Removing Engine/Trans - Need the benefit of others' experien

[fiasco]

I am trying to pull the engine/trans as a unit from the Fiasco. I have had the engine out before but not the trans so I am plowing some new ground here.

My shop manual tells me that I need to install a compressor on the flex disc before I take out the bolts that connect it to the trans. I don't have anything like that and I'm wondering how necessary that really is. What will happen if I take the bolts out without the compressor?

Once I have the trans separated from the drive shaft, I will be ready to pull everything out. I have an engine hoist, and I have the car up on stands about 2 feet high. Anything I need to aware/careful of before I start pulling?

Thanks all!
-- se

[mdrburchette]

Steve, you can use a big hose clamp from the hardware store to compress the donut.
Make sure you disconnect the starter wires. For some reason, I always forget this.
Disconnect ex man from pipe, heater hoses, carb linkage, ground strap, unbolt motor mounts.
Also disconnect the centerlink from one side for clearance. Pull the radiator if it's still in there so you'll have room to maneuver. You'll need someone to help you guide the end of the tranny at an angle so it will clear the firewall while someone lifts the engine and pulls it from the car.

[fiasco]

Thanks Denise.

[spiderrey]

Hmm, the car is totaled. Why not take a sawzall, cut the front rad support out and have tons of room to manuver.

[halg]

I always use an engine tilter on my hoist if I am trying to remove both at the same time. I have one you could use and am close to you.
Hal

[fiasco]

How close Hal? Maybe I could come by and pick it up tonight(?)

-- se

[So Cal Mark]

two feet off the ground may not be high enough to get the combo out unless you take Reys' suggestion and cut the nose off

[fiasco]

If I had a sawzall I'd do that for sure. As it is I'm gonna see if I can borrow one . . .

[fiasco]

Two questions about the flex disc.

1. What is the purpose of compressing the disc? I have put a hose clamp on it, but I'm just not sure what it supposed to be accomplishing. Should I make it as tight as I can?

2. Are there any tricks to getting the bolts out of the flex disc? I gave it a quick try tonight. I can get a socket on one bolt and put a wrench on another bolt. When the wrench hits the bottom of the car it stops the shaft from spinning so I can get a good amount of force on the socket, but it just turns the whole bolt. The big bracket (sort of a mini cross member) that sits under the flex disc gets in the way of getting a wrench on the other end of the bolt. How do I remove that bracket? I assume I can get the two nuts off the ends of the bracket, but the trans seems to be attached in the middle in some way - is there something I need to disconnect there, or if I remove the nuts on the ends will it just drop out?

I have put a jack under the trans so it won't fall on me when I disconnect it.

Going to get back at it tomorrow.

Thanks,
-- se

[spiderrey]

if i recall correctly, if you take out three of the bolts on the same side you should be o k. put a box end on one side and a rachet on the ther. its not that difficult once you figure it out. ive dissassembled many without clamping the donut down. and you only need to cut the top radiator support out of the way.

[fiasco]

if i recall correctly, if you take out three of the bolts on the same side you should be o k. put a box end on one side and a rachet on the ther. its not that difficult once you figure it out. ive dissassembled many without clamping the donut down. and you only need to cut the top radiator support out of the way.

Yeah - that's what I thought, but I can't get a wrench on the other end of the bolt I'm trying to loosen because of that big bracket underneath - so the bolt just spins. I think I'm gonna have to get that bracket off first.

-- se

[mdrburchette]

I think compressing it is beneficial if you are planning to reinstall it.
Have you tried prying the bracket off after you got it loose?

[fiasco]

I think compressing it is beneficial if you are planning to reinstall it.
Have you tried prying the bracket off after you got it loose?

Haven't really spent much time on the bracket yet. Too dark now - going to get back to it tomorrow.

[spiderrey]

I guess thats the thing Denise, Ive never reinstalled one......

[So Cal Mark]

compressing the disc will make it a tad easier to pull the bolts out, but it's not really needed to reinstall either.
To get a wrench on the disc bolts, you have to rotate it after you remove each nut. Turn the disc so that one bolt is located just below the speedo drive the wrench will fit it at a small angle. After you remove that first one, rotate to the next one. you only have to remove 3 to get the driveshaft separated from the trans. Leave the crossmember in place, just unbolt it from the floor