I'm at the stage now where I'm unbolting the transmission from the engine, and I've come to a problem. I got one out fairly easily, but the one bolt beside the starter (starter is already out) I cannot get out no matter how hard I try. I've got a 3' torque wrench and I'm pushing it, slamming it, just trying everything, and nothing is happening. Any ideas? I do have a torch, but access to air tools is not going to happen. I don't think I could get the flame of the torch to the right area though, so I don't know how much good that would do. I'm sooo close!!

 

Update, I've successfully loosened the bottom 2 bolts, but I don't know where to start on the upper three. Any suggestions? a 14mm wrench can get at both of them, but I don't have near the leverage I need.

 

i get the passenger side top bolts from the top. i use a 14mm wrench and if the bolts are super tight i use another wrench for leverage. i would not reccomend using a torch to loosen any trans to engine bolt. breaker bar with a cheater pipe maybe but no heat.

 

You'll need sockets with extensions/swivel, get at it from the bottom. It helps if you have air tools. I don't recall getting that those bolts from the top using a wrench.

 

^^trust me, the bolts are easially accesed from the top. the box end of a 14mm wrench works great. a 17mm wrench is what i use for the leverage by looping the box end of that wrench through the open end of the 14mm wrench.

 

I'll give it a try. Did you have a really long 14mm wrench? Mine is frustratingly short.

 

you'll need an extended one.

 

thanks for the tip, i got all 3 in like 15 minutes with the two wrenches!

 

Ok I'm pretty much at the last couple steps, but I got a few questions...

Does the shift **** twist off? I gave it a pretty good tug and nothing happened, want to make sure it comes off this way before I break it.

Should I unbolt the transmission mount from the frame AND the transmission or should I just leave it attached to the trans?

How heavy is the trans/bellhousing? As much as I would like to have somebody help me, its just me with one floor jack and 4 jack stands at the moment, and I'm not sure if it would be safe for me to try to get the trans out by myself.

 

I use a piece of EMT (elec Pipe) I pounded into an oval as a cheater bar

 

bump for post 9 answers

 

New problem. I have everything ready to go, but the damn rear engine hook and the bolt that runs through the bellhousing won't come off. I took off the nut on the transmission side, but I'm at a complete loss as to how to get the bolt out or at least flush with the block. Is it threaded through both the engine and bellhousing? I tried to get some vice grips on it to see if it would move, but nothing, and a a couple stripped threads to boot. Any ideas? I'm freakin exhausted now.

 

Anybody? Please help!

 

yes that hole is threadedon the engine but not in the transmission but if the nut is off on the transmission side I would just leave in alone and pull the transmission off of it.

 

Ok thanks.

I have a feeling my pilot bearing is seized onto the input shaft. I have all bolts out (2 starter, one under starter, lower passenger, upper passenger, middle hook, and driver upper) and I have the clutch slave cylinder taken off, and the shifter is also off. The trans will not even begin to separate from the block. I'm tugging and pulling at the tail shaft of the trans and its doing nothing. Any ideas of what I can do?

 

I'm beginning to get hopeless. All out of light for today, so I worked for something like 8 hours and didn't even get the trans out.

 

Sounds about right for the first time removal of a trans. What i like to do is grab the tailshaft of the trans and yank it back and forth sideways. Just keep rocking the **** out of it til it "breaks loose" and then it should slide out. OR, with a helper if you can get it to come away from the engine about 1/4 inch you can get a pry bar in there and "help" it come out.

 

yeah i'd recommend having someone to help you, specially if you're on your back under the car, cuz eventho you can easily carry the tranny, it's pretty heavy when it falls on you from the car, so unless you're stubborn to get it out yourself use a jack and strap it to the jack or the car somehow and jerk on it until it pops loose, just be careful...also, if you've already spent that much time...wait til you have to put it back wish i could help man

 

Yeah I'm dreading stabbing it back.

 

just stick with it, it won't be too bad man, just be careful if you're by yourself i'm sure you know that tho , the tranny isn't that heavy but if it falls on you it can crush you lol, i'd say it probably weighs around 100lbs? (that's probably overkilling it) atleast that's what it feels like to me

 

I agree with the ~100 pound statement. It would hurt pretty bad if it fell on your chest but then it would roll onto your face and for sure make you ugly for life.

 

I usually leave the engine and tranny attached to each other and remove them as a single piece, then separate them after.

You can leave the transmission mount attached to the tranny itself and just remove the two bolts that secure the mount to the frame of the car.

Remember to remove your speedometer cable (one 10mm bolt and it should slide out with a bit of persuasion) but don't forget to drain your trans fluid first.

The shifter **** does screw on/off, but it's held in place by a nut kind of thing that's under the shifter boot. If you move the boot down you'll be able to get a set of pliers around that nut and it will come off more easily.

Jon

 

Check, check, and check. I'm gonna continue to give it a good hassling from the tailshaft tomorrow, and then if that doesn't work...I'll get a prybar maybe. We'll see.

 

as a note, you should just unscrew the speedo cable form the drive gear. saves work and time from removeing the drive gear. how many bolts did you remove. did you remember to remove teh bolt above the starter? this one often catches the beginner by suprise and thus the trans will not seperate from the engine.

 

Above the starter? How do you mean? I took out both the starter bolts and the one underneath where the starter sits. Is there another?