Problems with installing sm465 transmission

[chevyboy1986]

1984 Chevy c20 3/4 ton with a 454bbc and sm465 4 speed manual trans

I had an issue with a bad throwou bearing so i removed the transmission like a week ago and i just was messing with installing the new thowout bearing and here are my issues listed below.

1. The throwout bearing wont go on the arm is supposed to be on, whatever the things that look like they have teeth are called (maybe the clutch plates idk) is in the way and a little to close to the arm to have room to slip the throwout bearing onto it so do i just ignore clutch parts and push it on or am i missing something?

2. I found pieces near the front of bell housing case that ae from the throwout bearing i guess and after looking at it apperently the bearing blew up or something so the bearing part where BB'S were at was apart so they are in bell housing cover just loose and what not so is this fine or is my clutch now messed up.

3. Most important thing i need to know is if i can just un bot the bell housing from my motor and clean out Bearing BB'Sand what not or will it involve messing with the clutch stuff and not very easy to do?

Thanks oh and this is my first time messing with a transmission but im mechanicly capable but only with instructions with the harder stuff lol

[Jason S]

You should get any loose parts out of the bell housing.

You can remove the bell housing from the engine without removing the clutch/pressure plate. If you do remove the pressure plate, mark the location of the plate in relation to the flywheel so it will go back in the same location. 

Since you have most of the work done, it wouldn't be a bad idea to remove and check the pressure plate and clutch disk for damage and wear. If you have the clutch/pressure plate off, check the pilot bearing in the end of the crankshaft and the surface of the flywheel.

It'd be easier to inspect and replace other parts now, if necessary, than find out 5,000 miles down the road that there was a problem.

[chevyboy1986]

Ok so I understand that I shold chec the clutch and have flywheel re surface while everything is rite there but i dont plan on keeping the truck for more then a week after i fix it so if it works then it stays lol.

So basicaly what you said is after i un bolt ll the bell housings bolts that go o motor then the bell housing will come off and everything that sat inside of it wot move any unless more bolts re taken off rite or will all the clutch stuff just be free standing there or come off with the bell case?

[Jason S]

Clutch and pressure plate are bolted to the flywheel. The flywheel is bolted to the end of the crankshaft.  The bellhousing is bolted to the outside of the engine block. 

Unbolt the bell housing and remove; the pressure plate, clutch disc and flywheel remain attached to the engine.

[chevyboy1986]

Ok I jut wanted to mke sure een if it was a dumb question lol, so should i clean anything off or just get all the loose parts from the bad throwout bearing out of bell housing and install the new bearing while bell housing is off

[Powerdriver1958]

If the bearing came apart , Are the pressure plate fingers OK??

[chevyboy1986]

Everything looks fine but idk im just going to get all the bbs and stuff out of bell housing then re-install tranny and just start it and then put in gear without the driveshaft hooed up and if it spins feely with no noises then it should be fine.

[chevyboy1986]

Ok so I went ahead and removed all the bell housing's bolts and then removed the spring that holds the clutch pedals adjuster to the arm that goes into the side of bell housing.
So here is the issue the arm that goes into the bell housing is nice and free so it's not the issue but there is a circular tube like thing kida rite above it that goes onto the bell housings outter cover and i couldnt figure out how it comes off. Now if you know what im talkig about i sue it's something simple and i ant upload a pic so i hope someone knows how to detach it from bell housing and they can tell me what to do, if you just lok at yours you will know what im talking about.

[Powerdriver1958]

With a mechanical clutch that would be what we uneducated folks call a trapeze bar . It has a mounting bracket on the frame and a ball stud on the bell housing  . most of the time there is enough room to pop the housing loose and wiggle the ball stud out , it just slips in and out . Only a couple of times did I have to take the frame side loose . On the frame side if you need to there is a nut you can loosen and just slide out , The nut doesn't need to come completely off . The bracket is slotted .

In one extreme case I did just unscrew the ball stud , It had a couple of flat spots that would let you use a wrench to remove it once the grease and gunk were cleaned off . It just screws in to the bell

[chevyboy1986]

Ohhhh ok wow, well It just looked le itwul slide offbut it alsolooked lke it would be hard to get back on so  figured i would check lol thanks man.