Remove Exhaust to Remove Trans?

[Uly The Hermit]

I'm in the process of removing the auto trans from my '99 Ranger, 3.0L, 2WD, Reg Cab, 4R44E. Do I need to remove the exhaust system to get the trans out of there? I can't see how to get it past the pipe that goes under the trans. Is there a trick to this? I tried lowering the trans, raising the trans, moving it back and forth and no luck. I tried tilting the front upwards. If I have to remove the exhaust from the manifold I'm going to have to get a longer 1/2" extension as I think it will break a 3/8" ratchet.

Chilton and Hayne's both said there were four bolts from the trans to the engine. There are five. I wonder what else they left out.

 

[kunar]

i always unbolt the manifold to y-pipe bolts and lower the y pipe, but tis is also on an older truck with a different engine and trans so it's not gonna be identical.

 

[HareRazor]

I had to remove the exhaust on my 91 ranger with with the 3.0 to get the transmission out. It might seem like more work to remove it at first, but you will save yourself a lot of time by just removing it from the get go.

 

[Uly The Hermit]

Thanks guys. After wasting a lot more time I don't see that there is any other way. Is the O2 sensor probably gonna break when I remove it to get to the exhaust bolt?

 

[ati190]

Actually, there is a way. Remove the radius arm crossmember. 4 bolts, and 8 rivets. Once removed, the engine will tilt back much farter allowing access. The y-pipe removal on a 3.0 is a very bad idea.. You could loosen the passenger side body mounts up, and jack the passenger side of the cab up about 4-6 inches, which will give you more than enough room to slide the trans out. Personally the body mount way would be my second choice. I'd rather remove the radius arm crossmember..

 

[kunar]

Actually, there is a way. Remove the radius arm crossmember. 4 bolts, and 8 rivets. Once removed, the engine will tilt back much farter allowing access. The y-pipe removal on a 3.0 is a very bad idea.. You could loosen the passenger side body mounts up, and jack the passenger side of the cab up about 4-6 inches, which will give you more than enough room to slide the trans out. Personally the body mount way would be my second choice. I'd rather remove the radius arm crossmember..

99's dont have radius arms....

 

[ati190]

Forgot they redesigned the front suspension lol. That surely won't work. I'd try the body mount way then.

 

[Jason]

I would just unbolt the exhaust like you are supposed to. Unplug the o2 sensor and leave it in the pipe.

 

[Uly The Hermit]

Yea, no radius arms. I had to unscrew the O2 sensor to get to the bolt that holds on the exhaust. I couldn't find a way to get to it otherwise using any combination of extensions, shorter/longer sockets, or a universal. Anyway, I got the exhaust loosened up enough to get that little bit more clearance that I needed and the trans came right out. Thanks everyone for your help.

 

[1988broncoll]

Undoing the exhaust would be my last resort. Those bolts break easier with each day of age when I did my old 88 bronco 2 trans I spray the bolts down everyday for like 2 weeks with some liquid wrench and it didnt do a darn thing I broke 3 of the 4 bolts then it was a pain trying to fix it I would go the body mount way. I am actually just getting ready to go through it with doing a slave cylinder in my 90 3.0 ranger

 

[Uly The Hermit]

I was worried about the bolts breaking too but I was actually lucky enough this time to get them out OK. Soon I'll be removing the A4LD from a '92 Explorer to that may be another story. I'll keep in mind the crossmember removal trick as this truck DOES have radius arms.