A spare pilot bushing is cheap, so buy another one exactly like the one you installed. Once the transmission is out, see if the spare bushing slips easily over the end of the input shaft pilot tip. If not, then you may have your answer there (that the input shaft is binding in the currently installed pilot bushing OR it’s the wrong bushing altogether).
If it were me, I’d then find an old input shaft with the same exact diameter pilot tip and test fit the old shaft in the bushing installed in the crank. There shouldn’t be any slop but you should be able to hand turn the spare shaft. If it’s really snug, use some 150 grit sandpaper in the inside diameter of the bushing to make it a wee bit bigger so there is no binding. Then reinstall the tranny.
Last edited by Lugnutz; 11/20/2021 1:34 AM.
