H6 Transmission removal tips

[Lverano]

I'll be removing an H6 transmission from an 03 L.L. Bean in the coming weeks.  I'm trying to be as proactive as possible to prevent any hang ups once I dive into the job.  I'd like to get in and out and have it done in one day.  My plan of attack, and questions, goes as follows:

 

*using cut up wood planks from home depot I'll be setting my jack on top of those in order to get the car up high enough.  The same goes with the 4 jack stands I'll be using, so I'll also be sliding a couple pieces of scrap plank under each jack stand to get the car up pretty high.

 

*I'm plannng on a 3/4 inch thick piece of plywood and a ratchet strap to modify my current Pittsburgh jack to act as my transmission jack.  I'll probably use at least a 12' x 12 inch wide slab of plywood for that.  I'll sink some holes in the plank to anchor it down to the jack with some bolts, and I'm expecting that to be pretty simple. 

 

*remove battery, wheels, axels

 

*I'm debating removing the entire exhaust as one piece, but it's starting to look like the better option.

 

*I've been under my car, and I've put a 3/8 ratchet on the cross member bolts to see if they're gonna be bad, but all of them broke loose pretty easy with the 3/8th's, so that is one less stress item for me to be concerned with.  I'll not be using an impact wrench on any part of this job except for the axel nuts.

 

*The new transmission looks good, although I have the unanswered question of should the tail shaft be spinning when I'm hand spinning the input shaft on the torque converter end?  

 

*At this point I'll have the axels out, exhaust off, and rear drive shaft off.  I'll next unbolt the torque converter, starter, and remove all the bolts connecting the engine to the transmission.  I'll remove the dog bone bolts, and unplug any connectors and linkage going to the shifter ect. 

 

*Next I'll use the jack once again to keep the front of the motor firmly in place and from tipping or moving while I remove the transmission cross member bolts.  This should be the last thing I need to unbolt for removal, and will be the first thing I bolt back up upon installation of the new transmission.  

 

I'll have fresh transmission fluid and gear oil on hand for the new transmission.  I'm considering getting a brand new transmission mount, since the only one I have I'm not going to be able to fully inspect until I've got the transmission out.  I'd hate to re-install with a bad or weakened transmission mount.  Anyone know the average life span or change interval of a transmission mount?  I've got 200k on my Outback...

 

I've already got a good handle on how to properly seat the torque converter on the new transmission, and it seems I'm able to move the transmission around quite a bit without it wiggling out, so I'm sure that's going to work out fine.  I know it isn't rocket science, but I don't feel I can successfully complete the job until I've done it in my head.

 

I'm missing one transmission pan bolt, so I stuffed permatex in the hole.  I'm sure a Subaru out there lives with more than one transmission pan bolt missing, and not having any major leaks.... correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't expect to get any leaks with only one bolt missing and the permatex in there...  Anything else anyone can suggest for me to think about, do, or have on hand before I start this job?  Thanks again!

 

 

[Gloyale]

I would fix the bolt issue before installing and filling that trans. 

 

The pan seam is submerged when full.  Without a bolt there, it will leak.  It's out now.  Best time to fix it.

 

oh and you don't have to remove the axles.  just drive the pins out, and once the trans begins to come out/down about 2 inches, you can slide them off.

[Lverano]

I would fix the bolt issue before installing and filling that trans.

 

The pan seam is submerged when full. Without a bolt there, it will leak. It's out now. Best time to fix it.

 

oh and you don't have to remove the axles. just drive the pins out, and once the trans begins to come out/down about 2 inches, you can slide them off.

I got the bugger. Took me til about 2am after getting home from work at 11. Never again electric on these, always by hand from now on.

[idosubaru]

i'm sure it happens but i've never seen a failed transmission mount - particularly on average daily drivers.  i'm sure i've seen some beat mounts on junk rusty ancient beat up stuff i didn't pay attention too.  

 

does the new trans have mounts?  are they bad?

 

i think they're really easy to replace anyway - a few bolts, support the trans and you're done. no big deal to do them later if needed. 

[idosubaru]

i'm about to swap an H6 trans as well, probably start sometime in the next few days, though i have no rush to get it done. 

[Lverano]

i'm about to swap an H6 trans as well, probably start sometime in the next few days, though i have no rush to get it done. 

I noticed a big dent in my transmission pan after I got it home.  Needless to say I was worried, so I pulled the pan, and figured if all is ok I'll have do the gasket up fresh while I'm at it.  I was glad to see there was no damage.  The pan was luckily dented right where there was forgiving space underneath, enough not to touch anything.  I had to use a hammer and screw driver to pry the pan off.  I then noticed I bent the edges pretty good when doing that.  I could have used better tools trying to do that and not bogeyed things up like I did.  At one section along the front of the pan I bent it so much it was really noticeable, so I laid it on a block of wood and hammered away with a mallet to get it level again.  Now it's not so perfect anymore, and I'm wondering if it really needs to be if I'm going to have new permatex transmission gasket up there and new transmission pan bolts.....

 

I mean, if the darn dent wasn't in the pan in the first place I'd have definitely left it alone, it's only got 104K on it.  Well, now I'm concerned if with that pan not being precision straight if I'm going to have to worry about leaks...  I priced brand new transmission pan bolts from Subaru.  They ordered them for me.  It's $9.33 after tax for 20 new transmission pan bolts.  I feel it's a cheap investment, since I don't know if any of the others I torqued with my Milwauk wrench were weakened or cracked.  That little Milwauk wrench is not that powerful, but was enough to give me 3 hours of a headache when it broke off two of my pan bolts.  What a mess.  I got them out though.

 

No one ever answered my question here or on the other forum though, about if I hand spin the input shaft, should the rear tail shaft be turning too?  I'm guessing with the transmission not fully hooked up to the car, and the FWD fuse reminding me something electrical can disable the rear drive, then the answer is no..

 

I hear ya about the no rush part.  I'm not rushing either.  I want to have all my ducks in a row before I got at this.  Shop towels, gloves, oil, wood for extra lift height, ect..  I don't have all that stuff yet.  I still need two more jack stands.  I'm just glad to have the transmission home for now.  Keep us posted on your trans swap.