damn tranny wont budge
10-14-2006, 11:07 PM
#1
damn tranny wont budge 
after a day of trying, the transmission will not come out. I've tried everything from wiggling the crap out of it to trying to use a few jack points to get it aligned. it wont come out. hopefully tomorrow it should come out. even then, putting it back in is going to be a bitch. not to mention the car is about a little over 1.5 feet from the ground on jack stands. if anyone has any suggestions feel free to let me know. 
10-15-2006, 01:00 AM
#2
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Check the obvious 1st...ALL of the bolts are out? Don't laugh...I've seen the very top bolt missed a few times.
If you're doing this alone, you might want to consider getting some aditional muscle. I couldn't get my tranny off by myself, and I had the engine/tranny dropped completely out of the car! Only after my neighbor came over, and after about 10 minutes of serious grunting, and a few strain farts, did we get the bich separated.
What are you doing, installing a new clutch? Are you going to put a new pilot bearing in?
And yes, putting it back in IS going to be a bich. If you're installing a new clutch, don't even bother with the plastic, cheap POS alignment tool. Get a metal one. They're much more accurate at aligning the clutch. I think you can rent them at most decent auto parts stores. Stabbing the tranny back into the clutch/pilot bearing is never easy, at least it hasn't been for me. I've tried it myself twice, and both times I had to get extra muscle to help me get the bich both off, and back on again.
If you're doing this alone, you might want to consider getting some aditional muscle. I couldn't get my tranny off by myself, and I had the engine/tranny dropped completely out of the car! Only after my neighbor came over, and after about 10 minutes of serious grunting, and a few strain farts, did we get the bich separated.
What are you doing, installing a new clutch? Are you going to put a new pilot bearing in?
And yes, putting it back in IS going to be a bich. If you're installing a new clutch, don't even bother with the plastic, cheap POS alignment tool. Get a metal one. They're much more accurate at aligning the clutch. I think you can rent them at most decent auto parts stores. Stabbing the tranny back into the clutch/pilot bearing is never easy, at least it hasn't been for me. I've tried it myself twice, and both times I had to get extra muscle to help me get the bich both off, and back on again.
10-15-2006, 08:41 AM
#3
there are three of us and none of us could break it free. i've gone to just about every parts store. i had to buy a clutch kit, take the plastic alignment tool, and return the kit just to even get one. i might just take it to a shop. 1 1/2 feet up from the ground seems like its not worth the trouble i'm going through.
10-15-2006, 10:31 AM
#5
It's tough but I think you missed some bolts on the top. When I was taking off my transmission, there are 8 black bolts that hold the transmission to the bellhousing.
The bellhousing bolts WILL NOT come off unless the transmission is removed.
There are 8 black bolts for the transmission to bellhousing, then another 8 aluminized bolts that hold the bellhousing to the engine. The upper bolt and the drivers side bolt of the bellhousing won't come off without taking off the transmission.
Once all bolts are off, a prybar works wonders in separating the transmission, just ensure that the whole weight of the transmission is supported else the weight will rest on the clutch making it very hard for the input shaft to slide out when the weight is resting on it.
The bellhousing bolts WILL NOT come off unless the transmission is removed.
There are 8 black bolts for the transmission to bellhousing, then another 8 aluminized bolts that hold the bellhousing to the engine. The upper bolt and the drivers side bolt of the bellhousing won't come off without taking off the transmission.
Once all bolts are off, a prybar works wonders in separating the transmission, just ensure that the whole weight of the transmission is supported else the weight will rest on the clutch making it very hard for the input shaft to slide out when the weight is resting on it.
10-15-2006, 12:17 PM
#6
The tranny is a VERY snug fit on the dowels. Maybe you should try some WD40 on the dowels, and re-check the top of the tranny to make sure all the bolts are out. They can be deceptive. I had to apply leverage with a wooden hammer handle on the tranny around the tailhousing to break it free from the bellhousing but it wasn't too terribly tough. Make sure the tranny is properly supported though - you don't want it popping off and crushing someone/something
Bitchin95redta is right. You will need to someone to help you remove and reinstall the tranny. That sucker is heavy. My tranny fell off the jack when I was removing it and I had to scurry away like a rat to keep my fingers on my hand. Those machined edges are sharp! Since my car was on jackstands it didn't have too far to fall anyway.
Putting it back in required a little ingenuity since I'm not big enough to bench press it back into place. I first fashioned a sort of harness around the tranny with some sturdy rope I had lying around, then dragged it back into position under the car right under the shifter opening. Next, I put a pry bar across the shifter opening inside the car and used a ratchet strap around it through the harness to bring the *** end of the tranny up. This allowed me to pry up the front end of the tranny enough to get a floor jack under it. Using the floor jack/ratchet strap combo I lifted the tranny dead level to the correct height, then slid it forward into place and stuck a bolt in it as soon as it got on the alignment dowel pins. It probably sounds a lot more complicated than it is, but I wasn't about to let that heavy *** T-56 with a ridiculously sharp bellhousing face edge crush my skull than night. I believe it weighs about 140lbs, if I remember correctly. Even sliding it on a shiny smooth garage floor required a lot of effort.
Bitchin95redta is right. You will need to someone to help you remove and reinstall the tranny. That sucker is heavy. My tranny fell off the jack when I was removing it and I had to scurry away like a rat to keep my fingers on my hand. Those machined edges are sharp! Since my car was on jackstands it didn't have too far to fall anyway.
Putting it back in required a little ingenuity since I'm not big enough to bench press it back into place. I first fashioned a sort of harness around the tranny with some sturdy rope I had lying around, then dragged it back into position under the car right under the shifter opening. Next, I put a pry bar across the shifter opening inside the car and used a ratchet strap around it through the harness to bring the *** end of the tranny up. This allowed me to pry up the front end of the tranny enough to get a floor jack under it. Using the floor jack/ratchet strap combo I lifted the tranny dead level to the correct height, then slid it forward into place and stuck a bolt in it as soon as it got on the alignment dowel pins. It probably sounds a lot more complicated than it is, but I wasn't about to let that heavy *** T-56 with a ridiculously sharp bellhousing face edge crush my skull than night. I believe it weighs about 140lbs, if I remember correctly. Even sliding it on a shiny smooth garage floor required a lot of effort.
10-15-2006, 07:52 PM
#7
well my brother and i (after i made the post) got the tranny off. we just unbolted the bellhousing and it wasnt much longer until it came down without much effort.
the pilot bearing was the next biggest job. the puller i rented had curved edges so i had to file it to make it grab. when i removed the bearing, you should have seen it.
i hope to have lots of pics once i finish.
the pilot bearing was the next biggest job. the puller i rented had curved edges so i had to file it to make it grab. when i removed the bearing, you should have seen it.
i hope to have lots of pics once i finish.
