I decided to finally start my build, and promptly everything went wrong. I started with pulling the radiator, sway bar, and intake. I am installing my ATI damper first, then moving outward.

My impact wrench was too weak for the crank pulley (been that way since new, too late to return it), tried to fix it. It is now in the trash. Time for a new one. A bunch of time wasted.

Had to make my own crank pulley holder, wasted another huge chunk of time.

Got the pulley off and realized I have a coolant leak from the water pump main gasket. Not a lot, but enough to need to fix it. Now I need to pull the water pump...

I also need to redo the timing belt, which was just done 10k miles ago. I was hoping I could slip the damper on with it still in place, but that isn't going to happen and now the whole thing needs to be pulled. I can't see the front of the crank well enough to line up the key. There is no room, even with the radiator removed and the A/C condenser moved back as far as possible.

Here is the question: I also wanted to do the clutch, would it be better to pull the engine/trans and install the damper off the car and do the clutch too? Should I just suffer through getting the pulley installed and then drop the trans?

Any tips for getting the damper started?

 

I'll keep the revs low, lol.

 

if you have a hoist just pull the bastard. it's pretty easy and around the same amount of time pull the trans anyway.

 

I'm not pulling my transmission off my engine while it's in the car again. Made that mistake once, if i have to do the clutch everything is coming out.

Unless i had a lift, then it's a different story. Not sure why you're having problems, i seemed to do mine fine when i did the timing belt / water pump job. I still had the radiator and stock fans in place.

 

The ati damper needs to be pressed on, which means the alignment needs to be perfect before you start tightening. Also, the timing belt needs to be hooked on the pulley before it slides on.

I'll figure it out. I think I just needed a break. I was hoping someone else had been here before, and might offer some insight.

 

fae did it so no pressure.

https://www.miataturbo.net/949racing...r-67895/page2/ there is some helpful info in there.

http://949racing.com/SuperMiata-Harm...ller-rent.aspx
https://www.miataturbo.net/engine-pe...install-41354/

there is a tool.