How bad did I screw up my bell housing?
 

So last weekend I dropped my transmission. I’m a car noob and I’ve never pulled a trans before, I just watched a couple YouTube vids and went for it. I’m now freaking out because I stumbled across this guide here (https://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140923) he says DO NOT DO exactly what I did: stick a pry bar in the gap of the engine and trans. I did not even realize I was doing damage, didn’t even think about it. So I go back under today to asses it, and sure enough, I have deformed the mating surface in certain spots shown in these pictures:

So, how boned am I here? Or am I freaking out over nothing? The deformations are least going outwards instead of in, so I don’t think I should have any gap going around the entire housing or anything like that, but I’m still worried I may have caused some major problems….

Bah!... it's fine. The reason you shouldn't use a pry bar is because, supported properly, you shouldn't have to. If it hangs up, there's a cantilevered load against the input shaft, or something else is binding.

If you have any burrs proud of the face of either the bell housing or the mating face of the block, just use a bastard file to remove them.

Also, better late than never. Here's what I do to keep the engine from flopping forward.

Thanks for the reassurance. I was quite an idiot during the whole process. I did not have either the engine OR trans supported AT ALL as I was prying the thing out. Just hanging by the engine mounts, which I’m sure I did some damage to so I’m just replacing those right now while I have everything apart. Now I’m hoping I didn’t bend the input shaft…

I'm sure it's fine. No way it's bent. Just make friends with someone more experienced before going any deeper. Read the actual service manual. See my sig line.

Will do, thanks a bunch dude!

:thumbsup: I commend you on doing your own mechanical work.

Great photography!

Like ol @Ultramaroon says, "it's fine". And, he outta know, cause in his time, I reckon he has busted up a bunch of stuff - :D

I checked with Bubba and he just laughed and said - no problem. He uses a cold chisel and a BFH to separate the two. Just give it a good whack on one side and a bigger whack on the other side. Iffen it don't come apart, you forgot to take out a bolt.

If you had to pry it out, then good luck getting it back in! It took me 5 attempts over 3 days with 2 different assistants to get mine back in. It has to be perfectly aligned and the phase of the moon needs to be just right or there's no chance.

That is the fun of mounting tyranny's. One time it will take 3 days of battle and calling in reinforcements and the next time it will accidently slip into place while just lifting the tranny into position. There is just no way to anticipate which will happen.

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You think yours was bad. My son and I pulled the engine out of his 05 Forester. It took a gallon of PB plaster, and an hour or more of shaking, prying, hammering, cussing and pleas to the car gods. It finally came loose. We even checked 20 times for a hidden bolt. We had a neighbor come over and look for a hidden bolt. It went back together without any problem. His bell housing looked a lot worse than yours. Send it.

I was a “tyranny” mounting specialist in my late teens (although I preferred to call it “stabbing” instead of mounting). Stabbing was more in keeping with my feelings about doing it. My friends would load me on a creeper, put a “Munchie” four speed on my chest- input shaft under my chin - and roll us under the car. One of them would follow with a bolt or two and after the battle, they’d run the top bolts in about half way and go buy me a couple of Jack in the Box tacos and a big DP. Jesus Christos I was easy.

Then. Then we discovered transmission jacks. No more freebie tacos. No more freebie DPs. I lost 20 pounds.

I was always the skinny guy that got the exact same task. I at least got paid in beers though. AFTER the tranny was in place of course.

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Yep. Reminds me of the old Viking motto.

“Remember boys. Order of operations is VERY important. Pillage. Plunder. And then, and only then, BURN.”

I know about tranny jacks. I'm still just too cheap to buy one. :D

Easy for you to do - big guy - I reckon you just lifted the transmission in place with one hand and screwed the bolts in with the other hand - :iono: