Could not get the trans to seat far enough into the pressure plate/clutch combo. Saw that the throw out bearing was riding on the pressure plate fingers. Pulled the trans back and tried to depress the throwout bearing spring but it would not depress. I bench bled the slave cylinder so would it be correct to conclude the pressure in the slave cylinder was keeping the throwout bearing from depressing, and hence the input shaft of the trans from seating into the clutch disk and pilot bearing? I figure to remove the bleed screw and let the fluid drain out, then try again. Is the slave cylinder supposed to be empty when installing the trans? Thanks.

 

No, not empty, but you can open the bleeder when installing the trans to the block so slave can be compressed slightly.

There is no pressure in the slave unless clutch pedal/master is pushed in, but there is also no backflow from slave to master, so slave will not compress unless bleeder is opened

 

Thank you RonD. your post reply is helpful and I will try again with an open bleeder on the slave cylinder. Amazing what the Haynes manual does not explain. haha.