do we need a spigot bearing?

[schnaarf]

swapping an auto 316 to a manual 318.

Got a 318 engine but unsure as to whether its from a manual or auto so don't know whether we need a spigot bearing.

what exactly is a spigot bearing?!

[StuBeeDoo]

If the engine is going in a manual car it needs a spigot bearing. The bearing locates the gearbox input shaft. The shaft has to be supported at both ends.
Automatics don't use a spigot bearing because the input shaft is supported by the torque converter.

[Brian28]

Have a look in the end of the crankshaft (flywheel end). The spigot bearing (if there is one) will be pushed into the end of the crankshaft, outer diameter mebbe 2.5/3cm with internal diameter the same as the gearbox shaft (mebbe 1.5cm or so). As above, when the engine and box are mated together the idea is that the gearbox shaft slides through the middle of the clutch plate and into the spigot bearing.

[schnaarf]

Absolutely brilliant, thanks for your replies.

[GeoffBob]

May just be a difference in global terminology, but I believe you are all referring to what is commonly termed a "pilot" bearing that locates the nose of the "spigot" shaft in the end of the crank. A "spigot" shaft is the splined shaft over which the clutch plate locates, often referred to these days as the gearbox "input" shaft. The spigot bearing is the much larger bearing that supports the spigot shaft inside the gearbox. I could be wrong, but that's the terminology I was taught.

And yes, you do require a pilot bearing with a manual box.

[Brian28]

Yeah different global terminology. Over here a pilot bearing is the direction that somebody points when they are flying a plane