Mating LS427 to T56...

[roguegeek]

I'm needing to mate the GM LS427/570 to the GM T56. I have the engine, trans, bell housing, and clutch. Need to grab a flywheel (could use a recommendation on that). I've read and seen general articles on the assembly of it all and they all make it sound like it goes together like legos, but I'd like validation from this group. I have the engine still sitting on the crate base. I have the trans leveled on a trans jack. So a couple of questions...

• Can you guys give me a quick rundown of assembly? I can't imagine it really is as simple as bolt, bolt, bolt. Is there any kind of alignment or something as such that needs to be done?
• Other than the flywheel, is there anything else I'm missing for assembly?
• Can I use the wooden crate base to do all assembly on? Should I have the engine supported by the hoist? Should I have the trans supported by the jack?
• Is there anything else obvious to the group but not to me that I'm missing here?

Any and all feedback is much appreciated. Thanks!

[79 Camaro]

When I did a LS/T56 magnum combo I used a stock LS7 flywheel. A stock 2002 Camaro clutch slave cylinder with a Tick speed bleeder.
I put the trans on a pallet so it was off the floor a bit and then used the engine hoist to match the trans level. Mine slid right in with just a bit of wiggling. Make sure you have the correct fly wheel bolts. They are an odd ball metric size.

[andrewb70]

I would install the flywheel (no clutch) then the bellhousing, then check the bellhousing for alignment. I would then slide the trans on the bellhousing and check that your input shaft is engaging the pilot bearing (use the 2002 Camaro pilot) properly.

Then I would take it apart and install the clutch, bellhousing and trans and slave (2002 Camaro). Having a remote bleeder is extremely helpful. Obviously follow all the torque specs and bolt order.

You can probably do all this on the wooden crate.

If you go with Holley EFI, keep me in mind for tuning, parts selection and wiring help...

Andrew

[raustinss]

i have a ls9 clutch id be willing to part with if you want to swing to stock gm parts

[roguegeek]

Alright, so I'm going to try and repeat back what I'm reading here to make sure I'm doing the right thing.

1. Aquire remaining parts: Sounds like I need the flywheel, clutch slave cylinder, and pilot bearing (is this the same as the throwout bearing?).
2. Install flywheel and bell housing to check bell housing alignment. I need to figure out how to do this alignment properly. I'm hoping I can find instructions on the Quick Time site.
3. Check that the input shaft is engaging the pilot bearing properly. Again I'll need to find more detail on this.
4. Take it all apart and install the clutch, bell housing, trans, and slave cylinder. Do so with a remove bleeder. Use proper torque specs and bolt orders. I'm getting a bit confused on the differences between the slave cylinder, pilot bearing, and throwout bearing.

Sorry, guys. I know this is a mess. I'm learning as I go. Try not to get too annoyed with me. Do I have this generally correct? Can anyone help fill in a bit more detail or bring some clarity to some of the confusion I've called out above?

- - - Updated - - -

i have a ls9 clutch id be willing to part with if you want to swing to stock gm parts

I appreciate it. I already have a McLeod RXT clutch sitting here, but thanks.

[79 Camaro]

Pilot bearing goes into the end of the crank shaft. If you have the correct T56 and bell housing the pilot shaft engagement should be no problem. Not the same as the slave cylinder. To check bell housing alignment you will need a dial indicator with a magnetic base. Loctite on the flywheel bolts to keep them in place and to keep oil from seeping out. The slave cylinder is the throw out bearing.

[roguegeek]

Pilot bearing goes into the end of the crank shaft. If you have the correct T56 and bell housing the pilot shaft engagement should be no problem. Not the same as the slave cylinder. To check bell housing alignment you will need a dial indicator with a magnetic base. Loctite on the flywheel bolts to keep them in place and to keep oil from seeping out. The slave cylinder is the throw out bearing.

Gotcha. So if I updated the parts I need for the assembly, I'm looking at the flywheel, pilot bearing, clutch slave cylinder/throw out bearing, as well as some particular equipment for the bell housing alignment. I'm guessing I can follow the instructions on this video?

[CarlC]

.....and a good clutch alignment tool. This aligns the centerlines of the pilot bearing and the clutch disk so that the transmission input shaft will go in easily. Well, sorta easy as they always tend to fight a bit.

Pretty good explanation of clutch components: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UmrCl2nLKM

Alignment tool: He talks kinda funny, but gets the point across. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wByWjLN_9Bk&t=50s

[roguegeek]

.....and a good clutch alignment tool. This aligns the centerlines of the pilot bearing and the clutch disk so that the transmission input shaft will go in easily. Well, sorta easy as they always tend to fight a bit.

Pretty good explanation of clutch components: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UmrCl2nLKM

Alignment tool: He talks kinda funny, but gets the point across. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wByWjLN_9Bk&t=50s

Thanks. Yeah, the McLeod kit came with the alignment tool. Oh, and it came with the flywheel as well. I'm not quite sure how I forgot that. Again, learning as I go.

[roguegeek]

Alright, picked up the following parts.

• 24264182 - Cylinder, Clutch actuator
• 14061685 - Bearing, Pilot
• 11516424 - (2) Bolt, Clutch actuator to trans
• 12523235 - (7) Bolt, Bell to Trans
• 11569956 - (6) Bolt, Flywheel
• TPSBL - Tick Performance Remote Clutch SPEEDbleeder

In addition to this, I'm using the following components already in hand:

• 19420191 - LS427/570 crate engine
• 19352208 - T56 Super Magnum transmission
• RM-8019 - Quick Time low-profile bell housing
• 6305507M - McLeod RTX twin clutch kit

Unless you guys see something missing, and please tell me if you do, looks like I'm ready to start mating it all together. I'll let ya know how it goes, what problems I come across, and if I have any additional questions, which I'm sure I will. If there's anything else you guys can think of, any additional feedback, all of it would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[79 Camaro]

Tick speed bleeder.

[roguegeek]

Tick speed bleeder.

Crap. On it.

Edit: Got it. Yeah, looks like a no-brainer time saver. Added it to the list above. Thanks looking out.

[roguegeek]

Update: I've completed bell housing alignment and adjustments. I've installed the flywheel, clutch, bell housing, and changed out the pilot bearing to the T56 version. I have the engine on an engine stand as well as connected to my crane. I have the transmission on a transmission stand as well. Both are leveled as much as possible. I haven't installed the clutch slave cylinder or Tick bleeder yet, but I wanted to test fit the engine and trans before installing those.

I attempted to mate the two last night, unsuccessfully. I simply couldn't get the transmission shaft into two clutch plates. Yes, I did use an alignment tool when I installed the clutch. Yes, they visually look aligned and I can still slide the alignment tool in without issue. I just couldn't get the transmission shaft in. I was pretty light-handed in trying to do so. Is this something that should just go together easily or is it something that requires a bit of wrestling and heavy-handedness to get done?

Any tips, tricks, or feedback would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[andrewb70]

Update: I've completed bell housing alignment and adjustments. I've installed the flywheel, clutch, bell housing, and changed out the pilot bearing to the T56 version. I have the engine on an engine stand as well as connected to my crane. I have the transmission on a transmission stand as well. Both are leveled as much as possible. I haven't installed the clutch slave cylinder or Tick bleeder yet, but I wanted to test fit the engine and trans before installing those.

I attempted to mate the two last night, unsuccessfully. I simply couldn't get the transmission shaft into two clutch plates. Yes, I did use an alignment tool when I installed the clutch. Yes, they visually look aligned and I can still slide the alignment tool in without issue. I just couldn't get the transmission shaft in. I was pretty light-handed in trying to do so. Is this something that should just go together easily or is it something that requires a bit of wrestling and heavy-handedness to get done?

Any tips, tricks, or feedback would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Did you install the trans to the bellhousing before bolting on the clutch, like I suggested?

[roguegeek]

Did you install the trans to the bellhousing before bolting on the clutch, like I suggested?

I did. There were no issues there.

[andrewb70]

I did. There were no issues there.

I suspect what is happening is that your disks are not lined up square. When you insert the alignment tool, you have to maintain forward pressure on the alignment tool, as centered as possible, as you snug down the pressure plate bolts.

Andrew

[roguegeek]

I suspect what is happening is that your disks are not lined up square. When you insert the alignment tool, you have to maintain forward pressure on the alignment tool, as centered as possible, as you snug down the pressure plate bolts.

Andrew

I feel like I did that. There was some lateral play when doing so, so I intentionally pushed forward and tried to visually maintain straightness when I tightened down everything. Again, I can push the alignment tool all the way in at this point with no issues at all.

So you're saying the shaft should go in pretty easily then? Again, I didn't want to go beyond a comparatively light-handed try until I got more info.

[andrewb70]

I feel like I did that. There was some lateral play when doing so, so I intentionally pushed forward and tried to visually maintain straightness when I tightened down everything. Again, I can push the alignment tool all the way in at this point with no issues at all.

So you're saying the shaft should go in pretty easily then? Again, I didn't want to go beyond a comparatively light-handed try until I got more info.

When everything is lined up, it all just pops together pretty easily. That's the point of all the alignment steps that you went through. Nothing should be binding.

Do you have a yoke on the output shaft? Having the trans in hear while you wiggle the yoke can do the trick.

[roguegeek]

Just for reference, here’s a pic of the trans and engine connected with no clutch as well as a pic of the trans shaft fully engaging the pilot bearing.

[roguegeek]

Someone brought up the point of the two components being "leveled" and both on a stand makes it harder because I can't adjust lateral and rotational alignment quite as easily. So what I'm thinking now is just lift the engine off the ground with the crane that's already attached so it can move and adjust freely while I keep the trans on the lift and see if I can massage it on that way. I could do the opposite as well, keeping the engine on its stand and lifting the trans with the crane, but it all seems the same and I already have the crane on the engine. Thoughts?