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Dropping the trans

Posted By: jgardner On: 06-29-2008 @ 11:45:04 Reply | Edit

So I'm getting the tranny rebuilt, and am in the process of (attempting) to drop the trans. Have everything out that needs to be (driveshaft, torque arm, starter, bla bla bla) and am to the point now where I need to remove the (4?) bolts that hold the bellhousing to the engine. Slight dilemma... I can't get to the bolts! There's not enough room to get the breaker bar on there to get the bolts loose. So my question is: would it be easier to try coming from the top or bottom? Also, Getting to the bolts that hold the transmission to the bellhousing are MUCH easier to get at, would it be possible to remove just the transmission, leaving the bellhousing still attached to the engine? Thanks all!
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1995 Trans Am Firebird. LT1 T56. cc503. Pacesetter LT. True dual exhaust. !EGR. !AIR. LPE CAI. K&N. 4.10 Gears
1.6 RR. Shift light. BMR Sub Frame. LT4 KM. Madz28 & Ongoing Custom Tuning. Pro 5.0 shifter. LS1 Driveshaft. MSD Coil.
CarDomain

Posted By: cunningham On: 06-30-2008 @ 00:31:33 Reply | Top | Edit

just do wat you can with wat you got. try top and bottom using different tools. it was made to be done some way.
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95 camaro Z28 stock for now but a 383 is in the works

Posted By: fabgmc4me On: 06-30-2008 @ 00:48:08 Reply | Top | Edit

In order to get all the bolts out that hold the trans to the motor, you will need the following..

A 3/8" Ratchet, a whole bunch of extensions ( 3ft. total) and a 3/8" Swivel socket adapter.

The you will be able to get at the bolts from underneath the car. The one on the drivers side about half way up is tough, but you can get it.

If the bolts are in too tight to get out with a 3/8" ratchet, just get a half in adapter, and use the 1/2" ratchet to break them loose.

Make sure you have the trans supported before removing the bolts, use a board across the pan and a jack below it.

Also be careful and make sure everything is disconnected, including the cooler lines.

Good luck.
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Posted By: lodlaiden On: 06-30-2008 @ 02:13:00 Reply | Top | Edit

There are 6 bolts that hold the tranny on.

Do it in this order, I am not bragging, I have just done that much a poor job, that many times.

Jack up whole car, you need about 2 feet slide the tranny out from the car, on a sheet of ply wood, higher if you want to leave it on the jack. (not something to find out when the jack is holding onto the tranny...)

REMOVE bolts from flywheel. This involves rotating the flywheel, 1 or 2 teeth at a time. The best thing I have found is a large flat bladed screwdriver. You need to wedge the flywheel while you remove the bolts.

Take cross member off.Tranny will sag a little, this is ok. Mine use a 13/15mm sockets, my tranny mount takes a 17mm.

Remove Driveshaft from U-mount. Leave the driveshaft in the tranny, or you will be bathed in red ooey gooey fun. Rotate it to get at all 4 bolts(11mm). Slide the drive shaft forward, into the trans, and it should drop out of the u-mount, you may have to pop it with a flat head.

Unhook Speed sensor plug and the big tranny plug, which is on top, plug squeezes off, the squeeze points are front to back.

Remove exhaust hanger bracket. (14mm?)

Remove Torque arm bolts from tranny. they are 13mm? the last bolt is long, and is designed to keep the t-arm on even if the nut falls off.
You have to pull down on the t-arm to get clearance to slide the bolt out. DO NOT JUST LET GO. The t-arm is under massive pressure and could either dent your floorboard or cut your finger off.

It's easier to take the torque arm bracket off the tranny than trying to fight with the 21/22mm torque arm bolts on the rear axle. If you want to do it that way, you need someone pulling down on the torque arm, while you remove the bolts.
Start unhooking the bracketing for the torque arm. It's under too much pressure while it's attached to the tranny to make it easy.

Tranny bolts. A regular socket on a flex-connector is too long, you fight with it too much, and a deep well is way out of question. Pay the $6 for a 14mm flex socket.
Now the tail of the tranny should be leaning down a little. you should be able to snake a 14mm flex head socket up over the top of the tranny, (easiest way), on about 30" of extention, and hook straight onto the top mounts. Take them off.
Now setup your jack and plywood board.
Take off the next bolts down, you'd rather fight with the hard ones while the tranny is still mostly connected. Do the right(passenger) side first.

After you get all the bolts out, drop the tranny down about 6" so you can get to the cooler lines, on the passenger side. It's 13mm, but you are going to fight with and probably strip the bolt heads. It's easier if you just get a nice pair of lock jaws, not vice grips and break them free, before you shred the bolt head.

Watch out for the dip stick, you will lose a ton of fluid if it pops out, and you will be running for a bucket...

You should be able to figure it out from there.
BTW, when you get it all back together, just get the flex plate bolts in, DO NOT TIGHTEN them down all the way, you have to get all 3 bolts in first.

Good Luck
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1995 Convertible LT1 Firebird, metallic hunter green
Then: 3.4 v6, faded tan top and tan leather interior, stock as pookies.
Now: TOTALED LT1, black top, Kenwood X sound, Pacesetter mid-tubes, hi-flow cat, camaro square tips, 17" rims. MadDog Punisher transmission w/2.2k stall.

Posted By: ken125 On: 07-02-2008 @ 16:31:47 Reply | Top | Edit

if its an m6 remove the trans seperate from the bellhousing, it was much easier for me.
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1997 silver six speed Camaro. Pacesetter lts, magnaflow catback, No cats, no emissions and a cheap crappy ebay cold air kit!
08 R6S no mods, non needed
95 s-10 4cyl 5 speed DD

Posted By: jgardner On: 07-03-2008 @ 10:01:18 Reply | Top | Edit

Well, I got it out! Ended up taking the trans off the bellhousing instead of the whole deal off the engine. She's in ER right now ($1300 for the rebuild ouch!). Have it back monday and hopefully that will solve my problems. Thanks for the help all!
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Posted By: eliotz28 On: 07-07-2008 @ 13:27:28 Reply | Top | Edit

what was the problem with the tranny to begin with anyway?
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MODS: Pacesetters LT, Magnaflow exhaust, PCM4LESS Performance tune, K&N CAI, Trick Flow Elbow,
PRO 5.0 shifter, LT4 KM, TB air foil, TB bypass, manual fan switch, NEXT MOD: CAM

Posted By: jgardner On: 07-08-2008 @ 09:19:09 Reply | Top | Edit

Well, I was driving it and was going into 3rd (kind of hard, but nowhere near as hard as I do at the track) and it ground the gears a bit. When I went to shift out of 3rd it had a hard time coming out. Then it wouldn't want to go into any gears at all without matching the RPM's perfect. If I was at a stop and tried to put it into a gear, it made a horrible wining hissing sound. Getting it into 1st was quite the endeavor. It needed a rebuild bad anyway (after taking it in the guy said it needed 3 gears, 3 synchros, some seals, and a couple other things). I told him what my situation was and he said there's a chance it might not totally be the transmission and that the clutch might not be disengaging properly (bad master or slave clutch cylinder...what do you guys think?). What led me to believe that it's totally the transmission is the wining and hissing sound would only happen when I tried to put it into 1-6. If I tried to put it into reverse, it wouldn't make the sound! Very odd. I'm getting the transmission back today hopefully and will see if that's the complete problem or not. What do you guys think?
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Posted By: ken125 On: 07-09-2008 @ 21:27:41 Reply | Top | Edit

once you tranny is rebuilt install new clutch set, bearings, slave cylinder and get the flywheel resurfaced. but i can say after pulling the tranny in my car 3 times it gets easier.
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1997 silver six speed Camaro. Pacesetter lts, magnaflow catback, No cats, no emissions and a cheap crappy ebay cold air kit!
08 R6S no mods, non needed
95 s-10 4cyl 5 speed DD

Posted By: jgardner On: 08-01-2008 @ 13:33:38 Reply | Top | Edit

Well, the problem turned out to be a broken spring on the clutch disk. Finally got everything back together (after waiting for all this stupid crap to ship) and it purrrs like it used to (and can drive now too lol). The only thing that isn't perfect is the reverse lockout. It worked at first then all of a sudden it's stuck. I'll have to check the wiring and everything. I'm just glad to have it driving again. And HOLY CRAP does it shift nice now! Thanks all for the help!
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Posted By: jgardner On: 08-18-2008 @ 22:00:35 Reply | Top | Edit

The reverse lockout turned out to be the fuse (ABS BAT??? Who names these things! lol). Except the only problem was that I found this out after exploding my radiator! Apparently this fuse is the same one for my fans. I was driving to class (on a nice hot summer day) and all of a sudden had smoke pouring out from under my hood. Found this very unusual since I have an electric water pump with a 160 stat. Anyway, checked the schematics and found that fuse to be dead. Replaced it, fans work, and now my reverse lockout works like a dream too. FINALLY glad to have everything back to perfect working condition.
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