a way to route it so it doesn't rub the steering shaft. There is a stud on the driver's side that a ground connects to that would be ideal, but I think the steering shaft and hydraulic line would end up rubbing. It doesn't seem to be load bearing or causing any additional stress on the master or slave cylinders, so I'm thinking about just letting it hang.