Pulling the Transmission 98 OBW

[msmithmmx]

I have a 98 OBW Donor car.  I need the transmission.  I want to pull it all out of the engine bay for safety reasons. Looking for best way.  I have pulled many engines.  When it comes to the transmission.  I see the bolts to the bottom support.  I know I have to pull the axle pins.  Anything else?  Will the drive shaft just slip out.  Should I pull the engine and trans together?  Thanks for the help

[Fairtax4me]

Easier IMO to just pull the trans from underneath, but that depends on what equipment you have. You really need a transmission jack for these or you need to build a small box that fits around the transmission pan to avoid damaging the solenoids in the pan if you just have a floor jack. You need a jack with about 18-20" of lift, and about 20" of clearance under the car to be able to slide the trans out from underneath. More depending on how large you build the box.

 

 

To pull the lump together you still need to have a ton of clearance under the car to tilt the whole getup far enough to clear the front header panel.

 

If its a car you dont care much about you can just cut the header panel out and make it much easier.

[msmithmmx]

so it sound like I am pulling them seperate.   With that said do I need to disconnect the drive shaft  anywhere?  Or does that just pull out?

[johnceggleston]

 

If its a car you dont care much about you can just cut the header panel out and make it much easier.

 

i did this on a wreck donor car.

i cut all the cross members up front around the grill / rad area.

unbolted the engine cross member the rear trans mount,

undid the struts, and engine cables / hoses,

and then i just slid the whole thing forward.

i left the chassis sitting there on spare wheels / tires.

eventually i put the wheels, struts, and cross member back so i could move the car around.

[msmithmmx]

I pulled the engine seperate.  Only took about 15 minutes to split from the trans.  I then disconnected the axles and transmission bolts.  I lifted the trans up with a floor jack on a block of wood then lifted with the engine hoist and started rolling back.  The driveshaft just pulled from the trans.  I have a heavy duty hoist that I picked up this morning for $75 so I was able to get it real high to pull out.  This transmission is heavy.  Personally I would not feel comfortable pulling out from the bottom on jack stands.  I know it would have been quicker but the risk is to great.  I was surprised how much fluid started leaking out as I had this thing airborne. Here is a pic.

[Fairtax4me]

Those automagics are godawful heavy. There are three separate units inside that housing.

[Mikevan10]

Not sure I understand what danger you were worrying about with pulling the automatic transmission from under the car, but you definitely deserve a tip of the hat, sir, for removing the engine in 15 minutes!  Are you saying that 15 minutes from the time you popped open the hood you had everything disconnected and the engine was safely removed from the vehicle?

[idosubaru]

he said 15 minutes separating engine and trans, not pulling it entirely.

 

well done, that thing almost vertical!

 

 i've pulled and installed the engine and trans together as a lump multiple times - even on EZ 6 cylinder automatic pigs.  they basically come out like your picture - WAAAAAY up high and nearly vertical to get it all to clear that crossmember.

[Mikevan10]

Yeah, we pulled the engine and transmission out as a unit out of a 2008 Legacy GT and installed a new (used) engine with the old trans as a unit last Friday.  I have always just dropped the trans when I needed to replace the clutch or replace the transmission before.  You do have to get the engine/trans unit at a super steep angle to get them in and out.  Having done it both ways now I probably would just drop the trans and leave the engine in place for future clutch and/or transmission work.  It is SO much fun mating them back up that way!