3 ways yes....but which is easiest? !

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MrJLR

MrJLR

Built, not bought
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I need to pull my transmission. ....
1) pull just the transmission out the bottom
2) pull engine and transmission together from the top
3) drop the K frame with engine and transmission and lift the body

Just kicking around the various ways in my head....baring in mind that I dont have a lot of ceiling clearance, but if it weren't for that, which is easiest?
Would be nice to refresh the paint etc on the engine if it were out but obviously not required. ....

Jeff
 
I would pull the trans from the bottom. When I rebuilt the trans on my Challenger about a month after installing the rebuilt engine I pulled from the bottom. about 2 to 3 hours worth of work taking my time and not rushing it.
Kevin
 
take it out from the bottom, its cake if you have or pick up a harbor freight scissor transmission jack and jack the car up high enough. Not a difficult job at all
 
If you really just need the transmission, just drop the transmission. Especially if you have headers.

Out the top with the engine means pulling the hood usually, takes a good hoist and the ability to tilt the engine to a pretty extreme angle. Which also means draining everything. And of course if you have headers it means pulling those first, with all the fun that entails entirely separate from the engine removal.

Out the bottom with the K frame is nice, the headers can stay in place, no crazy engine angles, no scrapping the tail of the transmission on the header panel etc. But it also usually means pulling the bumper and hanging the whole front of the car from some kind of lifting device that you either have to buy or make. And it requires the engine, transmission and K to be on some kind of dolly. And involves pulling the torsion bars and separating the suspension somewhere (balljoint, UCA, wherever) which means checking the alignment again later.

Out the bottom with the whole assembly is the nicest in my opinion, less mess, less stress. But you have to remove a bunch of stuff and it requires specialized stuff to make it easy. So if you really just need the transmission out, I'd just pull it. Now, if you need to do work under the car while the trans is out then pulling the engine may be easiest in the long run as you won't have to work around it. Or if you're installing a new bellhousing or hydraulic clutch. That whole alignment and test fitting process is way easier when you're not under the car.
 
I thought you just did your trans.
I would drop it out from the bottom. I have a trans jack if you need one.
 
My record is 17 minutes,
to remove; the shifter,the mufflers and front pipes, the driveshaft, the GVod, pop the distributor cap,and yank the aluminum cased A833, in that order;
On a 4-post hoist, with the toolbox under there with me.....Badaboom.
I was a bit younger then;50ish, compared to 66 now.

But I'm guessing you're probly talking automatic, which takes a couple more minutes, cuz you have to phsyc yourself up a bit to yank that tank outta there, I mean roll the tranny jack into place,lol..
No jack?
Well at my age, without a hoist, I'd probly farm the job out to a younger DA, I mean man.

Almost forgot; I installed a bar or a framing stick up on top of the T-bars and below something, I forget exactly what or how, to keep the engine in about the normal attitude; you'll figure it out.
 
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Out the bottom and don't forget to plug the tailshaft, otherwise big mess! Done many
a times even in the snow on crawling on cardboard.
 
I've rubber banded a baggie over the tailshaft to catch the fluid.
 
How can any of yall be right when we don't even know WTF car he's talkin about?
 
Support the unit and disconnect all associated parts. Engine, driveshaft, cooling lines, crossmember etc. Then simply remove the automobile from the transmission!

Easy peasy!
 
If all you need to remove is the trans, then out the bottom it is. My personal record on an A body was about 45 minutes, out with the old fried 904 and in with a good replacement on a 1974 /6 Dart, working on jackstands with air tools and a trans jack. Of course I was about 30 years younger then.
 
Jeff if you're doing it with out a lift in your garage make yourself a set of these for the four corners. It eliminates the jack stands being it the way. I made these out of 2x12's and 2x8's. They have enough height to make working under the car a little easier. If you would like more info on how I built mine PM me and I'll take better pictures tomorrow. I've had my challenger on them and my daughters 1996 Grand Cherokee up on them and they work great and are relatively inexpensive to make.
Kevin
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If you want to do more than just pull the tranny, yank it all out with the K member..... It does open up everything and if you are wanting to detail your engine bay it won't get any better than this. But as we all know one thing leads to another on the to-do list in this regard.

Just a simple tranny issue. Pull it from the bottom. Scissor tranny jack makes quick work of it. If you have a some extra beans you can always get the heavy duty stand from Harbor freight and get that bad boy up in the air....

Good luck,
JW
 
I have to admit I have forgotten to pull the dip stick tube and wondered what was holding it from moving anywhere :lol:
 
If the rain ever stops here in SoCal this morning I'm gonna get her up in the air.....
Don't really have the money for the torque converter right now with Christmas and all...but once it's out I'll have no choice but to come up with it!
First step first....get it in the air and the transmission on the bench!

Jeff
 
R4Sedan said:
Why do you have to do that? How does it ruin it.
Click to expand...
Well usually but not always when the engine lays back on some cars with soft mounts the cap hits the firewall and cracks it with a small block. Been there so we always remove the cap and rotor so the rotor don't hit and break the tip off when turning the engine to get the converter bolts off. Even with steel mounts you have to loosen them, Drop the back down to get the top trans bolts. Big blocks don't matter. just put pads between the valve covers and the fire wall. On big blocks we usually unplug the bulk head connectors and push the bulk head in the car. Then move the harness ends to the side so not to smash them. Just cautionary procedures.
 
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