aminus21

iTrader: (14)

Hey everyone..Im in the middle of a VE5 swap, and the VE auto engine has a little "bushing" in there..pictured in post 33 (courtesy of Jeff92se).

http://forums.maxima.org/oldthread.p...4&postcount=33

so I read that the auto bushing needs to be taken off and replaced with a manual pilot bushing. I've also read that on 3rd gens, the manual pilot bushing's only purpose is to help align the clutch. The clutch alignment tool I have has adapters that fit into the auto bushing hole. Also, can I just keep the pressure plate loosely on and then put the tranny on, tighten the bolts through the flywheel, and then take the tranny off and torque them?

Reason I ask is because I tried to take off the auto bushing with a rental pilot bushing puller and it didn't work..did you guys use a special puller?

I also used a pry bar but didn't want to mess up the crank..I also heated a bit with pb-blaster to no avail..

Thoughts..

Wiking

- grind/cut
- grind notches for puller grippers
- pry out: 'chisel' in from three sides
- expand via heating: use mig welder

Each method has its drawbacks.

Whatever Edit: Don't try this:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...27/wdiy127.xml

maxitech

iTrader: (7)

I left the stock bushing in place when I installed my VG M/T with no issues, I'd hope it's the same case with the VE M/T as I'm going to install a VLSD unit in my car here pretty soon.

Can anybody else shed some light on this matter?

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

I thought the auto bushing stuck out far enough to contact the end of the input shaft?

If not, then I wouldn't worry about it. If so, then cut it out. it's not too hard. I used a hacksaw and sliced it into 4 or 6 sections, then a hammer and chisel to break it up.



Oh.. Wiking.. this one's more appropriate for the automotive world...
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2007/n...oosen-lug-nut/

DOH

maxitech

iTrader: (7)

Why'd you take your bushing out, Matt? I thought you've never done any tranny mix n' matching.

So the bushing is not supposed to touch the input shaft?

Did you replace yours or just remove it?

What is its purpose in the first place?

Any idea if the VG and VE input shafts are identical (in length)?

Sorry for all the questions, but I want to make sure I get it right when I do the swap (might be as early as this weekend.)

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

I pulled it. Just so happens that one leg of a pulley puller fit into the hole and I popped it out lickity split.

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

Just because I've never swapped trannies doesn't mean I haven't swapped engines.

no, the bushing is not supposed to touch the input shaft on a Maxima.. that would be scary. basically all id does it bump into the end of the shaft in the event the crank walks or the input shaft wobbles some. the auto tranny uses a steel one for some reason, but the manual uses copper so that it serves as a bearing instead of a self-welding steel to steel surface like the auto bushing + 5 spd shaft.

VE and VG use same length and dia shafts.


It takes about 2-3 minutes to pull the bushing out and a proepr 5 spd bushing is about $3 from the parts store of $6 from the dealer, so I would just do it and get it out of the way. Nissan designed them differently for a reason- exactly why I don't know. But since they did it, I'd say you're better off doing what they did as well.

maxitech

iTrader: (7)

Thanks for clearing that up. I didn't realize the materials were different depending on the type of tranny. I could've sworn the bushing in my motor is copper, but I will double-check when I pull the old tranny. I'm pretty sure I even have the copper bushing from my clutch kit still sitting around somewhere.

What will it take to push the new one into place? If you are supposed to use the clutch alignment tool, I cut the end off of mine when doing the job the first time because the bushing was keeping it from fitting in all of the way.

maxitech

iTrader: (7)

I also find it interesting that I never touched the bushing when I did my 5-speed swap and I haven't had any problems. Although I will be sure to investigate this when I do my VLSD swap.

Just do be clear: the bushing is not necessary for my purposes? So there is no need to install the copper bushing that originally came with my clutch kit?

Wiking

Oh whata mechanical pain - he surely will remember the echo-effect.

Not yet tried that in cable routing through firewall...

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

haha. Kitsap is a rual county in the NW area. I can see it happening.

maxima278

iTrader: (3)

Would the pilot bushing (or lack thereof) cause a tranny to sound like its scraping when the car is in motion?

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

no.

that's bad bearings or broken gears or something internal to the tranny.. if you're lucky, it's just a dust shield rubbing against a brake rotor. check the simple stuff first.

maxitech

iTrader: (7)

Just out of curiosity, did you replace yours, Jeff? Or did you just run w/o one?

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

I tapped in the oem bronze pilot bushing for the manual

maxitech

iTrader: (7)

I thought it was copper, not bronze. Napa ordered me one, but it turned out to be steel. So I picked a copper one out with the same O/D, but a slightly smaller thickness. I don't think it should matter tho, since its purpose is to bump the end of the input shaft if the crank wanders. Thoughts? I want to have the VLSD in in the next 2 or 3 days.

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

You might end up having problems aligning the PP if your alignment tool doesn't fit into that bushing

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

don't you mean the clutch disc? the PP fits onto the dowel pins, or at least mine did. I used an alignment tool in the a/t bushing, and although inexact, it was close enough to mount the tranny. The alternate method to doing the bushing is to tighten the PP bolts just a little bit, so the clutch disc is moveable, and then rotating the crank and tightening the PP bolts one at a time (in as best a star pattern as you can keep up with) through the starter hole.

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

yes disc

maxitech

iTrader: (7)

I cut the end off of my clutch alignment tool because it wouldn't properly fit in when I originally put in the M/T. The alignment tool worked fine and still should. I'll snap a couple pics while I'm working on it.

aminus21

iTrader: (14)

I just bolted up the transmission on Sunday. I couldnt get the Auto bushing off so I left it on. For aligning the clutch I lined it up by eye, then I kept the plate bolts loose, put in the transmission, and then tightened some of the bolts from the starter window. Then I took the tranny off and torqued the pressure plate bolts...

That should be cool right?

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

yeah as long as the thru-starter-window tightening didn't meet or exceed torque spec, meaning that all bolts were tightened even more to meet spec after you removed the pp. otherwise some may already be at-or-past torque. but if they were just a little tight you should be OK.

that's how I did it, and thought it wasn't working, but it really was. I just couldn't get the tranny to fit on b/c i had a massively bad motor mount, causing my engine to sit at an angle, and i had a flat tranny jack. I shimmed something under the tranny's front so it would roll back to match the engine's pitchand it fit perfectly after that.