warp0007

Hi. Im 17, have a 87 T2 and trying to drop the tranny on it to replace the clutch. How many bolts bolt up tot eh enigne. What else do I have to take off. Can someone give me a guide or some pics or something i need some hhelp!

RETed

If you have no idea what you're getting yourself into, I would recommend you find someone who does.&nbsp This is not an easy job to do for someone who has no clue what they are doing...



-Ted

warp0007

before you bad mouth and talk shmack. Ive done tranny jobs just not on an RX7. Its not a big deal once I get inside I just would like some pics or insigths on bolts that I might not see, etc... God

Mobius

yeah, there's this bolt, this ******* bolt on the top behind the throttle body. Some people manage to get it off without removing the throttle body. I haven't been able to do it yet.


this post doesn't convey any information that you have transmission knowledge. It actually implies you don't know anything about it.

Besides, you're seventeen. How much tranny experience do you really have? So, unless you expect RETed to be psychic regarding your mechanical aptitude, I would suggest that you not be rude to him. He knows much more than you do and is simply trying to save you some pain and Seventeen-uffering

warp0007

ok so lets compare. PAYING SOME MOTHER TO DO IT FOR ME SO I LEARN NOTHING ABOUT RX7s. or, take advantage of the fact that ive changed at leat 10 other transmissions in 10 other cars, changed a clutch on a saab two days ago, and hav ea scholorship to Nascar's uti. Im not looking for critisim, im looking for help, not discouragment. INstead of being like, HAVE SOMEONE ELSE DO IT, why dont you give me some help so I can learn and become better knowledged with my favorite car. THATS ALL. seventeen-uffering?? what did you hear that on a commerical or something. Thats rediculous. i should have just kept my age to myself and maybe I would have gotten some help. BUt instead Im laying under my car with the drive shaft pulled out, most all the tranny bolts disconnected, intercooler off(which I did to get to the bolt that your takling about. I got that off in a sinch so sorry your having bad luck. I just took of that brake, hose or vcaumme hose right there that goes from steel to rubber hosing, and was able to get a socket on it. I just remember some people have websaites with pics sometimes and none of the local places have a hayes manual for a second gen, so until I can get one, I am upset having this high performance clutch sitting right here next to me an not being able to put it in. Im mechanically inclided a do it myselfer and I refuse to pay so joe shmow to do it for me and not learn a damn thing.

Mobius

Dude,

You've done like 10 transmission jobs man.

Like you're totally asking for help on where the bolts are? Just like, totally look dude.

Okay, I'm looking at the manual right now. There is 2 bolts at the 8 and 7 o'clock position. One at 10 o'clock 2 more bolts at 1 and 2 o'clock and finally one at 5 o'clock.

the ones at 7 and 8 are for the starter. Thats a total of 6 bolts.

I think that's it for the bell housing. Once the tranny's cross memebr is off (cross member holds tranny to body = 4 bolts), you'll have to jog the tranny out. this sucks.

sometimes you have to use a prybar to jog the tranny out. Also, the trany's main drive gear kind of hangs down inside the flywheel on the pilot bearing when the cross memebr is off. You have jog it up and down ans side to side with a jack very very slightly to slide the main drive gear's shaft out of the flywheel. after 10 tranny jobs you should know this.

warp0007

yeah. WEll this is my 4th manual job to be percise and my first one by myself. Usually ive been dealing with crappy front wheel drive and automatic transmission. But anyone the last one I did was my camaro so its been a while. im on unlevel ground
and its kind of hard to get the jack level underneath the car to lift up on the tranny. I mean not alot of room and Im the only guy thats going to be trying to jog this tranny out and keep it steady. That cross member that that single bolt rides through with the booshings on either side, does that member need to come completely off, i mean I was hoping to leave this tranny kind of jacked up while I change the clutch just back it from the engine enough. Or am I going to have to pull it completely down to the gound. Think there will be enoyhg room?

rico05

All I have to contribute to this thread is a wish for good luck. I paid a shop $300 for just the install, I supplied the clutch. Doing this on any car is hard, and from all I have heard, is espically a bitch on a rex. Oh yeah, do your best to be on level ground. Good luck, don't kill yourself, and let us know how it goes!

warp0007

yeah thanks !! I could use the luck and encouregment. I will just enjoy looking backw hen I am finished and syaing to myself "You did that by yourself." its just self gratifying you know. PLus it makes me apprecae the car alot more when i put my OWN time into. Plus I dont have any money! I counted 7 bolts mobius but i dontknow. 2 starters, 2 on the bottom and 3 uptop ALl well as long as I get them all! QUESTION.. the casing for teh fluid where you drain, whats that made out of? Its pretty flat, is it strong enougn for me to stick a small 2 X 6 right there to jack it up with?? That would work well.

Import Convert

I would think that it you used a 2x6 under the tranny pan, you would be fine. I've done the same thing on my 'Cudas tranny, with no problems, and I'm willing to bet the 727 tranny in many older Dodges/Plymouths weighs a lot more than the manual in your 7. The pan in the 727 is just stamped steel. Good luck! I agree with what you say about doing work yourself. It's a great feeling. I spent a year completely rebuilding my 'Cuda, and it means much more to me now than it did before I took the whole thing apart!

warp0007

cool thanks man. WEll freakin A, the jack right when I got up to the tranny with the 2X6, stoppped. it was as high as the jack can go. SHould I have all teh bolts out before I start jacking it up and removing the cross member, or jack it up just enough to support, then finish taking out the bolts?? This cross member setup is a little new to me IM no familiar with the way this is being held up and dont want to drop the damn thing on myself or freakin break setmoing

warp0007

hey heres one. On the cross member there is 4 bolts. Then above it is the busings from the tranny ot tthe cross member. You cant fit a wrench or a socket up on those things how do you disconnect the tranny from the cross member??

Mobius

No

take the tranny off with the cross member still on.

when the jack is supporting the tranny, just undo the bolts for the cross memeber.

Then jog it out.

But remember to drain the tranny oil out before you remove the speedo cable or you're gonna be swearin'.
is it stuck? Like it doesn't move at all. sometimes its stiff and simply doesn't like to move-that's why you might need a prybar. But as long as the cross memebr bolts are off you should be able to get it out.

copandengr

I suggest you do a few things. Number one on the list: grow up. Secondly, I got the same impression that ReTed did about your capability from the way you worded your original question. I could understand something more technical like what special tools are required, etc., but a basic question like how many bolts there are is indicitave of very little mechanical knowledge. Keep removing bolts until the tranny comes loose. Then you will know you got them all. Ted wasn't trying to flame you, he was merely giving you some sound advice. There have been posts on here such as "I am going to overhaul my own engine, how do I jack the car up?" These guys are to be commended for their initiative but you can get in way over your head real fast. None of us were born with the knowledge we have. We all had to learn the way. Most of us were fortunate enough to have an experienced person right there with us while we were learning. Try to take advice in the spirit it was given. Ted is probably the most experienced person on this forum, or certainly one of the most experienced. He was simply trying to help you.

All you need do is get under the car and look at the bolts. The starter has two, and there are a few more around the bell housing. Ray Charles or Stevie Wonder could find them all. Removing the rear mount makes thing a lot easier, as well as all the heat shielding, exhaust system and drive shaft. Where you are gonna get into trouble is where the rex differs from other cars. Places like the needle bearing that the input shaft rides in. This bearing is in the back of the e-shaft and is a bitch to remove without the special tool needed. It is a critical often overlooked bearing also. You will also need a clutch aligning tool when you go back together with everything. There are several other things to look at while you have the tranny out. If you can manage to act decent and not like a smart assed little **** we will be glad to answer all your questions and give you all the help you need. Coming off like a know-it-all will merely give us a few laughs when you royally **** something up.

I suggest you search the forum. There are more than a few posts where someone gives the link to a free downloadable factory service manual. I have been a mechanic much longer than you have been living and would not try to work on any vehicle without one.

Felix Wankel

The one with the nut on it that faces the firewall? If its that one, you don't take it out, its there to help you guide the tranny on.

If you mean the one near the oil filter pedestal, that ones easy! A 3/8 ratchet and regular 14mm fit right in there.

Mobius

yeah I think it is that one. up at the very top, right behind and underneeth the dynamic chamber.
I've seen the more experienced rotorheads take out the engine with the throttle body still on. Just I've never been able to do it, but I don't have wrenches that do backflips either. But I don't think that mine would have come off without it being removed because it had a nut on it too. (???) Oh well I am way past that now new rebuilt RX is runnin'

Felix Wankel

I don't either. I have a basic socket set, an air ratchet, and an impact gun. The bolt can stay, as it doesn't thread through the tranny. Just take the nut off from up top. It sucks on my car cause the ABS box is all in the way.

Mobius

Warp...It occured to me that I might not have specified what to do with the pry bar....Now that we know there is a bolt that Guides the tranny out...keep it in there.

What I did was remove the dust jacket to look down onto the flywheel. Then I took the pry bar and gently worked it out a little by little. Maybe this wasn't the best approach but it came out.

What do you think felix?

Felix Wankel

I put the jack under it and wiggle it side to side while pulling on it to help it come free.

warp0007

Well happy to have all of your opinons as far as who should be with me and what manuals to have. Im glad to say that I have installed the new clutch and it works GREAT! Sorry however you TOOK waht I said, but fact is fact, I DIDNT use a manual, I DIDNT have someone right next to me and I DIDN screw anything up. This was the first tranny job I did by myself and Im proud of myself. Thanks for all the help and dont look down upon someone because of there age. Dont take somones questiosn jsut because they might not have been worded correctly and assume there an idiot. His FIRST responce was not advice, it was critisim, or discouregment. The more ideal thing to say was "Wish you good luck , heres some pointers etc.." Not., "The first thing you need to do is find someone else to do it and pay them. Thats just rude. The last thing I wanted was to get somone all **** and pissy and then turn it around like im the one acting like a big head. I did it. Thats all that matters. THAnks to everyone else who kept ther two cents to thenselves and gave helpfull advice.

copandengr

Read Ted's original post again... He suggested getting someone to help.. Not paying a mechanic to do it for you.

von

So Warp 0007. Did u have to actually drop the tranny or did u just slide it down a tad???

RETed

Boy, what has this world come to...

Look dumbass, I'm tired of this the-world-owes-me crap.&nbsp You keep dishing this kinda attitude, you ain't getting any help.&nbsp Surely not from me - I bet you really don't give a rats *** anyways.

Cool.&nbsp You did it all yourself.&nbsp Pat yourself on the back.&nbsp You're just lucky you got help from everyone else.

I think I'm getting too old for this ****...




-Ted

RLBRX7

The wording of the original post implied a lack of knowledge about the subject. I didn't see anything in the response that implied "...bad mouth and talk shmack (sic)". There are many posts on this board on the subject of removing trannies and installing clutches, and it is not a simple task. This response only tried to convey that message. I didn't see any rudeness in the comment, merely a statement based upon the information provided. What I don't understand is the attitude based upon the response.

jimmyv13

Screw the little bastard, let him be.
He'll go out to show off and wrap his car around a tree.