How To Mate An Engine And Transmission

Detroit Muscle co-host, Marc Christ, takes you through how to mate an engine with a transmission.

First, start with your release bearing. Attach the release bearing to the clutch fork. Once it’s snapped in, slide the fork onto the pivot shaft. Before you start installing the clutch parts, you need to get the block plate installed. Slide the plate up against the block and put a bolt in to temporarily hold it in place. American Powertrain has everything you’ll need for this project.

Next, put in the pilot bearing, and flywheel. Here in the shop, we use ARP products. For threadlocker that you’ll need to use for the threads, Permatex is what we keep on hand. Then the flywheel is ready to be installed. Run in the bolts and tighten them, torquing them to 85 ft.-lbs.

Run over the flywheel with brake cleaner like CRC Brakleen to get all the dirt and grime off so it doesn’t get onto the clutch disc. You’ll want to install the clutch disc next along with the alignment tool. Then attach the pressure plate that can be attached with bolts that come in the American Powertrain kit and get torqued to 24 ft.-lbs.

Finally it’s time to mate the two. Maneuver your engine until it’s married to the transmission and fasten with bolts to keep it in place.