To do before car goes up for tranny pulling

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Creedmoor

Recovering Fordaholic
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Haven't done this before so lemme know if I'm forgetting anything. My checklist to do while the car ('68 FB with 904) is on the ground and I can reach the topside stuff. Don't want to find out the hard way I missed something:

Remove neg bat cable
Remove dizzy cap and rotor
Remove oil sending unit
Remove oil filter
Break loose top two BH to block bolts
Remove tranny dipstick and tube - Does the tube just pull out after the bracket is unbolted?

We "test" put her up in the air yesterday. Man that is freaky having the car that high! We put it up on ramps in the back and 22" stands in the front. Used seven 2X6es on the floor jack to get there. Without a lift, is there a better way?

Never rebuilt an auto tranny either so I'm real sure I'll be back here regularly with many more questions. Appreciate any and all help.
 
be damn careful with it sitting on jack stands, it hurts when it falls on it, I know.

remove whatever is in your way to get to the trans to block bolts.

DRAIN the ATF from the trans. don't know what your plan is with trans or engine? the output shaft can be "plugged" so the fluid doesn't come out. it will be a lot lighter with fluid drained, realize the convertor also have fluid in it and will be fairly heavy.

yes pull the dipstick tube, held in place with a bolt at bottom of tube.

I did not catch what you are working on, but yes there are half dozen bolts that attach the trans to engine.

again, be careful!!!!!!!!!! shake that car REAL good to be sure it is stable and put several more jack studs under there. does your wife have good insurance on you!????? ha

you have obvious linkage/ and kickdown to take loose. you will see the speedo cable, neutral safety switch wire, backup? wire ......

the convertor to flexplates bolts have to come loose.

obvious is the driveshaft!

download a FSM off the net and it will always give step by step instruction for ALL jobs you attempt on your car>> a must have BOOK!
 
I like to use the starter relay to bump the engine around as I take out the converter bolts. I also squirt some paint on one of the flexplate flanges/converter to mark the position before I take the bolts out
 
Thanks for the pointers guys. Now, back to my original question; Am I leaving anything out that should be done BEFORE the car gets put up on ramps and stands?

Remove neg bat cable
Remove dizzy cap and rotor
Remove oil sending unit
Remove oil filter
Break loose top two BH to block bolts
Remove tranny dipstick and tube

Reading through the various posts on pulling a tranny, it was recommended to pull the dizzy CAP and oil sender as they may hit the firewall when the engine tips down after the tranny crossmember is removed (support under engine of course). I have the right angle adaptor on my oil filter and the filter removed would provide much greater access to bolts.
 
Barbee6043 mentioned draining the transmission fluid. I would definitely do that.

Other than that I can't think of anything you missed.

I never put mine that high...too scary for me!! I get the car up high enough to get under it, pull the transmission with a floor jack with a 1 x 4 on it. Then I slide the transmission off the floor jack onto a piece of cardboard and slide it out under the front of the car. Bam!

Good luck. My list includes rebuilding my 904 at some point. Just gather all the resources, books and videos and review them over and over before starting. Sounds like fun!!!
 
Personally I pull the spark plugs which makes it easier to turn over to get torque converter bolts out. Also may want to make a cardboard template to stick the bolts thru to keep in position. Sometimes makes things easier going back together.
 
Dubob said:
Personally I pull the spark plugs which makes it easier to turn over to get torque converter bolts out. Also may want to make a cardboard template to stick the bolts thru to keep in position. Sometimes makes things easier going back together.
Click to expand...

Good call. Forgot about pulling the plugs.
 
66fyssh said:
I never put mine that high...too scary for me!! I get the car up high enough to get under it, pull the transmission with a floor jack with a 1 x 4 on it. Then I slide the transmission off the floor jack onto a piece of cardboard and slide it out under the front of the car. Bam!
Click to expand...


I picked up one of those HF tranny jacks. "low profile" my ***! It's lowest height is 9". My floor jack goes down to 4" with a 3/4" piece of plywood on it. That would save some height at the expense of more easily handling the tranny. Then there's lifting it back up for the re-install. Not sure about best way to go. Really want advice on best way to put car up high.
 
I like the cardboard idea for the bolts. I used ziplock baggies and a sharpie, labeling everything as I went. (in the cases where I couldn't thread the bolts back in place when the tranny was out) 1 bag for kickdown, 1 bag for shift lever bolts, et cetera... I also wrote on stuff like "towards front" or "right side." Also use your phone at each step to take pictures.

Remember, the factory only put in three extra bolts in the whole car... ;)
 
Creedmoor said:
I picked up one of those HF tranny jacks. "low profile" my ***! It's lowest height is 9". My floor jack goes down to 4" with a 3/4" piece of plywood on it. That would save some height at the expense of more easily handling the tranny. Then there's lifting it back up for the re-install. Not sure about best way to go. Really want advice on best way to put car up high.
Click to expand...

Safest way I have found is to cut sections of log at least half as wide as they are long. Use these under the corners as insurance if the stands go sideways. In the old days wed stack two spare tires to keep it off you but that's not enough.
 
Creedmoor said:
Thanks for the pointers guys. Now, back to my original question; Am I leaving anything out that should be done BEFORE the car gets put up on ramps and stands?

Remove neg bat cable
Remove dizzy cap and rotor
Remove oil sending unit
Remove oil filter
Break loose top two BH to block bolts
Remove tranny dipstick and tube

Reading through the various posts on pulling a tranny, it was recommended to pull the dizzy CAP and oil sender as they may hit the firewall when the engine tips down after the tranny crossmember is removed (support under engine of course). I have the right angle adaptor on my oil filter and the filter removed would provide much greater access to bolts.
Click to expand...

Drain trans prior to pulling dipstick tube to avoid a nice mess. Ask me how I know..
 
Ben Drinkin said:
Drain trans prior to pulling dipstick tube to avoid a nice mess. Ask me how I know..
Click to expand...

....and wrap a plastic sack around the tail shaft out put and wire it there because no matter how much you drain, fluid still comes out.
 
Would it hurt anything to remove the top two bellhousing to block bolts before putting it up? They look easier to get at from the top.
 
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