Yup, the clutch must be ingaged, meaning; the the arm to be tied up like it
was engaged.  This is to not let the throw out bearing interfere with the
installation.  It would hold you back.  Wont' let you mate.
And, of course, when you install, make sure that the top and the bottom have
the same gap, so the shaft would slide in.  And the sides too, of course.
And have patience.
Zoltan

-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Cooper
Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 2016 11:03 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Transmission swap problems: 86 tranny onto 83 engine.

I'm trying to replace the manual transmission in an '83 Westy with one from
an '86 tintop.  Quite simply, I can't get the transmission to mate with the
1.9 engine; there is some mechanical obstruction.  I think I'm far enough
away that the input shaft has not even started into the clutch disc
splines; the fresh grease I put on the input shaft has not been disturbed.

I don't think its an incompatible parts issue since they appear identical.
The transmissions are both stamped 091 301 103D, the pressure plates are
marked "Sachs Typ M228" and the clutch discs are both Sachs and measure
228mm in diameter.  (The clutch kit from the 1983 is nearly new; the PO
told me it had been recently replaced and I was hoping to re-use it.)  The
input shafts appear identical; the clutch disks from both will slide onto
either one of them.

Why was I replacing the transmission?  Gearing problems -- usually
impossible to shift into first from neutral; usually had to get van moving
in 2nd and then downshift to 1st.  Also issues shifting from 2nd to 3rd.
It seemed less expensive to swap in a good used transmission than to have
that one rebuilt.

Can anyone suggest what the problem might be?  (I haven't done many
engine/tranny swaps, but I'm experiencing deja vu.  I once tried to put the
engine from an '88 Chev S10 into a 1991 Chev S10.  Same problem; could not
get the engine to engage with the 91 transmission's input shaft.  Turns out
that GM had changed the input shaft size in the intervening years.)

Thanks, Rick