Tips installing Flathead with tranny in car.

[AnthonyG]

Recently had a lot of Agita trying to reinstall my 8BA back into my ‘35! Really hard time getting the tranny male spline to mate with clutch plate female spline. As usual I got the help, suggestions & encouragement here on FB! A couple of the guys suggested I write up some of the tips that let me get the job done. So here goes!

- I was successful with tranny in neutral thru-out procedure.
- don’t use the plastic spline alignment tool use a real spline output shaft from tranny. Available fairly inexpensive around or even had offers from Ford Barner’s.
- remove floor sections to allow easy diss-assembly / reassembly access & view.
- remove the plate on back tranny to open view window, with good light the spline mesh is viewable. Mart’s suggestion, little thing but big help! You can use screw driver to help align spline!
- When reinstalling engine put hydraulic Jack under tranny to help with engine angle on install. Loosen but don’t remove the rear tranny mounting bolts. The moment arm from a small amount of movement you create at rear of tranny is quite a bit at front of tranny, a big help to get engine & tranny line up to tranny / clutch plate for spline mesh!

Big Help with these tips offered by Very helpful Ford Barner’s in Thread post “Engine install” 12/20/2020 incase u want to review all

[skidmarks]

I always take the chatter rods off the frame and put the transmission in gear. If it doesnt slip right into the splines, turn the crank pulley alittle and put a floor jack under the transmission to help adjust the angle between the 2

[AnthonyG]

Hi Skidmarks, while previous installs I’ve gone with tranny in gear & worked this time couldn’t get engagement until I put in neutral & adjusted the spline alignment thru the window on back of tranny. What ever works If in gear doesn’t try some of the other Tips For Barner’s gave me.

[JM 35 Sedan]

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I also made long alignment pins that screw into the engine bell housing and slide into the transmission bell housing bolt holes as the engine and transmisson come together. These pins were a significant improvement for installing an engine in my '35's while transmission was still bolted in place. Made the job much easier than previous attempts without alignment pins.