Transmission bolts

I am about ready to pull the motor from the donor truck. I am having some problems with the top bolts. I thought if I undid the back transmission brace it would
slip down enough to get it from the bottom, but no dice. I am a real stickler for 6 point sockets when I break these old bolts loose that have been in there 17 years, but there is no room for that. I may have rounded one off. I am going to invest in a set of 6 point box end wrenches, (more time, more money) or pull the engine w/ the tranny. This one is a automatic. Any tr icks or suggestions?

 

Are you talking about the top bolts on the bell housing?

 

Not sure if this is helpful, but when I did the clutch on my 2.7 I stuck a bunch of extensions together with the right size socket for the upper bhousing bolts (cant remember what size exactly) and fed that up through where the shifter is. also you could LIGHTLY use a jack under the oil pan to tilt the motor backwards therefore lowering the transmission

 

Never did a 2Wd but on the 4x4 I lower the rear of the engine as low as it will go on the floor jack.

Then Zip them off with the 1/2" impact and a long extension bought just for that.

The more extensions one has the less torque when using a ratchet

 

Yes. The very top of the bell housing

 

You're talking about removing the motor mounts and lowering the engine lower then it normally sits? That could work. Another thing I thought about was to hoist the engine and transmission up a little. I only need 2-3" , maybe then I can access that bolt. That is If I haven't messed up the bolt head too badly, in that case I will need to pull the motor and tranny together.

 

Leave Engine mounts attached ! unless you all ready have them off.

remove the crossmember with the Trans mount,

With the transmission on a floor jack lower the rear of the transmission as low as it will go . Keeping an eye you don`t damage the rear of the engine on the firewall.

It is a pain doing this yourself

This should give you plenty of room to reach the Top two Bolts from the rear of the transmission .

This has always worked for me

 

I used 3 swivel joint extensions from harbor freight with a breaker bar to get them off.

 

Imagery is a beautiful thing! Thanks 04taccoo. I am off to Harbor Freight (once again). I'll keep ya'll posted.

 

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Okay. I got all the bolts from the bell housing where it bolts to the engine disconnected. The back trans bolt is off so it is free of that cross member. I shake it. I move it up and down with a jack. But it won't break loose. Does the torc converter need to be unbolted first, or does it slide out? Is there another access point besides the starter hole? Is there a trick? This is a auto tranny I am attempting to remove from a 2.4. Driveshaft is removed.
Thanks

 

The torque converter bolts must be removed before you separate the engine from the transmission.

 

There should be a cover on the bottom front of the bell housing to remove to access the torque converter bolts

there is a fancy tool for turning the ring gear to access the torque converter bolts

 

Great info. I will look again. This time more carefully, and with a light.
I could turn the motor on the front. Why do I need a special tool? Can the job be done without it?

 

Yea. I seen a guy use a ratchet on the crank bolt to turn the engine. Just need a long handle.

 

it is just one of those things .

Easier to see when your right there looking With a helper turning from the front is a good option then you can say stop .

It gets real old crawling in and out under the truck at least for me.

 

19mm six point socket and a long handle ratchet with maybe a 2'' extension.

 

I found the plate right on the underneath part, next to the back of the oil pan, just as you described. i think I missed it before because you can't see where it ends when flush between engine and tranny. I took out the 6 bolts 12mm. The case is now ready to separate, I believe. Already 1/16th" along the bottom. Next step is to move my jack under the tranny and lower it, then just work around it with a flat end pry bar. But that's something for another day. Small bites, a little every day, that's the trick for me. Thanks for the info, guys.

 

Yep
Its intimidating when you tackle something like this when you have never done it before. There are a couple of pins that the transmission front housing and the engine use to mate the assembly together. They can be a pain in the @ss to separate so once you locate them soak them down good with PB blaster.

 

I guess I can look forward to a similar experience when I pull the engine out of the repair project truck. It has a manual 5 speed.
Already thinking ahead. At 177k miles should I change the clutch plate? What about doing the pressure plate and throw out bearing? Maybe the rear seal, while i have access. Non of this leaks or shows signs of wear. I just don't know when I'll be in there again. Where is the best place to buy good OEM parts that will last the longest?