Hey,

I just got another transmission for my 1983 (seems that my old one is dead, earlier thread) and now I am wondering as to how to install it. I have a coupe of questions about the process.

A) Can it be swapped out without a lift? I have jacks and nice ramps, can it be done in a residential garage?

B) What are the steps? Or where can I read about this, maybe a book?

C) How hard is this to do? I am not exactly a newbie, but could learn a thing or two.

D) Is there a specific list of gaskets and a liquid I have to replace?

Any tips and clues apreciated as always

 

auto or manual?

Im doing mine on the ground , with jack stands and ramps . The hardest part is alligning the splines going from the tranny to the eccentric shaft . Pull the old tranny and set them side by side and swap any parts from the old that the new does not have . I would recommend that you change the clutch and pressure plate throwout bearing and pilot bearing while you are doing all this but thats up to you . once all of the above is completed , lift the new tranny into place and bolt it in.

peace

 

Its a 5spd. I am not planning on doing anything to the clutch, this car is a complete beater, and I don't want to pay $300+ for clutch and flywheel; I just want it to barely run from school to home

Is there a liquid that will need draining? A gasket that will need to be replaced?

Sounds like this is a lift, support and unscrew the bolts job, no big surprises?

Thank you for the reply.

 

i dont know anything about the manual...i know on the auto we couldnt get the drivetrain disatached....there will be four bolts holding the drivetrain on then once their unbolted the drivetrain will drop and you can slide it out....but this didnt happen with my car ....yeah then im guessing it should just come out with the engine..although mine didnt....ggggggggggrrrrrrrrrrr

 

you will need to remove the two bolts holding the clutch slave cylinder on , the shifter , the four bolts that hold the driveshaft in the rear , the starter , all electrical connections , the trans mount , and the 6 or 7 bolts that hold the tranny and motor together . You will need jack stands (or ramps) , 3/8" ratchet , 4" extension , 10mm,
12mm 14mm 16mm sockets and about four hours .

peace

 

Awesome! Thank you for the instructions

Just one question, do I need to drain anything? Will anything leak all over me and the garage from the tranny?

 

It shouldn't leak, you'll want to change the fluid, but you can do that later. It should be sealed.

 

drain all the fluid out of the transmission!!! If not, as soon as you slide the driveshaft out, the main seal is opened right up and all of your tranny fluid goes all over the nice clean concrete.... ask me how I know....

Jeff

 

LOL !

That is what I kinda figured. Is there one drain plug on the tranny, how much fluid does it take in? Enough to drain into the OIL bucket?

 

a little less than 2 quarts

 

No gaskets, but when you put fresh oil in, use 75-90, or Reline MT-90 . I just put mine in on my 83 also, and I just need to put in some MT-90 and Im done .

~T.J.

 

Well, looks like I got all the information I needed. My buddy and I will probably swap the tranny next weekend, I will take some pictures and post them, maybe a little graphic tutorial.

Thanks guys!

 

Uhhh...Clutch alignment tool, guys?
And you really should replace the pilot bearing and throwout bearing.

 

Wait, what?

If I am not planning on replacing the clutch or flywheel... I still need clutch alignment tool and new bearings ?

 

you don't REALLY need a clutch alignment tool, a good fitting piece of pipe, etc will get it close, but don't say I said that. That's how I did mine, and it was close enough. It just makes it easier to align the clutch with th input shaft on the tranny. But I would say replace the throw-out bearing ($15-20) and the pilot bearing ($5 or something). Just get the pilot bearing removal tool from a shop, otherwise you'll never get the old one out (also ask me how I know). I would reccomend replacing these bearings, unless you know they just got replaced, otherwise you could be dropping your tranny in a month to relace them when they go...

Jeff

 

You don't need no stinkin' alignment tool.... No seriously, if your not replacing the clutch, don't worry about it.

 

Damn you contradicting people, damn you!

So I need to replace the bearings, but do not need a clutch alignment tool because I can somehow weasel my way through it by using some monkey-type device.

Am I right or correct?

 

If you don't take the pressure plate off, there's really no reason to use a clutch alignment tool. Without removing the pressure plate, the clutch really isn't going to move, so why would you need to re-align it?

The advice to replace the throwout bearing and pilot bearing is sound, I'm going to have to drop my tranny again since I didn't do it last time. Of course, my clutch is going out too...

As to time, a couple of buddies and I swapped out the tranny in 2 hours, from driving in to driving out. Not that hard, but we've all done it before.

Armen

 

Oh, and even if you drain every drop of fluid out of that tranny, it will still run out of the tailshaft when you're wrestling it out and the worst-smelling fluid on earth will get in your eyes, hair, ears, and all over your clothes, which you will have to burn when you're done, because that smell never comes out. Trust me, if your wife/girlfriend is willing to be in the same room with you anytime in the 3 days after you do this job, it's true love, man.

Armen

 

Damn it, getting spurted in the eye is the last thing I want. I guess its gogle time

 

well, to combat the tranny oil draining out the tail end, i usually take the drive shaft off the rear end and just drop the tranny with the drive shaft in place.

it's a little more of a pain in the *** when it comes time to wrestle the tranny back into the engine, but there's no leak (my dad freaks out over **** like that)

as for the T/O and pilot bearings - yeah, it is sound advice, but ultimately, it's a matter of how discouraging the prospect of having to drop the tranny again seems to you. for me, i don't care ... i do the job in about 3 hours by myself, so i usually say screw it until i have to take the apart, then i change the pilot bearing. the T/O bearing is more worth the extra money ... it's really no time once the tranny is out ... what? maybe 30 seconds ... TOPS!!!!

but good luck with it!

 

It's not a bad Idea to change the pilot bearing but if it's not bad then there is really no reason to. But since you've never driven your car, you really don't know if it's bad or not. You can get a flaslight and look in there and stick your finger in there to feel it. honestly I rarely change these things unless I know they are bad. It is easy to damage the new one putting it in if you don't do it right. And the old one is a real pain in the *** to get out if you don't have the right tool.

You should get a throw out bearing though. They are cheap and easy to change.

I've never had a problem with the oil coming out of the end. Just drain it good. That stuff is thick so let it drain for 5 minutes or so.

no matter if you change the pilot bearing or not make sure you stick a nice dab of grease in there. Just don't get it on the clutch.

Good luck,
Mike

 

I got the transmission in the mail today, via UPS. It looked like a big bbq leg of lamb wrapped in alot of plastic-wrap. I was actually surprised at how light it was, I was able to pick it up by myself, walk it up and down the stairs with little problem. Hopefully I can say the same about the installation I will do this weekend.

Oh and by the way. I went to start the rx7 yesterday and it didn't even click or start. No juice. I guess the battery died.

That is strange considering that it started up and idled just fine exactly 2 days ago. Well, I guess there is another headache now