Not!! Just recently my trans has been slipping from a stop bad enough to bark a tire when it catches and since I'm not an idiot I know what time it is. I was thinking buy the TEP stage 1 rebuild kit($850+removal and install) and have a reputable shop do the work or pull the trans myself and buy a whole TEP trans($1900). What would guys do? How hard is it to pull the trans? Thanks guys.

 

I went with a full TEP trans, best money I have spent on a car. My GXP is incredibly fun to drive now.

 

Did you re use your stock converter?

 

go with the tep trans ,one of the best if not the best places to get yours done .

 

My brother is on his 3rd transmission in his Grand Prix GXP.

 

i went with tep full transmission and installed it myself. installing it sucked. you need a few special tools, or at least make a few. one thing you need is a brace to hold the engine up while the transmission and the engine support is removed. i used a couple 4x4 and rachet straps for this... i really recommend just buying the 100 dollar tool. i wasted more time jacking with it then it was worth. another thing would be a couple jacks to lower the transmission strait down.


it came with a new converter.

 

Yeah I figured it would be a pain in the ***. Might just be a better idea to pay $400-600 to get it installed. Thanks man

 

No, but Dave did replace it with a stock spec one.

 

I opted to do it myself - its a fair bit if work but I got a method that helps. There's some pics on my thread, page 2 post #38; https://ls1tech.com/forums/ls4-perfo...rbo-gxp-2.html

Have a look and make the determination what works best for you. It took me a weekend but a third of the time I was screwing with turbo plumbing. If you plan to do it your self, let me know and I'll post a write up on the steps to save yourself a lot of aggravation. No specialty tools needed really, save a torque wrench and long socket extension.

Where you located anyway?

 

Got the full trans from TEP and had a local shop install it. Worth every penny.

 

Yeah thanks man that'd be awesome. I'm in Waynesboro,GA about 30 miles south of Augusta.

 

Ok, so this is basically a go-by for anyone that has mechanical abilities and has experience turning a wrench. The short version is supporting the engine across the struts while you remove the engine cradle and trans from underneath. By only removing the drivers side ball joint nut and swinging the cradle out of the way, it is a whole lot easier to reinstall and should preserve the alignment provided you use the alignment hole on the cradle to body when reinstalling.


What you need:

Engine support brace – Harbor freight sells, or make one
High lift jack (two jacks preferred)
Trans jack
Jack stands
Hand tools
Socket set
Wrenches with ratcheting ends
Several socket extensions or a really long one (to remove rear trans bolt)
Torque wrench
Pry bar
Large flat head screw driver
Dental tool
WD-40 or rust penetrate spray
Drain pan


To start, make sure you’ve got you tools and parts ready then disconnect the battery – a must since the starter has to come off.
Remove air box & MAF tube, crossover exhaust pipe, wiring harness attached to trans (check two connectors in rear), starter and tuck harness out of the way.
Disconnect shifter cable and tuck out of the way.
Support the engine with brace and chains, then remove all but one of the top transmission to engine bolts.

Lift the car and set on stands, with stands centered on each side of the engine cradle, then drain trans – if you don’t it will pour out the axle holes later.
Remove: wheels, front fender & lower valance.
Remove: sway bar end links from both sides.
Remove all 6 bolts from bottom of engine & trans mounts (from under cradle).
Using dental tool, disconnect transmission lines tuck out of the way.
Remove plastic cover on bottom of trans to expose torque converter.
Use large flat head screw driver to slowly pry teeth of fly wheel against trans housing to rotate torque converter and remove 3 bolts. Screw driver can also leverage flywheel to break converter bolts free.
Once all bolts are removed, push torque converter towards trans – it’ll move about an inch.


Disconnect rear O2 wire & remove exhaust down pipe and set out of the way.
Remove the two nuts & bolts for the power steering rack and gently pry rack up a ¼” or so to loosen - it'll slide out later when cradle is lowered.

Remove the four bolts for the transmission output housing to mount bracket (passenger side).
Using a long extension from the passenger side, remove the rear engine to transmission bolt – you can feel for the bolt thru the exhaust tunnel but will only be able to get a socket on it from passenger side.
Remove only the driver’s side ball joint nut – tap bottom of spindle with hammer and it will release to get nut off.

Raise car off stands and move stands to body mount position between rear cradle mount and outer edge of car & keep jack under cradle.
Remove 4 cradle bolts and slowly lower cradle, when the cradle does not want to lower with jack, it will be because axles and steering rack need to release.
Use pry bar to remove CV axles from trans side only, and raise steering rack out of cradle bracket.
Once axles are free and cradle will lower to ground, remove jack and swing cradle to passenger side so it is out of the way.

Place trans jack under transmission and strap trans to jack.
Once trans is supported, remove last trans to engine bolt.
Pry trans away from motor and lower.

Trans is out – now do the reverse! One note on reinstalling the cradle, there is an alignment hole on either of the rear mount locations –use a large punch or screw driver to align it before tightening cradle bolts.

 

Wow! sticky this one and everyone who does should contribute pics. It doesn't sound like too much of a bastard job.
Would be a good time to do poly and solid mounts i think

 

I've got lots of pics, just not sure how to upload them. Dave from tep also recommends bypassing the stock tranny cooler because of any junk in there. I also replaced the tranny cooler lines as they were fairly cheap and the original ones had crap in them from my tranny failure. Dave also sells the engine support bar for about $100

 

x11 nut is the man! Thanks for taking the time to type that up man.

 

i think i spent a full day trying to find that one.

 

Thanx and no problem. I imagine a swap out could be done in a day - a long day mind you, but fesible if your use to wrenching...

Here's some pics

 

Ya, seems like extra effort to remove the exhaust downpipe but it makes it SOOOO much easier to locate the rear bastard bolt.

 

i didnt even know the bolt was there, i thought it was just an alignment hole. i sure had a few nice words to say about the designers on that one... what retard thinks to put all the housing bolts in one way, then switch it up on 1

 

The kind that wants to make sure you take your ride to the dealer for work...