Engine will not slide on the last inch or so.

I always work by myself so sometimes I have to come up with different ways of doing things..

I've done 4 - 5 F head installations and the below works fine.

FIRST, I put the clutch disk on to the main drive gear -- just to make sure that it'll fit -- I've found a couple disks that don't fit well at all and in one case the disk would only fit on in one position (o'clock) on to the MDG.

next I use some white or yellow paint and a small brush to paint two adjacent splines on the mdg -- just the high part of the splines. Then I paint the spline on the disk hub that fits just between the two painted splines on the MDG

next remove disk from mdg shaft and install on to flywheel with the painted tab as close to 12 o'clock as you can get it.

install the engine and get the mdg shaft started into the pressure plate. If you remove the inspection plate on the bell housing you can see both the paint mark on the disk and the ones on the MDG. Align those just like they were when you painted them. If you leave the trans in neutral you can turn the mdg shaft to get it to align perfectly.

lastly, I just eyeball and wiggle the assembly and I can feel it engage.

That process works for me.

Keep your fingers out of the area between the engine and bell, 'cause sometimes when it engages it slides all the way in and a finger could get really hurt if it is in the way.

 

Just an update, Thanks everyone, i finally got it in today. took me all of 5 minutes. i put a floor jack on the oil pan skid and jacked it up a little to level it out, push push in!! i learned the hard way sometimes brains do beat muscles, Thanks again! now i can get it all hooked up and start it up! the jeep hasn't moved in 3 years.

 

That's why I use at least 2 smooth shank guide bolts between the engine and bell. Sure saves a lot of hassle.