E36 clutch change... gearbox wont go back

[selvannair 4]

Hi everyone,  my son and I decided to attempt change the clutch on his 1998 328i E36 which has a factory 5 speed manual ZF gearbox. 

We both have done a couple vehicle minor repairs and maintenance before but nothing as big as a clutch change....which I know some of you could do blind folded! We thought we would give it a go seeing we are in lockdown.

We've  installed a stage 2 clutch kit off Ebay.  And followed several YouTube videos.  No problems what so ever....managed to removed parts and gearbox, replaced clutch, greased as required,  torqued as required....

But we just can't get the gearbox back on!

We can get it as close as with just a 5-10mm gap all around the bell housing but just can seem to get it flush.

Any advice?

[Eagle 1662]

If you have checked the new parts are correct then it's probably a misalignment, those plastic clutch alignment tools aren't that great for alignment compared to the proper tool. Sometimes i will use bell housing bolts to evenly draw the transmission in the last little bit its not perfectly centered (slowly and by hand and you can damage things if its not very close to alignment )  

[*Glenn* 854]

Did you replace the spigot bearing. If so did you check it on the gearbox spigot shaft ? Did you use a clutch alignment tool ?

[polley 916]

I think Glenn might be on to it with spigot bearing being the wrong size.. Unless of course you checked it beforehand..

[Cement 871]

Just throwing an idea out here without understanding how a BMW manual is setup ... get it as close as you can then depress clutch pedal (if connected ?), if trans is pushed back then maybe the cover is not correct and its the release bearing thats prohibiting movement ? Spigot bearing sounds more likely however

[NZ00Z3 187]

When I'm doing a clutch change by myself, I sometimes find the final man handling of the transmission back in to get alignment as bit hard.  Have the transmission on a jack, but that last alignment hmm.  What I do is have 2 bolts the same size as the bottom engine mount bolts, but with the heads cut off and a slot for a screw driver cut into the end.  I use these as alignment rods.  Once the transmission in in place with the top 2 bolts in loose, a screw driver winds out the alignment rods and you're into bolting that sucker in.

Also note that the transmission to engine block bolts have a special coating to stop them galling.  Check them.  If the coating is gone, recommend that you use new bolts.  Having a galled bolt that is half in is a world of pain.  Tight access to cut the head off, drill out old bolt and fit a helicoil or time sert.  Often results in the engine removal, so you can get access.

[tawa 150]

Can you get one side closer than the other? that might tell you where the jam is, ie, if one side goes in and the other comes out, it's probably in the center. For me, I had one side stuck and the other free, turned out I had pinched the gasket plate part into one of the dowel holes and it had bound up. It was around that point I decided it was a prick of a job and that next time I'd take the whole engine out... or at least get a hoist!

Credit for taking on this as a lockdown project though! 

[dirtydoogle 383]

Quite a few clutch kits come with the wrong bearing, your ZF has a 15mm spigot and requires a 6002-2rs bearing. 

[selvannair 4]

You were right Glenn.....  We put the wrong spigot bearing in!!  Changed the spigot and the gearbox slipped in like a glove   So grateful for the tip.