Don't you just love it when you confidently crawl under a car armed with your trusty tools and some WD40, only to find one of the previous nimrod owners was there before you, and they stripped off the boltheads?

Basically, the driveshaft isn't coming off the dif without a lot of heavy-duty persuasion, as those 4 stripped-head bolts got that way because they're quite firmly rusted in place. I'm behind schedule as is, and was hoping like all get-out that it's possible to pull the engine (82 12a with manual tranny attached) forward far enough that the d-shaft spline will disengage from the trannny.

If not, I'll just have to seperate the engine & tranny while still in the car, but I'd like to pull it all at once. Preferably before it starts to snow, because this parts car gots to go!

 

From what I remember, the splined part of the driveshaft goes into the tailshaft about 4-5 inches.

 

4" to 5" ? That's going to be fun. Good thing I took out the A/C cooler (with a hacksaw, more badly frozen fittings) along with the radiator & oil cooler. I think I've got that much room...

 

Hmm, it wouldn't be so bad to separate the engine/tranny. I sold the engine out of my parts car and the buyer helped me take the engine out. It took about 2h15m to get just the engine out. Then the trans was another 30 minutes from underneath. Good luck!

Aaron

 

If yoo followed the manuals instructions and took the radiator and all the shrouds out, you should have plenty of room. If not just by moving it forward, but by tilting it up and forward to clear the valance. Im sure it could be done.

~T.J.

 

Try the usual things first.

PB Blaster
A Gator Grip socket
A Torch
Drill and Tap.

Removing the engine with tranny is easy if you remove the radiator and have a good lifting device. Although I did seperate the engine from the tranny first.

If you do it that way, then you can carefully move the transmission forward until the driveshaft slides out.

It's still going to be a pain later.



Putting it in however, I did (and recommend) tohave the tranny bolten on to the engine first.

By the way, When you remove the driveshaft, be prepared to get tranny fluid everywhere.

 

Thanks, Df, and dude your sig is the best on the Net.

I'm just scavenging off this rusted dead 7, so it's not going back in. I don't have a torch or a Gatorgrip (blew all my tool money on the cherry picker & leveler!), PB blaster while effective sucks because it always seems to run out of propellant with 1/4 full can, and it'll be quicker to seperate the motor/tranny than drill & tap.

All this trouble just to have another spare "rebuild project" motor. Yes, I am crazy, just ask my wife!

 

When you pull the motor forward off of the driveshaft, put a plastic bag over the tail end of the tranny and secure it with a rubber band to avoid dripping 90W all over the place. You only have to pull the motor forward about 3-4 inches to clear the driveline. If you pull the fan assembly, you probably won't even have to pull the radiator, just the shroud. Don't forget to remove the exhaust hanger bracket from the tranny first, or it will get in the way. Good luck! -Mike

 

Thanks for the exhaust bracket reminder and the plastic-bag tip, I'll do it. Radiator, cover and fan are already gone, I've got like a foot or two of forward room.

 

Just saw the drive shaft in half.