I've been goign at it for a while now and i can't seem to get the transmission mated back up with the engine..... there is a 1/4 inch gap... note that the engine and the transmission is out of the car.. anyone have any particular "trick" to getting them aligned?

 

If your sure that everything is lined up...the input shaft is meshing with the clutch teeth and started into the pilot bearing hole, try pulling everything together with the bell housing bolts, tightening each of them up a little at a time. IIRC, that's what I had to do on mine.

 

did you use the alignment tool when you put the clutch on the flywheel? some grease on the shaft splines is nice, turn the input shaft a bit. do you feel the splines?

 

If you have everything lined up, turn the input shaft some, that always helps.



Usually if you start cranking the bellhousing bolts a 1/2 turn in a star pattern it will 'click' in when there is the right pressure on it.