Thanks Dean.  I'm almost certain that the throw-out bearing was fully
retracted (it is now, with the tranny out and unless my helper (youngest
son) reset it without mentioning it to me...), but will certainly
double-check that when we try again.  I can't tell you exactly how big the
gap was and can't remeasure now since my son is not avail for a couple of
days, but from my visual inspections yesterday, I'd guesstimate the gap at
about 1.25 - 1.5 inches.

On Tue, Jan 5, 2016 at 11:21 AM, OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@comcast.net> wrote:

>         Be Sure that the ThrowOut/Release Bearing is Mounted on the Fork
> Properly &
>
> that it is Fully Retracted ~ Check that the Gap Between Eng' & BellHousing
> is Even
>
> All The Way Around ~ How Big is that Gap when You Get Stymied ? ~
>
>                                                         ORR ~ DeanB
>
>
> On 5 Jan , 2016, at 12:03 PM, Rick Cooper wrote:
>
> > 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
>
>