pilot bearing go knocking

[California43]

HI I have a 1947 willys Cj2a t90 transmission, 134 L engine, Dana 18 Transfer case the jeep is all stock
I put a new clutch, pilot bushing, throw bearing in it. It started knocking after about 50-60 miles. so I took the transmission back out and looked at all the parts and found pilot bushing was oblong. then I looked at the Front Bearing Retainer Cap it seemed to be loos around the Main Drive Input Gear. I put another pilot bushing in and it did the same thing after about 50-60 miles it started knocking.

[Wolfman]

You putting the new pilot bushing in dry ???
Some guys soak them in oil.
I use " high temp. " grease. It has a higher melting point and won't melt and run off at engine temperatures.
Front bearing retainer should not be loose. Look it over and make sure it is not damaged before tightening it back up.

[Chuck Lutz]

The damaged (oblong) bearing in the flywheel is not the cause of the problem, it is the result of a problem elsewhere. You mentioned the front bearing retainer left the main gear "loose"...that indicates to me a couple possible issues:
1) the front bearing retainer is not "retaining" the bearing snap ring to the front of the case
2) the opening in the front of the case has been enlarged enough to allow the main gear to "wobble" and that wobble is letting the tip of the main gear enlarge the opening in the pilot bushing in the flywheel

I am more familiar with the T84 but I think the T90 might be effected in the same way.

But....what was happening with the jeep BEFORE you did the replacement of those components that gave you a reason to replace them? Has this been jeep been running just fine up to a point or was this an issue BEFORE you did the work is the point here...

[artificer]

Suggest possibility the needle rollers between the in & out put shaft are short in number encouraging the ability of the input shaft to run off centre, if that is what is happening.
Other possibility is the bell housing is not bolted squarely to the engine plate.

[Mark Tombleson]

Did you take the flywheel off and have it resurfaced? Did all the bolts go back in correctly?

Did you make sure the bell housing was reinstalled correctly with the proper bolts?

Something is not aligning properly... just retrace your steps and tell us.

[Joe Gopan]

It is possible there may be a Flat spot on one of the balls in your Main Drive Bearing, or a metal chip caught in the race.
There are 14 Main Shaft Rollers inside the T-90 M.D. Gear.

[California43]

I put a little grease on the input shaft but it was not hight temperature.I will get high temp grease.
I will check the input shaft to make sure that the front bearing retainer to make sure that it is holding the bearing and check the needle bearing.
When you take the front bearing retainer off the input shaft and bearing wobble but when it together it seams pretty tight.
Thank you for the tips

[Wolfman]

In your reply, you didn't mention Mark's comment on the side bell housing bolts.
The two side bolts, one left and one right that go through the lower engine block holes, that are suppose to be " dowel bolts ".
These are machined shoulder bolts the fit pretty tight and align the bell housing to the block so the crankshaft and transmission input shaft are centered with each other.
These are often replaced with common bolts that may not insure alignment.

[Joe Gopan]

It's nice to remember dowel bolts, but the majority of Jeeps serviced back in the 40's thru 70's when 4 Cyl Jeeps roamed the highways soon lost their dowel bolts at all the non authorized non factory trained shops around the world. Many well trained master mechanics were not aware of these dowel bolts. Trust me, they are not that critical.
Compare the O.O. of the shoulder of the 3/8" NF Dowel Bolts to a generic 3/8" NF Bolt.
NOTE
There is one bolt on the transfers of Jeeps with T-90's that can contact the Reverse Idler, it is on the driver side. Check the length with those in the M-38 or CJ Parts Manual.
And use Permatex #2 or #3 on the threads of the bolts holding the transfer to the transmission.