Ugghhh tranny removal

[87we410877]

So i took my tranny out today. Found out its really hard to do on a set of ramps in the driveway. First the crossover was in the way of the dust shield and i didnt want to take it off since i just tackled an exhause leak and i have headers so f that. So with a little convincing with a flat blade it came off. Next, cooler lines pissin all over me. Then i try and get that damn bolt on the tranny dip stick tube on the bell housing. How are you guys doing that? I had to use a wratchet wrench with another box on the open end of that for leverage. Then i get the tranny out and it wont slide back off the locating pins. Once again, a little convincing with my boot took care of it. Then it wouldnt come down becaus the mount was still on the crossmember hitting hte tailshaft. Took that off. Now the torqu converters hitting the flywheel. Push the tranny back, drop it nose first onto my arm, got stuck. Im a pretty small guy and laying on the ground with the full weight of the tranny on my forarm wasnt good news. So i layed there for a while figureing out what to do when i got pissed off enough that i manages to lift it and slide it onto my chest or tranny jack as i like to call it. So i pivot the thing down and around the crossmember and now its laying on top of me. I drop it on the ground, and get out from under the car. Then i jacked the car up to slide it out. Picked the tranny up to go put it in the garage in the back yard, i feel my leg all wet. Put it down, tranny fluid all over the driveway and completely soaking my pants. So now im standing in my driveway in my boxers holding a transmission cursing every name under the sun. Neighbors must love it. Thats it for now. I'll let ya know how it goes back in hahah. Maybe i'll assemble the transmission jack.

 

[ghall]

Dang man, getting it out was the easy part:frown:

As far as the dip stick bolt, hopefully you took out the coil/module---all the top stuff is a breeze to get to from the top once you take the coil out.


Assemble the tranny jack--the tranny will go straight up in the car(but barely)-but it will go straight---i just did all this last week.

Make sure when you re-assemble that you hook up the T.V cable on the tranny side--the tranny really doesn't like when you forget that point:redface: :redface:


Geoff

 

[rcantu]

sorry but that cracked me up. never did a tranny but i'm always getting into situations exactly like you. nothing ever works out sometimes.

 

[excobraguy]

Hey, it could be worse....you could have had to of pulled the engine like I just did, now that's a lot of fun! Your story sounded too familiar....I went through the same thing last year putting in my torque converter......good luck.

 

[turbojimmy]

Dang man, getting it out was the easy part:frown:

As far as the dip stick bolt, hopefully you took out the coil/module---all the top stuff is a breeze to get to from the top once you take the coil out.


Assemble the tranny jack--the tranny will go straight up in the car(but barely)-but it will go straight---i just did all this last week.

Make sure when you re-assemble that you hook up the T.V cable on the tranny side--the tranny really doesn't like when you forget that point:redface: :redface:


Geoff

I second the remove-the-coil advice. It's easy to get at the 2 top bolt when you take the coil pack out.

Depending on what you have, you may probably find that the trans jack is too high to work with if the car is on ramps in the driveway. I have an adapter that goes on top of a floor jack and it was too high to be of much use. It would not roll under the car with the trans on top of it - the whole arrangement was too tall. I had all 4 corners on jackstands fully extended with multiple 2x10s under them. I finally had my brother help me lift the trans onto the jack once both were under the car (slid each under separately).

Back in the day, I changed my Pontiac's transmission in the parking lot of the dorms at school. In the rain. It was a heavy TH400 that I swapped for a junkyard find. It sucked. I finished up at dusk and left the bad trans in the parking lot with the intention of picking it up in the morning. I came back the next morning and it was gone. It wasn't worth anything to me, but I was amazed that someone snagged it.

Jim

 

[daviss]

+1 on coil pack removal.
+1 on dripping cooler lines.
+1 on everything so far.

+100 on a 20" extension and a swivel on an air ratchet to get to all of the bolts exept the bottom two. The drivers side top bolt is easiest with a box end ratchet wrench if the coil pack is gone.

An extra jack sure makes it easy to hold the trans from falling on you. It won't roll out from under the car on the jack but at least you won't bang up your pan or worse break an ear off the bell.

Pulled mine last Friday. Puttin it back in tonight.

At least you don't have to dislocate the rear end to get the drive shaft out like I do. It's about 3/4" too long to just drop out.

Hope this helps
Steve

 

[SS_Sean]

I feel your Pain. I've changed a tranny on jackstands in a gravel driveway, in my garage. I just got done doing a swap down at a friends shop. It's not easy and it's not fun. I still can't figure out that tranny dipstick bolt. Had to have my mechanic friend help me with that one!

 

[87we410877]

Dang man, getting it out was the easy part:frown:

As far as the dip stick bolt, hopefully you took out the coil/module---all the top stuff is a breeze to get to from the top once you take the coil out.


Assemble the tranny jack--the tranny will go straight up in the car(but barely)-but it will go straight---i just did all this last week.

Make sure when you re-assemble that you hook up the T.V cable on the tranny side--the tranny really doesn't like when you forget that point:redface: :redface:


Geoff

Thanks for the coil pack idea. I remember getting it from the top when i changed the motor. I must not have had the coil pack hooked up yet. I think pulling motors is more fun and easier than the tranny. haha.

The tranny going in came out because the TV cable wasnt hooked up on the tranny side so i WONT miss that. I have the tranny jack that goes on the regular jack too so maybe i'll just use the jack w/ a peice of wood. Thanks alot everyone hope you got a laugh out of it. I am now.

 

[turbo39151]

Ahh so you too are a master of the "boot method". I also am well versed in the art of "persuasion"- that's my Hammer's name.

Glad I haven't done a trans yet, but that is exactly how I imagined it would go for me too.

Good luck getting it back in. And how about some pics??

 

[85HOT-T]

Wow man that sucks. I use about 2 feet of extensions and a swivel socket for all the bolts up top. I always remove the cross member, its just too much of a pain not to.

I can usually pull my tranny in about an hour to hour and half. Thats working alone. I gotta pull it again so I'll let you know how long it takes. Of course it'll be easier this time with the engine down to the short block.

 

[MSDGN]

Yep...the more you do it the easier it gets...I just replaced my tranny couple weeks ago...it's about the 6th time I've pulled the trans on the race car...lots of converter changes.....I have learned something though...no matter how careful you are...even if you have a drain plug in the pan you will always get trans fluid all over you and the ground...definitely use a trans jack...makes the job much easier...I have a low profile one I've been using for years now...got it at harbor freight for $125...the jack can also be used for other things...I used it to support the bumpers when I took them off to replace the bumper strips and then put them back on...those suckers are heavy...

 

[kenny]

Rookie.

45min job, tops.

 

[Rodney87GN]

I've replaced a few transmissions on different cars... but cardboard and a 12" x 12" piece of plywood for me. Ghetto as hell but it works most of the time. If I bought a tranny jack a long time ago it would've paid for itself already.

+1 also on the multiple extensions and swivels. Good luck with your tranny installation.

 

[TexasT]

Rookie.

45min job, tops.

X2

If you're gonna' wrench, ya gotta' get some tools.

 

[87we410877]

X2

If you're gonna' wrench, ya gotta' get some tools.

Oh i had the tools that wasnt the problem. I used 3 9" wobble extensions and a swivel for the rest of the bolts. It was the top one that killed me. It didnt take long probably about 45 min - 1 hr. Going back in the X member is deffinitely coming out as well as the coil pack. Suday looks like a good day. Sucks that im always doing something though. As soon as this is done, the DS is coming out and im changing the pinion and slip yolks and going with a chromoly 3" DS. THEN i should be done. (yea, right)

 

[kenny]

I'm pretty sure I could do that job in my sleep. I don't even need to think of what size the bolts are.

Though, that probably isn't a good thing.

 

[87natl]

LOL! Are you kidding me?

I did so many tranny swaps in my ealier years, I had it down to 30 minutes to drop, 45 minutes to reinstall......with ramps and a floor jack. By myself. While drinking a 12 pack. LMAO!!!!!!!!

 

[85HOT-T]

I was being modest on the time. I have removed and installed in 2 hours. Might not be race team pace but for the second time ever doing it, not bad in my book.

 

[TexasT]

I did mine a bunch back in the day with the floorjack and a 2x6. I bought this and never had it easier. Really helps on the install.

 

[RatFink]

Back in the day, I changed my Pontiac's transmission in the parking lot of the dorms at school. In the rain. It was a heavy TH400 that I swapped for a junkyard find. It sucked. I finished up at dusk and left the bad trans in the parking lot with the intention of picking it up in the morning. I came back the next morning and it was gone. It wasn't worth anything to me, but I was amazed that someone snagged it.

Jim

That's a great story! You must have been hardcore to do a tranny change in a parking lot! Reminds me of when I had a 55" big screen TV go bad on me one night really late, I rolled it out to the apartment's garbage area, it was gone in NO TIME! haha! I also have a tranny change in a garage in my future, this post makes me cringe.