1_slow00z28

I just picked up a 2000 camaro z28 and the trans is shot 3rd and 4th gear i bought a new trans and i am looking at installing it tonight anyone know how hard or how long this may take ?? also the low oil light is on and i was told it is just a sensor oil psi is good no problems there and the oil is not low any help would be nice thanks will post pics of car later

99corvette

iTrader: (12)

it depends on if you are using a lift and pneumatic tools or on the ground with hand tools. my first time on the ground with hand tools took me about 8 hours to get it in and out. Then the 2nd time was on a lift with pneumatic tools and it took 4 hours to do the whole swap

1_slow00z28

Yeah i will be doing it with a lift and tools dont know if even wanted to think about doing it on the ground lol man i bet that sucked bad was the top bellhousing bolts easy to get too ?

KirkEvil

iTrader: (36)

Pretty good info here...http://modernmusclecars.net/forums/a...p?do=tcinstall

I have poly motor mounts, and I could not get the tranny to sag enough to use extensions to get to the top belhousing bolts. I pulled off the intake and reached them from the top. It took about 7 hours total to pull it, put in a torque converter, and replace all the hard lines.

99corvette

iTrader: (12)

you need about 3 to 4 foot worth of extensions

1_slow00z28

Thanks alot kirk that info is a big help i picked the car up pretty cheap it already as longtubes,373,texas speed 5.3 heads, intake lowered 2in chrome zr1 billet grill nice car really nice car

colt_impala

iTrader: (3)

ive pulled numerous transmissions on F-bodies. step by step below, if i leave anything out then correct me.

1. unhook battery

2. jack the car up, and place a steel rim under each tire (assuming you dont have a lift) i prefer rims over jackstands bc they wont tip over.

3. unbolt the driveshaft from the differential, and wrap the universal joint in tape so the caps dont fall off. then pull the driveshaft out of the trans. some fluid will spill out so have a pan under the tailshaft.

4. remove the linkage that changes the gears. its on the drivers side and is held on with a 9/16 if i remember right. then unplug all the sensors on the trans and hang them out of the way.

5. remove the coolant lines going to the trans using a lineman's wrench so you dont warp the brass fitting.

6. remove the starter and flywheel cover.

7. remove bolts from the torque converter that hold it to the flywheel. should be 3 bolts.

8. if you dont have a trans jack, find a peice of 1/2 thick plywood about 1'x1' and place it ontop of your floor jack, now jack up untill the jack touches the trans pan. DO NOT JACK ON THE PAN W/O THE PLYWOOD!!!!

9. remove the trans crossmember

10. unbolt the trans from the block. alot of people reccomend using a few feet of extension and a rachet, but i found on my 93 Z28 that its just as easy to climb ontop of the motor and use a wrench to unbolt them. you have to be pretty nimble to do that though. there are a few more bolts that you can get to from under the car

11. now the trans is loose. try and slide it back about an inch or so before lowering it bc the converter has a peg that sticks in the back of the crankshaft.

12. lower the trans slowly to make sure you didnt miss anything.

i would reccomend an external cooler from advance auto for like 20 bucks, but if not then at least flush the lines for the stock cooler. when you reinstall, be sure the converter is all the way back in the trans housing. it should "click" twice. if you do it right you should have to pull the converter forwards about 3/8" to get it to meet the flywheel. dont put pressure on the flywheel or you'll bend it and have to take all this **** back loose to replace it later. and you'll break the nose off your starter too if you bend the flywheel. if the converter has to slide back more once its in place, use your hands to turn it and push untill it clicks and slides back. if you force it by tightening the bolts youll crack the front pump, and that will be the end of your transmission.

this should be everything if im not forgettng anything. then just do steps 1-12 in reverse for the reinstall

KirkEvil

iTrader: (36)

Sounds like a decent find. If you are putting in a transmission cooler you should consider replacing the hard lines with hose while the trans is out. I always had leaking problems when my cooler hoses were clamped to the hard lines.

You can pick up 1/4" npt to hose barb fittings at local auto stores, and get about 10' of hose compatible with trans fluid....about $30 in parts that will save you a headache in the future.

1_slow00z28

Alright well i have the trans in but now for some reason it will not move i can shift it into all the gears but for some damn reason it will not go anywhere at all if anyone knows what it could be please let me know it does have fluid as well lol

millersta

iTrader: (2)

did u install the converter all the way on the trans

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

Better question is did you install the Convertor properly?

colt_impala

iTrader: (3)

Is the driveshaft hooked up? May sound like a dumb question but you'd be surprised what you can forget when you get excited. Or it could be what everyone else said, the converter.

1_slow00z28

pretty sure i installed it right the crazy part is that i can even fell it trying to grab a gear at all like when you put it do in to gear the car jerks a little it doesnt do that

1_slow00z28

pulling it now and i will let everyone i didnt have any space between the converter and the flywheel when i installed it last night and i talked to a tech i work with and he said you should have atleast a quater inch between the flywheel and converter

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

^^^Yup..

Sounds like you didn't have it on the Pump Splines..hopefully you didn't push the Pump into the Case.

1_slow00z28

thats what i am hoping thank god i have a shop and air tools it would be a big pain in the but lol

1_slow00z28

well i found out that the converter was not on all the way and it did brake the front pump so i will be taking it to a friend that will be doing a build on it and a stall so thats good but bad atleast i learned the 1st time and not on a fully built unit thanks for everyones help and i will post pics of the car soon

KirkEvil

iTrader: (36)

Sucks dude...gotta measure before bolting the trans up!

1_slow00z28

yeah thats what i get for taking someone else word about it being on there all the way just a mistake that shouldnt have happened but anyway yeah i cant wait to see the power it only as 1st and 2nd gear right now

stngh8r

Excellent write up/info. Thanks for sharing.