Transmission HELL

[92rangersport]

I have a 1992 ranger 3.0L 5speed manual trans (all stock) with the mazda trans. heard from a few mechanics and instructors you can sometimes manage to get the trans out without taking the exhaust apart (mines a rusty mess) anywho got the trans looks oh yeah im doing a clutch and flywheel my throwout bearing finally went 167,000 miles on stock clutch not to bad. but yea theres no way to get the trans out without taking my pipe off, any one got any tips how to get the header bolts out without snapping them off? ive soaked them for about 3 days frequently with liquid wrench

 

[ati190]

There's a few options to get that trans out without removing the Y-Pipe. 1. You can unbolt the 4 bolts holding the radius arm crossmember together. 2. Loosen motor mounts up, enough to tilt the engine back. This would only apply if your y-pipe wasn't sitting on the radius arm crossmember. 3. You could loosen the body mounts up, and jack the passenger side up 4-6 inches (which is what I did). Once the trans is out, bend that flange back with an air-hammer or something similar. Most people cut the flange with a Sawzall. If your body mounts are a rusty mess I wouldn't go that route. If everything is rusty, just use route 1. Once that is undone, the engine will rest as far back as possible, allowing removal of the transmission.


edit: You will need to apply force, don't be afraid to do so.

You wouldn't want to go the exhaust manifold route, considering you'd most likely have to pull the engine, to remove the broken studs, and re-tap new threads...

ati190

 

[Geeshik]

If you soaked the y-pipe to manifold bolts for a while with liquid wrench, you should be able to get a 1/2 inch impact (use a few exensions), a little heat, (a torch or do it with the engine hot) and a 14mm impact socket to get the bolts out. i just had my y pipe off of my 93. The bolts were in bad shape, but they came out. i think OE uses hardened bolts (10.9 or so) because they last longer in heat.

 

[LittleHorse]

I've done this twice, on two different vehicles, without removing the y-pipe or doing any of these things. It took me about 30 minutes each time, but each time I was able to find the magical angle to snake the transmission out. The trick is to get the starter bulge around the driver side of the y-pipe, once that's done it comes out pretty easy.

Once it's out though, it will never go back in unless you do one of the above mentioned procedures. My choice was to use a sawzall ont he firewall-to-floor flange. I cut several slits in it from the edge toward the body, and then used a 4lb hammer to beat it upward and flat against the firewall. Once I did that, it was CAKE.

 

[ati190]

LittleHorse I've done this twice, on two different vehicles, without removing the y-pipe or doing any of these things. It took me about 30 minutes each time, but each time I was able to find the magical angle to snake the transmission out. The trick is to get the starter bulge around the driver side of the y-pipe, once that's done it comes out pretty easy.

That would be providing the body mounts haven't sagged. In most cases they have. Making the body seem sit lower than usual. Instead of all the useless fighting, just do one of the above procedures.

 

[sfwjesse]

There is one more way....the way i did it but probably not the best way. I got frustrated and cut a 1' piece of the pipe out underneath the tranny. Once the tranny was out i got up there with a dremel and cut those bolts off. I then drilled them out and replaced them with 5/16" bolts through with nuts and lockwashers. i then had the pipe tig welded back together by my buddy, but because there was metal missing it never fit right and leaks. Eventually i will have to buy a new y pipe which is about 100-130.

 

[Jspafford]

That would be providing the body mounts haven't sagged. In most cases they have. Making the body seem sit lower than usual. Instead of all the useless fighting, just do one of the above procedures.

I would try it the easiest way possible. I was able to wiggle mine out, but I have a 4WD.

I would think you could get it out without the exhaust coming out.

You don't have to follow anyone's advice, use what you can from any or all of the methods to do it the best way possible. There is no right or wrong method to use.

 

[86ford]

If you take out/drop down the radius arm cross member by grinding down the rivets and drop the cross member down it will allow the engine and exhaust to tilt. It makes Pulling the transmission VERY easy. When you put it back together just replace the rivets with bolts of the proper size and remember to buy GRADE 8 BOLTS!. Its a pain to do it this way the first time but its MUCH easier than dealing with exhaust, trust me I have done both methods!

86

 

[ati190]

+1 to 86's advice. The problem is not with getting the transmission out, but with getting it back in. I used the body mount method, considering I have a Gen III, nothing in the way of the passenger body mounts. I had no rust though. The radius arm crossmember would be my choice of methods. Least amount of work.

 

[sfwjesse]

+2....i hear its a beyotch to get the bolt holes lined back up after but anything is better then that damn exhaust.

 

[cocoasranger]

When I pulled the auto trans out of my 89 4wd Ranger, it came out without removing the Y pipe. Here's a couple more hints. You could get a price from a muffler shop to replace the manifold studs(if they are new you could get the pipe off and on like a breeze). When I managed a Midas shop the guys could put in a new set of studs faster than you could make a grilled cheese sandwich (but more expensive).

I used a hydraulic jack under the oil pan to lift the engine, and a trans jack for the trans. This combination gave me better control. I used a giant screw driver to help the trans over the lip on the cross member. I drilled two holes in a flat steel bar and bolted it to the back of the trans to get much more rotational leverage while prying with the screw driver.

Finally, be sure to use splined clutch centering tool when installing the clutch disc or it will be near impossible to line things up when installing the trans.

 

[AllanD]

I have a 4.0 but generally the same "issue"
and this is with, recent urethane body mount bushings, a 1" body lift,
my radius arm bracket is off a "high rider" so it sits 2" lower than stock
and when I went to replace my trans after breaking my output shaft I still had to remove my Y-pipe.

that all being said I have Borla headers so I don't have bolts into cast iron to contend with, my Y-pipe is mated to the header flanges with 10mm bolts and flag nuts (the same nuts used on the four bolts that hold the two halves of the radius arm crossmember together.)

So I can simply cut my bolts... and put new ones in...

Personally I like the idea put forth by ati190's...
Loosen the body mounts on the drivers side and
remove the bolts on the passenger side
then put a block of wood between the cab and the frame to hold it up.

I'll let him tell you where the idea came from...



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[ati190]

One issue here with body mounts though. He has a Gen II, the battery placement is on the passenger side, and would require using rather long extensions. On the Gen III, the battery is placed on the drivers side, making the body mounts a breeze.