Clutch bolt up, part 2:
Fran cautioned me that perfect alignment was needed between the splines of both clutch plates or the tranny would be dern near impossible to install. I had looked and it was close... but not absolutely perfect. So I decided to redo it. What the heck, I have done everything else twice, why stop now? I found it interesting that all of the paint marks I had put on the clutch bolts lined back up when I torqued them the second time around. So, here's the REAL install instructions:
1. Put in your line up tool.
2. Load up the clutch and get the bolts started.
3. Snug them down until they begin to compress the clutch.
4. slowly ease them down in a star pattern, periodically checking to see if the clutch plates are getting tight (it only took me maybe a single turn after the bolt heads made contact)
5. Pull out the alignment tool. If the clutch plates slip easily out of position, the bolts are too loose.
6. Now line up the splines on the two plates EXACTLY. Fran suggested a piece of sheet metal. I just jiggled with a screw driver until they looked dead-on.
7. Gently - without twisting - slip the alignment tool back in.
8. Continue tightening the clutch bolts down progressively until they bottom out, then torque to 19 foot pounds.
When you pull the tool out, the splines should still be lined up perfectly.
We'll see if I got it right tomorrow, when I finally mate 'em.