38 replies to this topic

[juliancates]

So this past weekend we lost 3rd gear. All other gears work, but 3rd is toast. I figure there are mechanical gurus who would be able to take the transmission apart, diagnose exactly what was broken and replace only that.

I'm not one of them.

Seems to me like the easiest option is replacing the transmission. How bad a job is this, and what special tools will I need? Is it a one-man job, or will I need to recruit some help?

I won't be able to touch the car until the middle of June, so I've got some time to read up on the procedure and acquire a transmission. Any tips and tricks would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Julian

[FTodaro]

There is lots of info with pictures about replacing a clutch and/or tranny on the net. the only special tool that is helpful is the clutch disk alignment tool and a floor jack. Its about a 3 to 4 hr job depending on your skill and tools. I have a lift so its not to bad. Look up the how too's on the net it will make sense.

[juliancates]

There is lots of info with pictures about replacing a clutch and/or tranny on the net. the only special tool that is helpful is the clutch disk alignment tool and a floor jack. Its about a 3 to 4 hr job depending on your skill and tools. I have a lift so its not to bad. Look up the how too's on the net it will make sense.

Thanks Frank, I'll look around for a DIY. I have the FSM in PDF, and it looks pretty straightforward there. I've never done it, though, so eager to hear about the "gotchas" that are harder than they might appear in the manual. (Installation is the reverse of removal, etc.)

Cheers,

j.

[Tom Hampton]

Julian-

I just finished doing this. There are a couple posts on my blog. I used the instructions from miata. Net. Links are in the blog posts. See link below.

http://www.tomhampto...g/transmission/

[tony senese]

You need lots of patience, a good pair of work gloves, and socket extensions and a drive socket u-joint to get to the top 2 bolts on the bell housing. Get the car up on Jackstands as high as possible. run a ratchet strap from the front of the cage to around the back of the tranny when you are ready to drop it down. I have a socked that perfectly matches the clutch opening and the pinion gear hole to align the clutch, you probably do to, but you only need this if you replace the clutch. If you don't need to, don't do it. It is a lot of extra work if your clutch is not worn out. The "do that while your in there" advice I got, cost me a race start the next weekend. It can be done without removing the exhaust, but it's tricky so I would at least remove from the down pipe back.

[dmathias]

I use my 1/2" impact, extensions, and impact universal joint to remove most of the bolts. Really speeds things up.

Good advice from Tony. I'm one of those "do it while you're in there" guys, but the clutches I've removed are never worn-out. This would be a good time to replace OEM clutch line (pigtail) with Advanced Autosports braided line. It's the shiz-nizzle.

I loosen both bolts that fasten the PPF to the diff, and remove one of them completely. That allows you to hold the PPF off to the side with a bungee. If time permits, soak PPF bolts with PB Blaster a few days before doing job.

You already know this, but as always; Step 1. disconnect battery, Step 2. drain transmission.

-Denny

[juliancates]

Very helpful posts, guys. Thanks! Clutch should be fairly new. Anything else I should be looking at "while I'm in there" ?

[Cy Peake]

I just finished yet another trans swap last night so the wounds are still fresh. Ditch the downpipe, exhaust and PPF (detach the wiring harness first). The two long rear bolts holding it to the diff have nut-type things on top that need to be banged out. Loosen both bolts a few turns and then bang them upwards with a hammer to dislodge the upper nuts. Then there's another nut-type thing on the bottom that needs to be pried off with a flathead for the PPF to disconnect from the diff. It takes all of 5 minutes to get them out and makes the job much easier. I jack up the front of the engine from the crank pulley to angle it better for sliding the trans back on. I lie on my back on a creeper and use my knees (pads help) to move the trans around and get it onto the engine.

[Ron Alan]

I use my 1/2" impact, extensions, and impact universal joint to remove most of the bolts. Really speeds things up.

Good advice from Tony. I'm one of those "do it while you're in there" guys, but the clutches I've removed are never worn-out. This would be a good time to replace OEM clutch line (pigtail) with Advanced Autosports braided line. It's the shiz-nizzle.

I loosen both bolts that fasten the PPF to the diff, and remove one of them completely. That allows you to hold the PPF off to the side with a bungee. If time permits, soak PPF bolts with PB Blaster a few days before doing job.

You already know this, but as always; Step 1. disconnect battery, Step 2. drain transmission.

-Denny

FYI...impacts loose their effectiveness when you start adding extensions because of the flex. Break bolts loose first and then run them out with the impact...will save you some frustration as to what is wrong with your gun

[Chris D.]

This would be a good time to replace OEM clutch line (pigtail) with Advanced Autosports braided line. It's the shiz-nizzle.

-Denny

+100 on this.....I had a heck of time fiddling with the stock curly cue line. The AA version is really really nice and was a breeze to install.

[dmathias]

impacts loose their effectiveness when you start adding extensions because of the flex

Depends on the impact gun.

[Glenn]

I use my 1/2" impact, extensions, and impact universal joint to remove most of the bolts. Really speeds things up.

Good advice from Tony. I'm one of those "do it while you're in there" guys, but the clutches I've removed are never worn-out. This would be a good time to replace OEM clutch line (pigtail) with Advanced Autosports braided line. It's the shiz-nizzle.

I loosen both bolts that fasten the PPF to the diff, and remove one of them completely. That allows you to hold the PPF off to the side with a bungee. If time permits, soak PPF bolts with PB Blaster a few days before doing job.

You already know this, but as always; Step 1. disconnect battery, Step 2. drain transmission.

-Denny

No need to remove the rear PPF bolts just loosten and us a ratchet strap to hold PPF out of teh way.

[Glenn]

I just finished yet another trans swap last night so the wounds are still fresh. Ditch the downpipe, exhaust and PPF (detach the wiring harness first). The two long rear bolts holding it to the diff have nut-type things on top that need to be banged out. Loosen both bolts a few turns and then bang them upwards with a hammer to dislodge the upper nuts. Then there's another nut-type thing on the bottom that needs to be pried off with a flathead for the PPF to disconnect from the diff. It takes all of 5 minutes to get them out and makes the job much easier. I jack up the front of the engine from the crank pulley to angle it better for sliding the trans back on. I lie on my back on a creeper and use my knees (pads help) to move the trans around and get it onto the engine.

Again DO NOT need to remove the PPF it just adds time to the overall project.

[Glenn]

Depends on the impact gun.

I would add dont use this gun for the install! For what its worth, I have found that unless teh trans has been RECENTLY removed you need to break the bolts loose first. And DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN on the install.

[dstevens]

FYI...impacts loose their effectiveness when you start adding extensions because of the flex. Break bolts loose first and then run them out with the impact...will save you some frustration as to what is wrong with your gun

You may want to look into another wrench. A lot of the cheapies have a max breaking torque of 230 ft/lbs or so. Something like an IR Thundergun has about 625 ft/lbs. I got a Thundergun in a pawn shop a couple of years ago for $35. No issues with any extentions. Some of the new titanium IR wrenches are about 780 ft/lbs.

http://www.ingersoll...spx-am_en-33376

http://www.ingersoll...spx-am_en-33452

[Tom Hampton]

You may want to look into another wrench. A lot of the cheapies have a max breaking torque of 230 ft/lbs or so. Something like an IR Thundergun has about 625 ft/lbs. I got a Thundergun in a pawn shop a couple of years ago for $35. No issues with any extentions. Some of the new titanium IR wrenches are about 780 ft/lbs.

http://www.ingersoll...spx-am_en-33376

http://www.ingersoll...spx-am_en-33452

All good guns, but they weren't necessary for my R&R. I used a cheapo Ryobi from HD, with the lithium batteries (you'll need both), 24" of 1/2" extensions, impact wobble joint, and 14/17mm impact sockets. Easy.

Instead of jacking the front of the engine...after disconnecting propeller shaft, and PPF from transmission, let motor/tranny sag under own weight. Place a 6" length 2x4 (on its side) between tof 2he crank pully and the steering rack. Use a bungee or something to hold the 2x4 in place, because when you start rocking to pull the tranny off you will almost certainly drop the 2x4 on the ground (how do I know?). So, strap it in place with something so it wont fall out. Attach ratchet strap around tail of tranny, and suspend from windshield bar of roll cage. You just barely want the strap supporting the tail weight. I used a small loop of rope around a 2x4 resting on the tranny tunnel. worked for me...but the ratchet strap sounds like a good idea.

Back under the car: remove the clutch slave, and exhaust down-pipe. I removed PPF, and exhaust because it gave me more room to work. Some don't in the interest of time. YMMV. Use impact gun, extensions, wobble, and sockets to loosen remove all bell housing bolts, and remove all but the top two (just to hold the tranny until you get the jack under it). There are two that are backed with nuts by the starter. There is also one 14mm bolt inboard of starter, directly below the top-most bolt. This one is pretty hard to see from below. Don't forget it. Else you'll be trying to figure out why the tranny won't come off the engine.

Slide your floor jack into place. I placed it just under the front lip of the bell housing. There is a small flat there that looks like it was MADE for this job. Just lift with the jack until it makes contact with the tranny, plus a tiny fraction to take the weight. Remove all remaining bell housing bolts. Drop impact gun, and slide tranny backwards off of engine. If you are lucky it will come right off. If not adjust jack height until the lower tranny bolt holes are centered on the block. Be careful to ensure that the tranny doesn't come off axis or you'll wedge onto the clutch spline. If it does, push back in...figure out what is causing the tranny to wedge...and repeat. You may have to let some slack into the ratchet strap as the tranny moves backwards.

Once trany is dropped, drink a beer. Trust me, you'll want one...before you contemplate putting the new one back in place.

Sounds so easy! Makes me want to do it again, just to see how much faster I can do it now! (errrr....NOT!)

[juliancates]

I've got an IR 2131QT impact, and I think I'd swap out a transmission just for the opportunity to use it. Love it.

Really appreciate the insight, guys!

The FSM has some special cautions around the rear PPF bolts. I'm not sure, without having the car here to look at, that I follow what they are getting at. Is this something I should stress over?

[Tom Hampton]

Ignore the FSM regarding the PPF. If you want to remove it, follow CP's advice above. Its easy...except for that stupid thing on the bottom. Mine was frozen in there pretty good.

[Ken SM94]

Make sure the new trans has a throw-out bearing and clutch fork properly installed before you stab it in place.

Good luck!

[Glenn]

Make sure the new trans has a throw-out bearing and clutch fork properly installed before you stab it in place.

Good luck!

Been there done that.....DOOOOPH. Hey MIKE just because the rebuilt box has a fork doesnt mean the bearing is attached.