Has this happened to anyone else?

[Alex in Houston]

Pulled motor last week because oil pump locked the fork up.
Pulled main caps and a few of the rod caps. All looked as if I had just installed bearings, so no damage there (Thank GOD). Slap in new pump and shaft, button up motor for reinstallation.
I usually pull the tranny with the motor but just didn't feel the need this time. However when reinstalling the motor, I had to do some major strength training on the hbell housing bolts on the drivers side. I thought it was kinda of strange, but the m otor and bell housing eventually mated.
Get it all back together and decide to fire it up. My car usually starts with a touch of the key. It took a while this time, but fired and proceeded to shut off. I give everything the once over and fire it again. It starts (hesitant) and runs rough as porcupine hairs. Shut it down, recheck the timing and try again. No change, no matter what I did to it. So I immediatley flashback to the bolt issues I had with the driverside bell housing. I run up to a friend of mines tranny shop and he says I may have stabbed it back in a bit off and now could have possibly bent the input shaft on the tranny. Never heard of this problem but it sounded feasible. He says to not run it again as he's seen people lose motrs behind this same type of issue.
I have it at his shop now, but he hasn't a free lift until Friday or Saturday. So once I can get it up on a lift, I'm going to yank the tranny and hope for the best.
Amnyone ever heard/seen/had this type of problem?

[red95gts]

Well...

As I'm sure you know, you should never have to draw the bellhousing up to the block. I would look at the plate that goes inbetween the BH and block. If that gets in there cockeyed, it could cause everything else to bind up.

Unless your pilot bearing had a bunch of slop in it, I would think the input shaft woud either go in straight...or not at all. I have to agree with your friend though....don't run the car again until you figure out what's putting the load on the motor.

Good Luck

[Alex in Houston]

Well it seems that simply re-stabbing the tranny has solved the problem.
I got it up on the lift yesterday afternoon (MUST have lift built into garage when house is purchased!) and loosened the tranny. pulled it back a bit, turned/tilted it a bit and buttoned it back it up. Low and behold car started and ran on the first try.
Lessoned learned I guess. If I ever decide to pull the motor sans the tranny, be very careful on how I align it back up.

[92_GT]

I've found that if you have someone who can stand on the tranny while putting everything back in, it's easier to stab engine and tranny at the same time.

Chris

[Forrest]

I always just bias the weight on the chains so that the motor/tranny assy hangs at about a 45* angle... lift up on the tailhousing to get it past the core support and then put a jack under the tail of the tranny under the car and jack it up little by little as you wedge the assembly into place... I've installed motor/tranny in like 6 fox bodies now without any assistance...

Forrest

[Alex in Houston]

Im seriously wondering if it's possible To have something internal to the motor binding? Let me try to be a bit more descriptive here.
Well now the motor fires right up with no problem and runs fine for a good 30 seconds to a minute. After that period of time, the tach starts to flutter wildly up and down and the motor will eventually die. Not only does it die, but it will then turn itself in the OPPOSITE direction! I mean it's as if while it's turning the correct clockwise direction, it's winding itself up to allow it to spin the counterclockwise once the motor starts to sputter. You should see/hear some of the reversions/and smoke I've had coming out the motor when this happens. Once it has run once or twice it won't run anymore for maybe 10-15 minutes. Then it'll start right up and start the cycle again.
I've tried changing the coil, distributor, had the TFI checked at 2 different AutoZones (just for good measure), tried a different Crane box, ran it with the stock ignition, Mass Air Meter, 3 different computers. No matter what I try/replace it repeats the same behavior. The car was actually running just fine before the oil pump went out and nothing else has been changed from that configuration outside of the pump and shaft. this is why I feel it must be internal but I'm not for sure and just looking for some insight.
TIA

[Alex in Houston]

Well I have somehow managed to correct all the new issues I was having with my car since the oil pump install.
I traced all issues to the MAM and the WIRING to the TFI module. I have my TFI module installed behind my passenger side headlite in the fenderwell. I had to extend the wires to do this and one of the connections was weak. It would cause an open in the circuit which would then cause the CCRM to shutout.
Now I'm looking for some sort of tuninmg aid and need info. Is there anyone here that knows the Tweecer or the eecTuner pretty well? I'm debating on going with one of those or just having someone burn me a chip on the dyno. Prices are about the same either way. I'd like to have a tuner of some sort for the infinite ability to change the tune myself. I'm just not all that familiar with the inner workings of the EEC and would like some help initially setting the thing up. Any all info is appreciated