Gathering information to rebuild my transmission.

[rebelrider.mike]

Anyone have advice on preventative maintenance of the parts I've already got off? I'm thinking about the oxygen sensors, catalytic converter, starter motor, and transfer case. Mine's the one with the electric motor. BW1354.

I was able to get the cross brace off today. The transmission should slide off the clutch now, right? I don't expect it to be easy, but I also don't want to break something that I forgot.

Shift lever is off. (After having been put in neutral.)
Starter motor is off.
Transfer case is off.
Clutch hose is off.
Exhaust pipes are off.
Five bell housing bolts are off. (I'm going to double check later if there might be a sixth one I missed.)
Cross brace is off.
Engine is resting on a jack.
Transmission is resting on a jack.

I haven't found many videos showing the actual removal of the transmission from the engine, but I'll go search again. Probably just a matter of keep trying until I get it.

 

[RobbieD]

Anyone have advice on preventative maintenance of the parts I've already got off?

First of all, I'm not familiar with the Vulcan (3.0) like you have, only the 2.9 and 4.0 Cologne motors. What I have done on mine: look at the rear main seal, and the oil filter adapter seals; now would be the time to replace to those if there's any leaks or weeps. New oxygen sensor would be OK, but starter and cat I'd just inspect for obvious issues.

Good original parts are better than any new replacement part.

The transmission should slide off the clutch now, right? I don't expect it to be easy, but I also don't want to break something that I forgot.

From your description the trans is ready to be separated from the engine. Basically, it's being supported by your jack, but still held to the block by the trans' input shaft in the clutch disc and the pilot bearing; and by the indexing (hollow) dowels around two of the removed bell bolts.

Hopefully, your transmission jack has rollers and you're set up on a good piece of plywood. Play slightly and carefully with the support tension of the jack while you wiggle the trans; at some point it will start to separate from the block, and you can start to roll it backwards away from the motor.

Hopefully, also, the transmission is secured, or at least cradled, in some fashion to your jack. When going back, as it does clear the pilot, clutch and dowels, it may want to shift position. Just be prepared for that; jack tension should kind of balance the trans' weight, and keep it "floating" loosely, and not binding. If it is binding, and forced loose, expect the trans to shift once it pops clear.


You're doing fine so far.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Definitely check for bolt #6...

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yeah there's usually an even number of bolts but like the others I haven't played with a 3L before...

Honestly the transmission should just fall off, back when I was young and dumb I've done it without a transmission jack and just bench pressed the thing in and out, I think I lowered it down with ratchet straps or a jack or something but I remember just manhandling the thing once... it's around 75lb

The one thing not on your list is the reverse switch wire, don't remember what side that's on, it's on the shift tower...

 

[rebelrider.mike]

It's finally out and on my workbench!

There was a 6th bolt hidden behind the bell housing. So four bolts thread into the engine, and two thread into the bell housing. After that, the transmission slid right out. Lowering was fine, but my transmission jack didn't reach all the way up to the transmission, so I used wood blocks to make up the extra height. Then the jack didn't lower far enough to get the transmission out from under the truck, so I had to wrestle it onto the creeper I've been using. My son helped me get it onto the workbench.

There's a lot of black goo inside the bell housing. My mechanic says the slave clutch cylinder has been leaking. I'm guessing that's what it is? I rarely have to add oil to the engine, and as far as I know, the transmission doesn't leak. I'm planning to replace the slave cylinder anyway.

The clutch looks clean and dry to me.


I wonder if I should remove and inspect it as long as it's exposed right now.

The outside has been cleaned up, and I've drained the ATF. The magnetic drain plug has a lot of swarf on it. I had the fluid changed a couple years ago when the noise started getting bad. I'm assuming the mechanic cleaned off the plug before reinstalling, so maybe that's bearing material.

I've noticed that there is a bit of slop in the input shaft side to side. There's none on the output shaft. I'm going to review the info I've found on disassembling this thing tonight and start taking things apart tomorrow.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yeah, transmissions are too tall to remove on the jack, on my F350 I use two ratchet straps to hold the transmission (a mere 200 pounds unlike the puny M5OD) and lower it onto a creeper with a scrap of plywood on top... then use my A frame hoist to manhandle the thing...

Here's some pictures of what I found on mine, that inner bearing race was SHOT, was sharp like a file... also had a pocket bearing that lost parts of the supports between the rollers. I also threw in a picture of the puller setup I had to use, the puller is just an old Proto I borrowed (since found one at a garage sale so I have my own), it already had holes on the sides of the hooks so I just made simple extensions with scrap I found... that bearing isn't super tight but needed help to remove and you have to pull it to get it apart... Oh, the dumb trick to get the big nut that holds that bearing on off is to first un stake it then move the gear selectors into two gears at the same time which binds it up...

 

[pacstud]

So for the puller, how long do those arms need to be?