Dropping the trans

[tony martin]

Looks Like U Guys Have It All Under Controll.:mecool:

Thanks:3dsmile:

[Sledge]

Thanks guys. I'll be going after it again tonight after work. I'm hoping to do this without sliding the engine forward so we'll see how it goes.

Cheers!

[Sledge]

RWillia4: thank you for the info, I appreciate the help!

Tony and Jay:

I cut the flange off, and unbolted the sidepipes from the headers. I tried dropping the rear of the engine/trans, using the engine mounts as the pivot, but it didn't tip down anywhere near far enough to let me pull the trans off.

The headers on my BDR extend towards the body such that even if I could move the engine forward, I would only be able to move it about an inch. Otherwise I'd have to remove the headers too, which is a real b____h.

So, now I'm thinking of cutting out the crossmember just aft of the trans, that is a bolted-in arrangement on the newer cars. That will give me the room I need to pull the trans out.

Then I was going to get some channel steel, drill holes through the channel and cross-member stubs, and bolt in the channel steel to replace the cut-out section of the cross-member.

Tony or Jay, is this cross-member critical to leave as is, or can I safely perform the above surgery? This cross-member is only a foot or so forward of the rear chassis cross-member, so while I'm sure it won't improve chassis strength, I'm not sure it will degrade it that much either. On the other hand, mounted to the top of this cross-member, outboard of the tunnel area on each side, are round tubes that extend up through the floor into the cabin area. What is/are the function of these tubes?

Jay/Tony/Reg: your advice please

Thanks again for helping me out!

[CHANMADD]

That's what I did.I cut the crossmember out with the intentions of replacing it with a removable one ,but never got around to it.So I've been driving for years without it with no ill effects.

[CHANMADD]

If you don't want to cut the crossmember ,it's almost as easy to yank the engine and tranny out the top.

[Sledge]

Chanmadd:

Thank you! Is a KCC an earlier version of the Backdraft? Just want to make sure we're talking apples-to-apples.

Anyway, I only have a pretty minimal shop. Sawsall?-yes! Engine lift?-nope.

And, my usual experienced resource is out of town for another couple of weeks, so I'm trying to do this myself.

Thank you for the help. Do you know if those round tubes extending vertically from the crossmember into the cockpit are mounts for a roll bar or some such thing? I can't tell what they do by looking at them from the top without pulling the seat and pulling up the carpet etc, and as you can probably tell this project has already become bigger than expected, so I'd just as soon not.

Cheers

[Cashburn]

Originally Posted by Sledge

Chanmadd:

Thank you for the help. Do you know if those round tubes extending vertically from the crossmember into the cockpit are mounts for a roll bar or some such thing? I can't tell what they do by looking at them from the top without pulling the seat and pulling up the carpet etc, and as you can probably tell this project has already become bigger than expected, so I'd just as soon not.

Cheers

Those are your seat belt mounts You need to move engine forward and do this right or you will be hacking things up and making a general mess of things. Don't rush, measure twice and cut once.

[Sledge]

Jay:

Aha! Thank you.

Okay, to move the engine forward, I'll need to disconnect a bunch more stuff (throttle cable, fuel line, headers, etc) and move the engine forward about 2 inches. Do I unbolt the engine mounts at the engine, or at the chassis? I don't have an engine lift, so do you just put a block of wood under the pan, use a floor jack, lift the engine slightly, and ease it forward? (I have a Canton racing kickout pan).

If I leave the headers on I can only get the engine forward about an inch. By doing so, will this let the aft end of the trans pivot down farther? Otherwise it still won't give me enough room to pull the trans straight back.

Sorry to be a pain but I really do appreciate your advice.

Thanks,

[Cashburn]

If you sawed off the extra driveshaft loop mount and you move it forward an inch (yes you have to disconnect all that stuff, and also unbolt at the chassis not at the block or you will have bigger fish to fillet)... you should be home free by then. If not, I'm surprised. Of course you will have everything disconnected at that point so removing the headers and going all out will be a minor step from there

[Sledge]

Ah you optimist you!

Thanks Jay

[CHANMADD]

Backdraft bought KCC and Rudy Malan owner of KCC is working for backdraft today, so yes they are similar,although my car has xj6 Series 1 front suspension and normaal jag rear.

[Sledge]

Thanks to everyone for your advice, I got the transmission swapped out last weekend, and all the little bits and pieces put back together by Thursday. My first attempt, by myself (with help from this forum). Can you say aches and pains? Floor jacks, wood blocks, jack stands, cardboard, muscle, and a liberal application of invective (the only liberal thing I do).

The trans itself, a Gordon Levy/Travis Blazer T5, is a huge improvement over the old one. Much crisper shifts, better ratios (2.95 first, 0.80 overdrive), just a better feel.

Thanks again for the help and cheers,

[Barry Hall]

Bill,

Just curious, but did you cut the tranny tunnel like I did or were you able to pull it out through the bottom. My hat is off to you if you accomplished it by yourself, it was a real handful with two of us.

Barry

[Sledge]

Barry:

I got it out through the bottom. For me that was easier.

The experience was all kinds of educational yet somehow I hope I don't have to repeat it soon--never would be nice.

It was a handful but the advice and various suggestions obtained from the site here was really good stuff.

Cheers