4.0 Transmission Removal

[colby450xc]

First off I have searched this forum and Googled and found no very useful information regaurding this information....

This weekend I am going to replace my clutch and slave cylinder. From what I can tell the slave is leaking fluid on the clutch and causing it to slip. I think this because the master cylinder has nearly run out, the clutch slips and produces no burning clutch smells besides burning brake fluid..

All in all it looks like a pain in the ass to remove the transmission on this 4.0 4x4 manual so I am replacing the slave, entire clutch kit, and flywheel while I have it apart. My concern is that the exhaust is very close to the bellhousing.. Does the exhaust need to be removed past the headers. I can see the bolts, but theyre so rusty they dont even look like bolts any more.

Also.... I assume with my luck the rear main crank seal should be replaced. A co worker said he has a used a curved pick to pull the seal out. Should this method work without damaging anything if I am careful?

 

[BlackBII]

The Y pipe doesn't have to come out in order to get the trans out, but it makes it a hell of a lot easier. If you wiggle and twist the trans enough, and to the right angle, it'll come up and over the Y pipe, but it does take quite a lot of force. You can loosen the motor mount nuts to allow the motor to lean back a little, this will lower the Y pipe some and will give the bellhousing more room to squeeze through.

I have done this 10+ times, so it's pretty easy for me. If this is your first time doing it, I would recommend you at least disconnect the Y pipe from the manifolds. If you have an impact wrench, it'll make that part 1000x easier. Just hope you don't break one of the studs.

Do you have any ratcheting wrenches? A 12mm and a 1/2" will make this job a lot easier as well, for removing the driveshaft, T case, and some of the bellhousing bolts.

For the rear main seal, a curved pick will work fine.

 

[colby450xc]

I have all the right tools to do the job. Just from looking at the exhaust bolts I can see there is a high probability that the damn things are going to snap. Monday night I put the truck up on jacks and blasted every bolt and nut with PB blaster I could see on the drivetrain hoping it would make the job a bit easier.

I bought this truck about 4 years ago from an Ohio dealer then found out it was a Wisconsin owned truck, so the under side is nice and surface rusty like a mofo. Anything under the rockers gives me nightmares.'

So if at all possible I will leave the exhaust as be....

 

[pcollins]

Keep hitting the nuts/bolts with PB blaster. Do it on a daily basis until your ready to pull the trans. When I pulled the bed off my last ranger i hit the bolts with PB blast 3 days in a row. What a difference it really makes.

 

[adsm08]

Heat is your friend. Beg, borrow, steal, or rent an oxy torch and get the manifolds cherry red around the y-pipe bolts while a second person takes them out.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

First off I have searched this forum and Googled and found no very useful information regaurding this information....

This weekend I am going to replace my clutch and slave cylinder. From what I can tell the slave is leaking fluid on the clutch and causing it to slip. I think this because the master cylinder has nearly run out, the clutch slips and produces no burning clutch smells besides burning brake fluid..

All in all it looks like a pain in the ass to remove the transmission on this 4.0 4x4 manual so I am replacing the slave, entire clutch kit, and flywheel while I have it apart. My concern is that the exhaust is very close to the bellhousing.. Does the exhaust need to be removed past the headers. I can see the bolts, but theyre so rusty they dont even look like bolts any more.

Also.... I assume with my luck the rear main crank seal should be replaced. A co worker said he has a used a curved pick to pull the seal out. Should this method work without damaging anything if I am careful?

Just use a sheet metal screw and screw it into the seal about 1/4 inch and yank it out it may take a few tries but it will pop out!

 

[bigtruck94]

You will have to take the exhaust off. Sorry to say it, but it took me 2 days trying to get the tranny to come off. But you don't have to take the whole exhaust system off. Just unbolt or PB blast the y pipes from the the headers to the cats. Made life a lot easier. Once I got those off, it just slipped right out.

 

[colby450xc]

Removed starter, tranny crossmember, skid plate, drive shaft, and dropped fluids today..... Only snapped one bolt( skidplate). Looks like I can remove y pipes then cut exhaust before axle and drop the exhaust for sanity sake and just put a glass pack and turn down or just a turn down until inspection.... So far it looks like the rusty shnit is out out of the way...... Time for some

 

[bobbywalter]

Heat is your friend. Beg, borrow, steal, or rent an oxy torch and get the manifolds cherry red around the y-pipe bolts while a second person takes them out.

thats about the only chance with a rustbelt truck older thren 6 years and 60 k

You will have to take the exhaust off. Sorry to say it, but it took me 2 days trying to get the tranny to come off. But you don't have to take the whole exhaust system off. Just unbolt or PB blast the y pipes from the the headers to the cats. Made life a lot easier. Once I got those off, it just slipped right out.

well, unless your body mounts were rotted through and the floors near the frame i have to say your wrong about that depending on what trans your removing.

i have always been able to get them out. some times i peen the tunnel seam over before i replace the trans to make it cake for the next trip out though.

i do on the tighter ones, undo the exaust at the converter to make it easier as the engine can slack down, but thats for convenience. usually splitting the radius arm bracket helps too in those cases.


sounds like he has it in hand now anyway.

 

[colby450xc]

Strangely enough the bolts holding the y pipes to the manifolds look to be in great shape. Anything past that on the exhaust is......You cant even recognize it as a bolt. Thus I will try to unbolt the Y pipes and drop the exhaust after I cut it just before the axle. I dont think I can remove the entire exhaust past the manifolds as one piece so Ill just chop before the axle. No way I can finangle the muffler and tail pipe out above the rear end.

Besides, Ive always liked having the exhaust shoot out the side right in front the rear wheels for some reason. White trash-licious.

 

[bigtruck94]

thats about the only chance with a rustbelt truck older thren 6 years and 60 k





well, unless your body mounts were rotted through and the floors near the frame i have to say your wrong about that depending on what trans your removing.

i have always been able to get them out. some times i peen the tunnel seam over before i replace the trans to make it cake for the next trip out though.

i do on the tighter ones, undo the exaust at the converter to make it easier as the engine can slack down, but thats for convenience. usually splitting the radius arm bracket helps too in those cases.


sounds like he has it in hand now anyway.

Mine was 4.0l so the exhaust was right under neath the tranny and the only way I could get it out was unbolting the exhaust and tranny came right out.

 

[colby450xc]

Any tricks to removing o2 sensors with the correct sized wrench...? Just asking because I dont want to new buy ones if possible. Blasted them with pb blaster again today..

I am not in a huge hurry because I have a borrowed car from the parents so that I dont have to spend more money basically, its a focus, its convenient as heck.

Also, the new slave cylinder came with a plastic hydraulic line removal tool....... No thanks for that I have the damn sleeve pushed in til only an 1/8 inch is left and the line wont pull out. Ill have to get a metal tool at least....

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

Spray some penetrating oil in the disconnect, twist it around, and blow it out w/ compressed air if possible.

Push the connection together as you use the tool to push the thingy in. Almost need 3 hands, but its possible. They it'll slide right off.

 

[colby450xc]

Heat is your friend. Beg, borrow, steal, or rent an oxy torch and get the manifolds cherry red around the y-pipe bolts while a second person takes them out.

Its looking like that is going to be the only option. I would have used my little torch I keep around for this kind of stuff but it just looks like such an iffy area to be playing with fire.

I took a breaker bar with an extension the bolts tonight and they will not budge even after using pb blaster the last few days. Im worried about snapping or stripping one of these bolts. I would be pretty screwed then. Even with the trans lifted up with a jack it looks like a huge bitch to get the transmission over the pipes.

 

[colby450xc]

So far it looks like the rusty shnit is out out of the way...... Time for some

I spoke to soon and jinxed myself, I try not to do that but I had a moment of confidence. I work in a body shop so I do have access to a torch. I think Ill have to borrow a fire extinguisher at the same time.... I havent taken a look at the motor mounts, or the cab mounts. Im hoping the motor mounts would be coated in oil like the starter bolts because of my leaking rocker covers, I may go that route... Ive spent half my time under the truck just looking and thinking about my options.... the last option is to pay a shop to do this or just destroy the exhaust past the manifolds which would be costly just the same.

This shitty thing is I could use the car lift at work but we only have one lift and I dont want my damn problem stuck in the shop........because it would be my damn problem all day every day until its fixed.