[m1aowner]

$1400 plus to repair at the dealer?! I think I'll do it myself.

Never done this before, but I got the parts and think all the tools (tranny jack...etc) I need to do the work. Any tips about the 97s, or anything else to help make the work easier?

Thanks fellas.

[rorschach]

Originally Posted by m1aowner

Any tips about the 97s, or anything else to help make the work easier?

Heres a tip: Lefty loosey, righty tighty.

JK...While you're in there, check your rear main seal and the rear freeze plugs.

So....is it a flywheel or flexplate your replacing??

[VeryCoolCat]

2WD
http://www.autozone.com/N,314977/ini...cleSelect4.htm

4WD
http://www.autozone.com/N,314978/ini...cleSelect4.htm

[mike100]

You will need a friend to help you put it back in, but you should be able to get the trans out by yourself. They do make transmission jack style floor jacks too, but they aren't usually $59 so you'll probably just have to take it easy and use a strong friend.

This would be a good time to buy the GM one piece rear main seal if you need it. There have been many occasions (mostly on cars I owned personally) where I would buy new flywheel/flexplate bolts from the dealer. Sometimes I put a bit of locktite on them if they don't come with the factory dry loctite on them already. If it is an auto trans, be prepared to spill a lot of slushbox juice. (they do make plastic tailhousing plugs that fit in like a driveshaft to keep it from spilling out that way.

On some older s-10's, I found it very helpful to have a second jack and a 4x4 block of wood to jack up the engine by the front damper which will make the motor mounts flex back and really angle the trans downward so the bell housing will clear the firewall without difficulty. That's about it,the rest just is labor and time which will pretty much suck if you don't spend a lot of time doing undercar service.

if you mess with the starter, be sure to unhook the battery first.

[ColdSteel14]

Dont drop the trans! All you need to do is take the torque converter bolts off, install some longer bellhousing bolts to loosely hold the trans and slide the trans back 2-3 inches. you may need to take the x-member(s) off and maybe loosen the motormounts but its easy enough to do the flywheel without dropping the trans. Just make sure you have some quality wrenches and something to use as a cheater bar to get those flywheel bolts off.. Find a helper too. That'll make it way easier when breaking those flywheel bolts loose.

[M. Sage]

Tip one:
Make very sure that the torque converter does NOT come out of the transmission pump. They can fall out just a little bit and you won't notice. Make sure it stays completely seated, or you'll break the pump!!! Before you install, look across the bellhousing surface, and see if any more than the studs (or mounting pads, I thing it uses bolts instead of studs now that I think of it) on the converter extend beyond that plane. If so, lift slightly on the converter, rotate it and push it toward the transmission. It should click in.

Tip two:
GM was fond of super-gluing the electrical connector into the transmission range sensor around that time. Don't try to unplug it, you'll likely break the sensor. Just take the shift linkage off the selector shaft, then unbolt the sensor and take it off the transmission.

Tip three:
Buy a new extension housing seal and shaft and replace them as long as the transmission is out.

Tip four:
Ditto the rear crankshaft seal. Make sure to pre-lube it with some bearing grease.

Also be aware that you're working with fine thread fasteners in the flex plate (AKA flywheel) and converter, so they won't have to be as tight as you'd think... or they'll break.

ETA: I would actually drop the trans all the way. It's worth it to check and make sure the converter is fully seated before you go tightening the bellhousing bolts. It's also totally worth it to avoid scraped knuckles and the "I can't see!" associated with trying to work around something. Two or three inches ain't much clearance...

Oh, and be careful of that flex-plate. That stamped steel is SHARP!

[ColdSteel14]

Good info.. Now he's just gotta go do it.

Heh.. I'm just lazy. I've done 2 GM's and a ford that way. The "I can't see factor" is mighty high when not dropping the trans."

[jaymz]

Make sure that you don't put it on backwards! Pay attention to how the old one comes out, and put the new one back on the same way, otherwise

[m1aowner]

Thanks for your help guys! Really appreciate it.

Well I finally to tinker with this. Good thing I got another car to drive in the mean time.

I removed the starter and discovered the front housing was completely destroyed. Nice sight that was. And the joksters at the dealer, broke one of the connectors to the solenoid. Thanks a lot for that Mr. Goodwrench. Don't even bother to replace it.

I wasn't ready to start the process of removing the transmission yet. I was just looking at everything, taking my time, seeing what else I have to remove. But something that puzzled me a little, is how do you reach those upper tranny bolts? Damn things look like a pain to get to. Looks like I'll need to get a super long extender? Is there a speciality tool to get those thing off? It looks as if there might be some extra room to move around once all the little exterior stuff is unfastened from the transmission, but not sure. I'm thinking it might almost be easier to just pull the engine and tranny together? What do you guys think?

Thanks

[Harbinger]

Wow... and I thought I was 'awesome' for replacing my Celica's suspension. Good luck, my man!

[Rule .308]

You might want to consider shopping it around a bit to some of the independent shops in your area, like a trans shop. I do this stuff for a living and it sounds like you might be in a bit over your head. It never ceases to amaze me just how cheap some of these shops will pull a transmission for.

[Harbinger]

Originally Posted by Rule .308

You might want to consider shopping it around a bit to some of the independent shops in your area, like a trans shop. I do this stuff for a living and it sounds like you might be in a bit over your head. It never ceases to amaze me just how cheap some of these shops will pull a transmission for.

I was going to say the opposite. Do you think you find the good deals because you know what you're talking about when you go in there? Would a layman be able to get the same deal?

Mike

[mike100]

Originally Posted by Harbinger

I was going to say the opposite. Do you think you find the good deals because you know what you're talking about when you go in there? Would a layman be able to get the same deal?

Mike

Probably not. A shop might cut a former tradesman/ mechanic a good price because he won't be a royal ***** about a comeback as communication and understanding will be more upfront. Also, if it is just partial labor (like machine work), a shop will be inclined to trust the skill and knowledge of a more commercial customer over some guy off the street who will hold you responsible for R&R labor if something isn't right.

A good mechanic will find something wrong before the whole thing is together and running.

The key to getting a little break from time to time is developing a relationship with a good shop or two, not just the lowest price guy you found after 19 phone calls. you could play that game though, every now and then you'll run into an ex-dealership mech who needs his rent money right now and is real good with "fill-in-the-blank" and has the tools for it.

the worst thing you could do is haggle over price AND bring your own parts.

[mike100]

Originally Posted by m1aowner

Thanks for your help guys! Really appreciate it.

Well I finally to tinker with this. Good thing I got another car to drive in the mean time.

I removed the starter and discovered the front housing was completely destroyed. Nice sight that was. And the joksters at the dealer, broke one of the connectors to the solenoid. Thanks a lot for that Mr. Goodwrench. Don't even bother to replace it.

I wasn't ready to start the process of removing the transmission yet. I was just looking at everything, taking my time, seeing what else I have to remove. But something that puzzled me a little, is how do you reach those upper tranny bolts? Damn things look like a pain to get to. Looks like I'll need to get a super long extender? Is there a speciality tool to get those thing off? It looks as if there might be some extra room to move around once all the little exterior stuff is unfastened from the transmission, but not sure. I'm thinking it might almost be easier to just pull the engine and tranny together? What do you guys think?

Thanks

You'll need a quality swivel and extensions to get the upper bellhousing fasteners. Air tools are pretty much standard practice for getting the power to work bolts loose and less than straight on angles too. A good wrench might fit over the top of the back of the motor-it can be hit loose possibly. You don't have to have all the tools in the world, but it sounds like you will need a bit more than what you have now.

I'd suggest slinging 12 packs and a few 20 spots toward somebody you know who could help you wrangle it out the first time. If you have to do it again, you might be ok by yourself once you've seen it done.

[c good]

It helps to drop the transmission crossmember support while tranny is supported by jack to get to the upper bell housing bolts. Lower is ever so slowly with the tranny jack Until you can get to it with your socket. Also be sure to put a plastic bag over rear of tranny and rubber band it sealed after you remove the drive shaft, otherwise you'll have tranny fluid all over you as it is lowered. Don't ask me why I know this! As mentioned above a good swivel/universal/wobble socket (six point is preferable), and if an impact driver of some sort isn't available, lots of extensions and an add'l swivel/universal/wobble, and a good breaker bar. HTH c good

[M. Sage]

Originally Posted by mike100

Probably not. A shop might cut a former tradesman/ mechanic a good price because he won't be a royal ***** about a comeback as communication and understanding will be more upfront. Also, if it is just partial labor (like machine work), a shop will be inclined to trust the skill and knowledge of a more commercial customer over some guy off the street who will hold you responsible for R&R labor if something isn't right.

A good mechanic will find something wrong before the whole thing is together and running.

The key to getting a little break from time to time is developing a relationship with a good shop or two, not just the lowest price guy you found after 19 phone calls. you could play that game though, every now and then you'll run into an ex-dealership mech who needs his rent money right now and is real good with "fill-in-the-blank" and has the tools for it.

the worst thing you could do is haggle over price AND bring your own parts.

All of that is excellent advice.

Nothing makes your repair shop hate you faster than bringing your own parts and expecting a deal on labor, too. Bringing your own parts is bad enough (unless they're something weird, like brakes for a '57 Imperial...)

[Blue]

I've got the ring gear rotator tool thing too if you need it. Just helps rotate it if you decide to try and change it out with the tranny still in the car.

[Rule .308]

Originally Posted by mike100

Probably not. A shop might cut a former tradesman/ mechanic a good price because he won't be a royal ***** about a comeback as communication and understanding will be more upfront. Also, if it is just partial labor (like machine work), a shop will be inclined to trust the skill and knowledge of a more commercial customer over some guy off the street who will hold you responsible for R&R labor if something isn't right.

A good mechanic will find something wrong before the whole thing is together and running.

The key to getting a little break from time to time is developing a relationship with a good shop or two, not just the lowest price guy you found after 19 phone calls. you could play that game though, every now and then you'll run into an ex-dealership mech who needs his rent money right now and is real good with "fill-in-the-blank" and has the tools for it.

the worst thing you could do is haggle over price AND bring your own parts.

Spoken like a true mechanic. In my business that is known as "bringing your own cheese", as in going to the burger joint with a slice of your own cheese and asking the guy if he wouldn't mind putting that on your burger while he is cooking it because you are too darn cheap to pay the .50 cent up on the cheese burger.
I hesitate to say most shops but definitely a lot of shops will not even use customer supplied parts and the rare ones that do will not give you a parts warranty on your parts, how the heck could they really? In my shop it is done very rarely and only on a few very select, long time customers.
Grinding the guy down on his price rarely has the sole effect that you want, you may get him to come down on the price but it is going to cost you. You don't really think he is going to give you his all for the bottom dollar price do you, because he is not. Now with all of that being said, I do grind when I am using the services of other skilled trades but I have a limit. That limit is simply, "Do you guys offer a discount for cash?". I just had 2 grand worth of plumbing done at the house and it was good for 5% off, in my book a hundred bucks is a hundred bucks.
If you want to get labeled a dickhead quick walk into a shop as a first time customer and grind them on the price and then offer to pay for it with plastic so they can eat another 3% or so.
Go back to my original advise and see what the local independent trans shop will do it for, some of those places have been know to do that crap for cheap and by cheap I mean $150.00 in labor or thereabouts.

[Harbinger]

I've had good luck with Golden Gate Transmissions in Pleasanton. My Civic's clutch was slipping, gears had missing teeth and the pilot bearing was whining like a little girl. I 'found my own cheese' at a junkyard (and online for the clutch) and had Golden Gate swap it out. They seemed un-phased by me bringing my own parts and told me that on many cars, a junkyard tranny is by far a better deal than they could offer. Labor price was $400 OTD, and the used tranny served me for another 100k mi, until my car got totalled.

Believe me, I understand why most shops would hate for you to bring your own parts, but sometimes it works out for the best. Just don't be stingy on the labor, like other posters have said.

Mike