Superformance Transmission Removal and install

[mpanten]

The time has finally come where my transmission decided to call it quits. I have ordered a replacement from Brent. Any superformance owners out there who have replaced the transmission without pulling the motor? Any tips or tricks? Im upgrading to a tremce 600 but size wise they are identical so I dont anticipate any problems there. Mainly just removal and install through the tunnel.

[Mark IV]

Get some adhesive carpet runner and put it down before you remove the tunnel. The sealant used on the tunnel to tub is nasty stuff and will get ALL over the carpet if not protected.

Otherwise a straight forward operation. A helper to lift out/install the tranny is good also, they aren't that heavy but the posistion is awkward and makes it hard for one person to manage the gearbox.

[mpanten]

I already replaced the black goup with two sided weather stripping, works good, glad there were no other major issues. You didnt have to jockey the motor around at all?

[jhv48]

Nope. After removing the driveshaft and the tunnel, there is plenty of room to lift it out through the tunnel.

[flipscobra]

I used an engine lift an a rope choker around the transmissionto pull an install it bye myself, I got it close then put 2 long bolts in the bottom of transmission as a guide an a little jiggling it slipped into position. you need to dial your bellhousing, it needs to be plus or .05 thousands. Thats what Tremec calls for. good luck

[Pman1961]

Mpanten...I did place a floor jack under the bellhousing to raise the rear of the tranny up some to clear the crossmember. At the time my pipes were off too so I don't know how much flexibility you have with pipes installed. To remove the bellhousing you will temporarily need to remove the jack of course and support the motor from the pan or from above with a lift. You will have to remove the driveshaft loop to get the driveshaft out. Make sure you seal the tranny where the yoke goes in the rear. I used baggies and then duct taped the heck out of it. Your new tranny will have rubber plugs in them but I left them be until new tranny was back in car. Also, put several layers of cardboard and tape it to the top of the crossmember once you have lifted the rear with a jack so you don't booger that up while removal and installing tranny. Two people works great. One below the car and the other in the interior. Just be careful with lip on the floor where the tunnel overlaps. Don't want to set your tranny or foot on that as it may crack. Most of all don't forget to ad fluid to the tranny they come empty. Another note...I had a hard time getting my new clutch to work with my old configuration. I relocated the pushrod of the master cylinder to the middle hole on the clutch pedal as mine was on the lower and also there is an adjustable clevis same location I turned out a few turns to give me more pedal actuation. Biggest pain to me was getting the tunnel back in place.

[mpanten]

pman or anyone else,

did you have to raise the motor at all? As im looking at it im not sure how there is enough room to pull it back. Do you have to remove the mount that bolts through the cross member? it looks like it would be almost impossible to take that out. Otherwise there are bolts that go down through the mount, am i missing something?

[mpanten]

Let me clarify the last question a little, will I have to raise the motor bellhousing to the extent I will have to unhook hoses and wireing etc.. or will just looseing the pipes and motor mounts do it?

[Pman1961]

I just raised the rear of the motor from the bottom of the bellhousing. My tranny mount was in place for installation and removal. You can probably get by without touching the motor mount fasteners unless you have steel motor mounts as the original style mount will flex. Loosen the fasteners if it makes you feel better. Just note where your mounts are to the frame at motor and tranny mounts with tape should the unit move you can get it back the way it was. Of course if your sidepipes are uneven from side to side or within the hole you can tweak with shims, etc. to do the alignment job. Your wiring, plumbing should be okay. Sidepipes are questionable. You're not lifting very much just enough to get the tranny studs out of the crossmember holes. A couple of the fasteners to the sidepipe to headers are a beach so I'd be tempted to try before taking them apart. The tubes will flex so again you may be okay. Just watch it closely and you make that call as I haven't done so myself. However, I can tell you will not permanently bend the pipes. Good luck!

[mpanten]

Thank you pman

[JLip]

Just took mine out and had to unbolt the bell-housing to get the tranny out. Found a sheared pin. I could not get the transmission out without unbolting the bell-housing.

[fordracing65]

When I had my SPF I put it on a lift and removed the tranny from under the car, came out no problem.

[menace1]

This was a post on removing the tranny from underneath the car by Tony R.

Clutch and Tranny Removal




The clutch was fused to the fly wheel and that was the cause of the problem. McLeod rebuilt the clutch for $100 and the hydraulic throw out for $125( It was a ten year old unit and they simply shipped me one of their new designed units without the banjo fittings). While the transmission was out we drained the GM synchromesh fluid and replaced it with the Redline fluid and it is much smoother in every gear.

The transmission does come out the bottom without removing the tunnel, seats, carpeting etc. before you start disconnect the ground on the battery.

1) Remove drive shaft and put in a rubber plug in the transmission to keep the fluid from draining out and making a mess, there is also a plug for the speedo when you remove the drive.

2) Disconnect all of the electrical for the neutral switch, remove starter, and take off the shifter, shifter turret from the top of the transmission, boot, chrome ring and the top of the transmission shifter to allow you to push the transmission back far enough to access the pressure plate and clutch.

3) We had to pry the clutch off of the pressure plate and it left some of the organic clutch material on the fly wheel. Once the pressure plate and clutch plate are off of the fly wheel you can unbolt the bell housing remove it and take the transmission to the floor. You need two guys to take it out and a transmission jack really helps.

4) Take some 80 grit sandpaper to the fly wheel to remove the residue from the old clutch and also resurfaced the pressure plate with a hand sander. The engine was very solid when the transmission was out and we did not need to brace it up.

Took less than half the time to reverse the process, reinstall it all, bleed the clutch and it works great. Having a lift made all of this possible in my garage.

Thanks for all the input and McLeod Racing for being a stand up organization even though the parts were ten years old.

Tony R.

[Pman1961]

How did the tranny come out the bottom with motor in place? Did someone cut the welded in crossmember and then re-bolt in place?

[fordracing65]

Yes, you cut the crossmember, it is that way for almost all cars, it is no problem, I did it with all my old Corvetts this way also, you can use bolts to keep crossmember in place for future projects, it hurts nothing.

[GEE TEE]

Superformance specifically forbids cutting of the trans crossmember as it is a critical member of the frame and important to the structual rigidty of the car.

[fordracing65]

Originally Posted by GEE TEE

Superformance specifically forbids cutting of the trans crossmember as it is a critical member of the frame and important to the structual rigidty of the car.

They also forbid driving too fast, and running slicks on the street, running with sissors, and swimming within 30 minutes after you eat, still did it, it hurts nothing when done correctly, its a 3 inch piece.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by fordracing65

They also forbid driving too fast, and running slicks on the street, running with sissors, and swimming within 30 minutes after you eat, still did it, it hurts nothing when done correctly, its a 3 inch piece.

Cut the crossmember out of your Kirkham and see what David says.............

[fordracing65]

Do a google search and see how many high performance project cars cut the crossmember, and your not cutting the crossmember OUT, your cutting it and bolting it back in, its still in place. Take out the seats and pull up the carpet and remove the trans tunnel if you like.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by fordracing65

Do a google search and see how many high performance project cars cut the crossmember, and your not cutting the crossmember OUT, your cutting it and bolting it back in, its still in place. Take out the seats and pull up the carpet and remove the trans tunnel if you like.

Yes, I will continue to remove a BOLT IN seat and a SCREW IN tunnel rather than CUT a structural member. Google is not the shop manual of proper high performance vehicle repairs in my shop. Please, by all means cut the crossmembers out of your Kirkham, but don't tell Superformance owners to do so.

Sorta like the Jag dealer here in town that in the 60's could do a clutch in an E type in under 4 hours. This job requires the engine and transmission be removed to PROPERLY do the job. That they torched the crossmember out and then "welded" it back in place was of no concern to them until one day a customer's E dropped the crossmember going over a rough railroad crossing. The lawsuit and settlement more than ate up the extra profits they made for charging 12 hours labor when they took 4...................................