I just pulled my manual transmission out and was wondering how much top to bottom play should be in the input shaft. Back and forth its fine but up and down it seems to have a little play.

 

that's normal

 

alright, any tips for getting the pilot bearing out? I tried a puller and it just ripped the center out.

 

if your using a little slap hammer, whicj is what I use and it has two fingers that grab two flats on the inside of the pilot bearing...a few slaps and it always comes out as long as I gave the fingers tight enough

 

That's also why you should coat the outside of the new pilot bearing with a little antisieze, that way they go in and come out relatively easily.

 

old school trick is to fill the hole with grease and then use a hammer to push a wooden shaft in there. the shaft moving in (heh, heh, giggity) will force the grease behind the bearing and move it out a bit. dont use metal because it will (obviously) cause problems.

 

Wet paper towel or toilet paper if you run out of grease....not as much trouble to clean up.