shifty`

iTrader: (3)

Sorry for noob question, trying to avoid doing things the hard way, which I've done repeatedly during my swap (due to not asking questions like this!)

Quickie:

Need to drop my tranny to swap out my slave quick-disconnect fitting with a Russell/McLeod AN-3 adapter fitting. Engine is running, wired, full of fluids, and requires removal of my front end to pull, i.e. itwould take 3-4 hours to pull the engine, and $$$ to replace fluids; I don't want that.

Questions - and apologies that my tranny is not in front of me for the stupid ones:

What is the easiest way to attack this? Will I unbolt the tranny+bellhousing from the block to reach the slave fittings, or will I unbolt the tranny from the bellhousing+block to reach it?

I want the route with the least complex work needed. I don't mind it taking several hours as long as a) it's easy work and b) it does not require extra hands.

When swapping the clutch on my friend's '02 Camaro SS, we had a hell of a time trying to bolt the tranny back together. Anyone have any tips to make this easier? Seem to remember the fins on the clutch assembly causing a lot of problems.

All advice will be wholeheartedly appreciated. I don't want to be doing this, but it's a necessity.

Thanks y'all

NismoSilvia270R

iTrader: (1)

id disconnect the d/s.
put a laundry detergent bottle cap over the o/p shaft seal.
unbolt the bell from the block.
proceed with swap.
assembly in reverse of removal.

67rsss

iTrader: (4)

Just want to remind you how heavy that trans is. It is NOT a freindly one ot pull. If it is only a few hours to pull hte whole thing, that is the way I would go. With the 67, if we ever need to remove the trans, that is what we will do. It was hard to mate up outside the car, can't even imagine how hard it will be to mate inside the trans tunnel!

bczee

iTrader: (12)

Unbolting the Trans from bell housing or the Bell housing from the block is about the same depending on what you can get to.. if the Firewall is blocking your access, then go with the Trans to bell housing.

The bellhousing may also get blocked by the firewall and may not allow you enough room to move back it away from the block to slide the input shaft out of the Clutch. (I had that problem, so I unbolted it from the bellhousing/trans).

Hopefully your Engine and firewall will have enough room and that your engine will tilt down some. If you don't unbolt the clutch. that will be a good thing to keep the clutch in line for the input shaft to slide back in.

Yes. It can be a PITA to re-install, but if you have it on a rack (or jacked up at lease 2-3 feet) and have Trans jack, it will make it easier. I pickedup a cheap trans jack at Harbor Frieght, it was a the best $45.00 i spend on tools that day !

Rodder

iTrader: (2)

I've had the displeasure of removing the T56 from my '68 Camaro. I left the engine in and pulled it out the bottom with the car on jackstands.

Tip #1: BUY A REAL TRANS JACK!

I was going to buy one, but Northern Tool was out of stock and I just couldn't wait. I tried to rig up a trans cradle for my floorjack, and it didn't work that great, and was missing a critical feature--tilt! Pulling it out with a normal floorjack went OK, but putting it back was a royal pain. I left the bellhousing attached to the engine for the R&R, per the procedure in the factory shop manual.

Tip #2: To get to the top trans bolts, tilt the trans down as far as you can, and use really long extension (or several shorter ones together) so you have room to turn a wrench or get an impact up there.

Tip #3: get some extra-long bolts (and nuts to go on them) to help guide the trans in.

This was a trick I've heard of people doing with Muncie's on 1st gens. It didn't exactly work for me--I got the pilot bearing and clutch splines engaged, but couldn't muscle it all the way up to the bellhousing. I ended up putting some nuts on the bolts and used the nuts to crank the trans up to the bellhousing, then put in the rest of the stock bolts, and finally replaced my long bolts with stock bolts.

Misc tips you probably already know...
- get a plastic plug or a TH350 yoke from a junkyard to plug the trans while you are removing it
- fill the trans through the shifter hole before you install the shifter
- let the clutch gravity bleed for a few minutes, close it up, then attach MityVac to the reservoir to get the rest of the air out--I pumped mine down to 15inhg and left it there for 30 mins.

shifty`

iTrader: (3)

thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated.

i hadn't thought of the tranny jack, so this is all good stuff that is coming to mind.

removal of the engine is essentailly out of the question right now. removal of the crossmember is also out, because this requires moving the cab (which is the lesser of two evils? hehe). should have went with CPP's tubular xmember!

Anyways, plan of attack now (after reading above) will be removing the driveshaft, then the tranny, then the bellhousing, if required.

All this because nobody makes a GM quick connect adapter to port out to AN-3 or AN-4.

If only Russell and McLeod knew what they were missing out on ....

01CaMMMaro

iTrader: (25)

trans dont weigh but 150lbs do they? just lift that baby out yourself if your strong like me

Rodder

iTrader: (2)

It's 140lbs, and with my car on jackstands, there's enough height for me or the trans, but not the trans on top of me. I can bench 140lbs easily, but I can't do a lying triceps extension with 140lbs, which is the closest thing I can think of to lying on your back under the car with your hands over your head trying to lift the trans. I think shifty has a truck, so maybe he'd have room to bench it, but a trans jack would still be a lot easier.

stevieturbo

Remove tranny, then the bellhousing....

I find this the easiest way on my car. The bellhousing bolts are too awkward to get at, if you leave it attached, plus you have a massive bellhousing to contend with.

If you simply remove the tranny, its much more compact, and should just slide straight back. Then you have easy access to the bellhousing if need be.