[GoreMaker]

Would it happen to feel like a violent shaking when slowly releasing the clutch pedal from a dead stop? Because I just took off my clutch and flywheel expecting to find a badly worn or warped flywheel, but it looks flawless and beautiful. However there was no sign of a pilot bearing or bushing anywhere, just a big glob of grease in the crank snout...

[Stan Weiss]

Better checkout what shape the input shaft bearing is in now.

Stan

[GoreMaker]

The 4-speed transmission is currently being rebuilt, it was leaking like a sieve from every conceivable pore. The rear main seal is also shot, and I'm concerned about the main bearings

[steve25]

Well unfortunately your going to have to yank the motor and pull the pan to fix the seal and then you can pull the rear main cap and the thrust bearing cap to take a look see.

[GoreMaker]

I don't get how anyone could drive this car for years and not wonder what the hell was wrong with it. Granted, it only had like 700 miles put on it since the flywheel was resurfaced by the previous owner, but that was over 5 years ago. I could tell immediately that it drove like crap and something was horribly wrong.

[geeteeohguy]

My first GTO had no pilot bearing or bushing. When I got it, going over 60 mph resulted in the shifter becoming a blur. The car vibrated terribly. I pulled the trans to inspect, and the flywheel had been boogered to re-install, as the person who worked on it did not realize the flywheel is location-specific and must be clocked to line the holes up. I ended up having to replace the entire trans......it was shot. (M-20). After I installed a boneyard Muncie and a pilot bearing, all was magically fine.

[Tom Vaught]

I destroyed a pilot bearing and a Input shaft bearing on my original Muncie 4 speed many many years ago. Same indicators as you had but not as bad. I installed a different 4 speed muncie trans and went with a bronze pilot bearing bushing and have never had a issue since with the bronze bushing with wear or lack of proper operation.

Some love factory Pilot Bearings. They might be great for street cars that never get Power Shifted. I will stick with my bronze bushing. This is post # 329 on this Bronze Bushing subject. I kept the original Muncie 4 speed transmission case because it matched my 76xw engine. I kept the original input shaft to use on 10 spline trans/clutch installations.

Be prepared to do a complete rebuild on that transmission.

Tom V.

[Half-Inch Stud]

heard the idle whistle from a pilot bearing, in a former GTO. A missing pilot bearing is a big hobo deal huh.

[Jack Gifford]

A prior owner had cobbled a late Pontiac 350 into my '59 GMC, somehow fastening it to the truck's SM420 granny-gear 4-speed. I learned later that the input shaft did not reach to the pilot bearing! I drove it that way for a few months (including from Denver to NY when I bought it), I got accustomed to repeatedly disengaging the clutch, until I'd get lucky and the vibration would be tolerable.