Bob's TC Install Tips

I did this install with the front of the car about 1.5 - 2 ft off the ground on jack stands, since I have no access to a lift. Be sure to have a radio nearby playing your tunes of choice...even though I'm only a 24 year old, doo-wop music seems to work best for me, so I play the oldies station. I guess it conjures up images of hot rodding in the 50s and 60s in my sick little head.

Here's the tips...if you have the FSM, which I don't, maybe I'm just blowing smoke up your a**, 'cause maybe it tells you all of this stuff. But hey, this was the first time I've ever done an automatic R&R. I've done COUNTLESS manual trans R&Rs on Mustangs, old Impalas, Camaros, and Firebirds...never until now have I done an automatic. These tips are not by any means a complete procedure, just a little insight on what order to do some stuff, and make better use of your time from a person who's been there...done that.

(1)...Remove the entire exhaust, CATS INCLUDED. At first, I just pulled the front exhaust pipes between the cats and the mufflers down and removed them, not the cats. With the cats in place, it is difficult, if not impossible, to access the trans-to-block bolts. The passenger side cat can be unplugged. There are weatherpack connectors about eight inches up the wires (I have 2 O2 sensors on each cat...it's a '96) that can be unplugged. Then, you can take the cat totally out from under the car...out of your way. On the drivers side cat I could only unplug the rear O2 sensor wire. I could not find a plug for the front. I propped this cat up towards the front of the car, so it was not dangling by its wires, but it was out of my way. Don't waste time like I did figuring out how to keep the cats in there...just remove 'em.

(2)...The more fluid you can drain out of the trans before removal, the less mess you'll have. I pulled the driveshaft before anything else, and let the fluid drain out of the tailshaft of the trans into a pan. Since the car was on a rearward angle, I drooled a couple of quarts out this way. Also, I removed the trans cooling lines at the radiator first, blew compressed air through one, and caught the drainage out of the other. While removing the cooling lines at the radiator, remove the mount where the lines are mounted to the bottom of the power steering pump (or is it the ac compressor? I didn't look at what it was mounted to very hard...I just removed the mount...it's 1 10mm bolt). I did not drop the pan, I'll tell you why later.

(3)...Don't screw around with anything else until you remove the trans bolt from the crossmember, and the crossmember from the car. I wasted plenty of time this way...trying to remove the cooling lines at the trans...trying to unplug wires, etc. while the trans was all the way up in the tunnel. The trans mounts in the car as follows: One bolt from a rubber mount that goes straight down through the crossmember, and six bolts through the bellhousing into the block. Undo the nut where the trans mounts to the crossmember. Unbolt the crossmember (2 bolts into the frame on each side of the car). Under the pan of the trans, I used a piece of stiff, 3/4" plywood, and jacked the trans off the crossmember (this is why I left the pan in there. The plywood under the pan spread the weight of the trans evenly enough that there was absolutely NO damage to the pan, even after jacking up, down, up, down numerous times). I then was able to slide the crossmember out of the way. Slowly let the trans down after removing the crossmember. Keep the jack and plywood under there, supporting a little weight, but let the trans hang down a few inches further than it normally would...you won't hurt anything. While letting the trans down you'll probably ooze more fluid out of the tail, so keep a pan under there. Ahhhh, now you can see all the bolts where the trans mounts to the engine block. With the trans hanging down like this, you can see everything! NOW you should unplug the large computer wiring harness (on the passenger side...remove by squeezing the sides of the plug and pulling up...sildes right off. There is one more wire...it has 2 contacts, and it plugs in near the back of the trans. It's a simple weatherpack). The other wires in that harness that goes up into the car go to the cats, and you should have them disconnected already. Also, you can now remove the cooling lines off of the trans easily. Unbolt the dipstick tube mount up where it bolts to the block/cyl. head. Slide the dipstick tube out of there. That thing is stiff, and it will prevent you from removing the trans. With everything disconnected from the trans (linkage on the drivers side, I think that's about it...I've mentioned everything else), you can finally unbolt the trans. There are six bolts...three on each side. Two are directly up and down from one another on each side, and the others are further up in there. Keep a pan under there, when you slide the trans out of the converter, fluid oozes out. Slide the trans out of the converter...it comes right out. Roll it back, keeping it on the jack. It's best to have 2 people under there for safety. The trans is heavy. Let it down on the jack. You can now see the T C up there in all its glory.

(4)..BEFORE REMOVING THE CONVERTER, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU LOOK AND MARK EXACTLY WHAT POSITION IT IS IN!!! Specifically, there are two rectangular notches in the small circular center of the TC. These mate to the TCC lockup actuation mechanism in the trans. Noting the position of the old TC, slide the new one on to the trans. If you don't have this alignment right and these notches aren't properly engaged, the trans will not be close enough to the back of the engine block when you're trying to re-install it; it'll only go to about 1" from the back of the block. I did not note this notch in the TC or its position. I put the trans up, took it down. Put it up, took it down. Put it up, took it down. All in all, we wasted 2 1/2 hours trying to put the trans back on. We tried forcing it, clamping it to pull it in, etc. all because of these notches. Bolt the trans up to the block, then you can rotate the TC until its bolt holes align with the flexplate. Install the bolts with locktite, then rotate the TC/flexplate/engine a few degrees at a time (waiting for engine compression to subside) until you get the other two bolts in. Then go back and torque them all. After we figured out these notches, it was so easy. I felt so stupid! Do not even try to force it to get it back on. Believe me. When you have it right, it slides right on!

Other things of note...

Be sure to remember to remount the dipstick tube before jacking the trans back up and reinstalling the crossmember. That tube was one pig pain in the a**.

Fill the new TC about 1/2 way with Dex III before installing. I got about a quart in there.

I had 9 new quarts of fluid waiting. Be sure to go out and buy some before embarking on the job, especially if you're working on a Sunday, when time passes quicker than you think, and all the auto stores close by five. Plus, you'll be so dirty that you won't want to drive anywhere! my trans took 7 1/2 quarts to refill the lost fluid, which is all-in-all a pretty effective fluid change.

Make sure that you feed your helpers pizza for lunch with plenty of coke or pepsi. Don't be cheap and buy that A&P soda or something. As for beer, I didn't even touch a beer during this job! I'd still be under there!

Make sure that you all clean up, and then take your helpers to a nice dinner. Add this to the cost of doing your converter before you even start the job. If you don't take your friends to dinner after putting them through this hell, they may not be your friends anymore!

All in all, the job was totally worth it. Would I do it again? Yep, and if I did it the way I just outlined here, it would have been a much more pleasurable experience!

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