do i need to install a pilot bearing in the crank when mating a 350 to a getrag using v8 archies kit? if i rip out the engine compartment insulation and paint the compartment with por-15 black velvet, do i NEED to put any insulation back up?

thanks in advance,
billy

There is no provision on the Getrag for a pilot bearing and so they are not used (put close to 40K on 2 getrags behing my Archie SBC kit).

You can run w/o the insulation (I have done it for years), but the passenger compartment temp will increase and you will feel the center console get warm. I perfer to add additional insulation under the carpet on the inside vs. it being in the engine bay.

Heat shields, ceramic coating or exhaust wrap can all be used to help reduce engine bay (and passenger comparment) temps.

[This message has been edited by fieroguru (edited 06-18-2010).]

As has been stated, no FWD GM stick shift transaxle uses a Pilot Bushing.

If you look at the end of the Input Shaft on the FWD transmission, you'll see that there is no counter O.D. on the shaft to fit into a pilot bushing.

Archie

[This message has been edited by Archie (edited 06-18-2010).]

You may need a pilot bushing in order to use the alignment tool that comes with your clutch. I used a Spec stage 3 in mine and it came with a pilot tool for the V6 (no pilot bushing) and one for the V8 pilot bushing. It also came with the bushing which I needed in order to use the tool.

Clear as mud...?

------------------
1986 SE 350 V8

Interesting thing

Before I pulled the auto tranny/engine in doing my auto -> stick swap I went I went to Advance Auto and purchased along with my throwout bearing /clutch kit, a pilot bushing for an 86 2.8 Fiero. It does make you wonder. Well at least the other parts fit. Not sure WHAT the 2.8 bushing was supposed to fit.

thanks for all the replies, very helpful. I've never messed with a clutch, flywheel, etc. on a car before. Just about everything else though.

I left the insulation on the firewall and pulled all of the other insulation out of the car.

quote Originally posted by phonedawgz: Interesting thing Before I pulled the auto tranny/engine in doing my auto -> stick swap I went I went to Advance Auto and purchased along with my throwout bearing /clutch kit, a pilot bushing for an 86 2.8 Fiero. It does make you wonder. Well at least the other parts fit. Not sure WHAT the 2.8 bushing was supposed to fit.

It was probably a typo in the parts book (happens all the time). The pilot bushing was probably for the 2.8's used in front engine RWD configurations (S10/S15, Camaro, Firebird) because they used them. Since the fiero is RWD someone assigned the part to it as well.

[This message has been edited by fieroguru (edited 06-19-2010).]