trans install

[protosy]

curious as to what the procedure is for installing a freshly rebuilt trans and new tc into the truck is.

should i prefill the tc? the trans? if so, how much fluid should i be looking to use?

i have heard the tc should "click" twice while being slid onto the pump shaft, and may require to be turned a bit while installing. is this correct-ish? also, i have read to not sinch the tc down using the trans/engine bolts.

i am looking to get new hardware is grade 8 sufficient for the trans to engine bolts?

any other items i should be looking out for during install?

thanks guys.
chad

 

[sy112]

Re: trans install

curious as to what the procedure is for installing a freshly rebuilt trans and new tc into the truck is.

should i prefill the tc? the trans? if so, how much fluid should i be looking to use?

i have heard the tc should "click" twice while being slid onto the pump shaft, and may require to be turned a bit while installing. is this correct-ish? also, i have read to not sinch the tc down using the trans/engine bolts.

i am looking to get new hardware is grade 8 sufficient for the trans to engine bolts?

any other items i should be looking out for during install?

thanks guys.
chad

fill the TC with a bottle of Lube Guard, that should be enough. It all depends on what kind of pan and cooling system you have to get the exact number of quarts required, mine takes almost 8.

when installing the TC you will feel when it seats down, kind of hard to miss.

do not pull up the tranny using the bolts, very bad, could damage the housing, just take your time. upgrading bolts is a fine idea.

if you don't have them already get the wobble extensions, worth the money, a ratcheting 15 MM wrench for the brace for the x-case, will save you some time.

when you have the tranny down look at your fuel lines, you'll probably see where they have been rubbing at some point, you need to figure out how to prevent the rubbing in those spots. I personally "beat" the cab up a little to ensure and also used thick zip ties in certain areas to make sure nothing rubbed. When reinstalling trans make sure the lines are secured, no one wants to hear of a fire due to loose lines.

when installing trans, you will have to use extensions on top bolts to even get them started, I prefer to start without the ratchet so I can feel if they are trying to crossthread.

thats about all i can think of off the top of my head, also check this out
http://www.sytyarchives.com/howto/viewarticle.php?article_name=trans_removal.php&dir=drivetrain

 

[SY2932]

Never heard about a torque converter "clicking" during the installation process. The BIG thing to to do is to make sure that it is FULLY seated on the pump on the transmission. The easiest way to do this is get an aluminum yard stick and cut it down so that you can lay it across the face of the bellhousing. Now, take the other half and measure how far the mounting pads on the torque converter are from the face of the bellhousing. It should be almost one inch. If it's not and you bolt the transmission up, you WILL damage your pump! Very important!

Also for the torque converter to flexplate bolts, it is MANDATORY that you use Loctite 262 (red stuff) or equivalent. Faliure to do this can have dire consequences.

Fill your new converter with at least a quart of ATF. It will usually hold 3 quarts but, over filling it will make a BIG mess when you are installing the transmission.

A little grease on the face of the bellhousing and two dowel pins will make dropping the trans easier the *next* time.

Trim the sheet metal where the top most downpipe bracket stud sits so that you can get on it easier with your cut down 14MM deep weld socket.

After you get it all back together, start it up and let if run for about 10 minutes to heat cycle all the seals so they can do their thing. When you road test it, don't drive it hard until after you have done three heat cycles driving semi "grandma style".

Don't forget to set your TV cable also. HTH's

 

[Lynn D. Brown]

I would use the "blue" Loctite. The red is so tight that I've had problems with it.

U might need some kind of a trans jack. And there U will run into what I consider a main PITA - getting the trans + jack under the car. I have never been able to get the car high enuf to roll it under. So, I have had to lift the F'ing 165 # trans onto the jack while on my back under the car. It's almost impossible to do by yourself, so I would get help. I strained the S out of myself twice doing it. Never again !

In fact, I will try one of those real low motorcycle jacks next time. They R easily available.

Another thing - probably easier to install the TCase on the back of the trans before U install the trans - and don't forget the brace from the T Case to the trans mount bolts. Don't ask me how I know this.

 

[SY2932]

Doing transmissions by yourself isn't easy but, it can be done. I do mine by myself ALL the time. If something gets F'ed up during the install, I have no one to get pissed at but myself. On top of that, I'm a loner and prefer to do things myself...

Personally, I would have second thoughts about using 242 Loctite (blue stuff) on the torque converter to flexplate bolts. Loctite says that 242 is good for fastners up to 1/4" in diameter. The bolts in question are bigger than 1/4"... The "secret" about the high strength stuff is *not* to use a lot of it. If you drown the threads on the fastner with it, heat and/or lotsa muscle are gonna be required to break them loose. One good drop on the bolt will do the trick.

As far as "wrestling" with the trans under the truck, I would not bolt up the transfer case to the transmission. The transfer case weighs 70 pounds by itself. Do you REALLY wanna add more weight to the install equation??? Besides, it wouldn't make my "trick" below work as well.

I have a transmission jack and it is to high to roll the trans under the truck. I just slide the trans onto a heavy piece of cardboard or a piece of scrap plywood. I then drag/slide it under the truck close to where it needs to be. I lift up on the bell housing and slide one small 4X4 under the edge of the pan. The tail end gets lifted and gets a 4X4 at this point too. Then I pick it up once more and lay another small 4X4 on top of the first one. I roll my transmission jack by the back of the trans and grasping the top on the bellhousing, I pull it straight down towards the ground. The two 4X4's under the pan act as the fulcrum and the top of the bell housing is a big lever. I can easily lift the trans off the floor to get it on top on my jack without even breaking a sweat. Pretty cool considering that the trans weights almost as much as me, and I'm not a "ripped" by any means. I have over half a dozen pulls under my belt so, I have a "method to my madness" :wink:. HTH's

 

[myclone]

FWIW... Acetone(sp?) will break down the blue locktite and makes it WAY easier to get the fasteners apart.

I use the red stuff on TC bolts and when it comes time to take them out I use only a good socket with an impact to remove them. It takes a little more effort but if you remove the starter then spin the motor over by hand to where you can get a impact on the bolt in the starters former location you'll save yourself some busted knuckles.

 

[protosy]

thanks guys for all of the tips. i finally got the trans installed. wasnt too bad. i still need to bolt the tc to the flexplate and bolt the transfer case on to the trans, but i will save those tasks for another day.

its nice to see my three year adventure starting to wind down a bit.

chad

 

[bezerk]

it's easier to attach the transfercase before you put in the tranny.

 

[sy112]

it's easier to attach the transfercase before you put in the tranny.

to each their own, bit I agree with Mike, a lot easier to do it seperate. I had enough problems forcing the tranny into place, I wouldn't want the added weight, but I do have solid mounts and my motor did n't drop down near as far as it normally would have.

 

[Andreas]

Re: trans install

Got my Hughes TC today. Read earlier in this thread that you should fill it with at least one quart.
Can only get half a quart before it overflows when you put the TC vertical for setting it on the pumpshaft. Do you guys just fill if with one quart and let it overflow when you put the TC on?

Is half an quart MUCH too less?

 

[Crimson93Ty]

Re: trans install

Big thing is letting it soak for 1/2 or more to let the transmission fluid soak into the clutch material.
When you seat the TC, take a straight edge across the bellhousing and measure the distance down to one of the converter pads. Should be an inch. If it's not seated right, you won't get that much. They can be a PITA to seat sometime. Stop and walk away from it for a little bit if it gets frustrating.

 

[Andreas]

Re: trans install

It worked fine with one quater. Did the KYB's mean while the TC soaked up

I guess I got lucky then and just needed 3-4 times to get the TC seated right. That Hughes are a light wieght TC , compared to the stocker.

Crimson: Last line was good advice for a short tempered person like me

 

[SY2932]

Re: trans install

A pic that I didn't have in my "arsenal" when I posted here originally:

"Fully seated torque converter. With a straight edge across the front of the bellhousing, the distance to the mounting pads should be approximately 1 inch."

 

[MasterBlaster]

Re: trans install

FWIW... Acetone(sp?) will break down the blue locktite and makes it WAY easier to get the fasteners apart.

To expand upon this it also helps to use acetone with a small spiral wire brush and clean out the bolt holes after removing a loctited bolt. Never hurts to run a blind tap up in the hole either. :tup:

In the equipment section of my job every 50 hours of use we have to remove and reinstall about 100 hex head bolts from our "bomb" robots and they are mostly aluminum. All the bolts get blue or red loctite depending on where they are and it is a bitch to try and put stainless bolts back into aluminum threads when there is a build up of loctite in there. Helicoils anyone? :rotf:

 

[Andreas]

Re: trans install

Got my tranny up this evening
Not too bad wrestling it in place by your self.
Worst was top right bolt that goes into the dipstick-metal-holder-thing.

Had to slide the TC about 4-5mm to make contact with flexplate so no crushed pump

Tomorrow T-case day

 

[Crimson93Ty]

Re: trans install

You want about a 1/8" to 3/16" gap between the TC pads and the flywheel/flexplate whatever you wanna call it thingy. Gives you maximum engagement of input shaft splines and stator splines.
http://www.rosslertrans.com/Converter Spacing.htm
Carl Rossler I believe is the same one that built the trans the Les Young(100n6??) had in his 10 second sy. Guy must be doing something right. :2cents:
Don't know what 4-5 mm comes out to in SAE.

 

[Andreas]

Re: trans install

well...not to bad then 1/8"=3,18mm 3/16"=4,76mm