Tranny in the Trunk, Bearings and anything else

[happydog500]

Originally Posted by Bud_Wheel_19

DO NOT GET THE HAYNES MANUAL IT SUCKS. That is all

I already have the Haynes manual. My friend is ready to help but won't until I get another manual. Pretty sure I got a link here for a school that had very good manuals online. Nobody remembers where?

procaddytech, What about sending me a copy of the GM manual pages? I understand if it's to much of a hassle. Just wondering if it's a posability.

Chris.

[Bud_Wheel_19]

Originally Posted by happydog500

I bought GM Factory Service Manuals for my car. I bought "both" books, 1 and 2 "of 2". These have everything I need for my car, - except how to take out the transmission. Who would of known 1 and 2 of 2 would mean there are 3 books?

You said you had books 1 and 2. Of what exactly? Is it the 1996 GM Service Manual? It should be the one you have since they never made a 1997 one ( stupid GM thinking ) execept for the book that is only one book the stupid Preliminary book. Well you do not need the transaxle GM manual unless you plan on a total overhaul. In Book 1 of the 1996 GM C/H Platform Manual Section 7A-31 tells you how to remove the transmission and has all the torque specs at the end of it. If this didnt help you I can try and print these out then scan them. I dont know if I have access to the scanner if it even works I could mail them to you.

[happydog500]

I have the Official GM Service Manual, 1997 Lesabre book 1 and 2. It says it's in transmission book #3.

I copied the pages out of the Mitchel book here at the library. So far, the Haynes is by far the best one. The Mitchel has 6 steps like, disconnect electrical connectors, remove bolts, no pictures or diagrams on almost all of it. Haynes shows pictures of just about every step. Not saying Haynes is good, just it's the best by far between the two.

Trying to find a good manual. Wish I could remember what library or school that had the super good manuals on line.

If you look on ebay right now "1997 Lesabre" under "books" you can see the same books I have. Enlarge and you can see, "book 1 of 2" on the cover of the front one. The information I need is in Book #3.

Chris.

[Bud_Wheel_19]

Dang I was looking all over for a 1997 book on the LeSabre and could not find one and then I found the 1997 Preliminary and it told you to get the transaxle book which then told you to get the 1996 book. I beleive thats right forgot its been a while well I have the 1996 book that tells you all the step on taking it out with pictures maybe not as many as you would like but there are pictures. I could scan them for you if you would like?

[happydog500]

Wonder what if any differences in a 96 to 97? My "97" was made in 3/96. Friends 1996 Park Ave was made 3 months after my 1997 Lesabre.

Yes, please scan them! Want to start this asap. This would help a lot to get them.

Chris.

[spinne1]

I pulled a 97 tranny at a pick and pull with hand tools and it took me five hours. You don't have to have a manual. Use a legal pad and lots of ziplocs and carefully note each step.

[not necessarily in this order, but.....]

You need to remove the five or so main engine to tranny bolts (18mm), the rear pass side tranny to engine mount, tranny to rear frame area dog bone mount, the rear driver's side mount using a 13mm wrench (ratcheting would help) on the three hard to reach bolts. (Note that just removing the nuts from under the mount will not help much because the mount will not be free from the vehicle by doing so.)

Remove the vacuum line and vacuum modulator. The electrical harness. The neutral safety switch. The intake stuff between the air filter and intake manifold. Both axles (which usually means separating the strut from the steering knuckle, and removing the tie rod ends from the steering knuckle--easier than the lower ball joint, if it is riveted on--you WILL need a wheel alignment when done if you do this.) It also helps to remove the exhaust crossmember. Remove the plastic shield covering the flywheel (3 x 10mm.) Remove the three torque converter to tranny bolts (18mm wrench.) Once all this is off, all that is left is the L-frame in the picture above. You need to support the engine with a hoist, pry the engine and tranny apart, while supporting the tranny with a decent jack (a board on a garage jack works fine.) Of course, support the vehicle with jack stands in areas where the sub-frame you are removing is not. Drop the sub frame (only about five bolts total.) And then lower your tranny. You COULD use a large board to support the sub frame AND tranny and then lower them together (but with the vehicle secure on jack stands. It is vital that the car be secure.) If you note each step, it just goes back together in reverse order.

[happydog500]

Thanks for sending me the pages. This doesn't look anything like the other manuals. Way harder looking in this one. Shows removing brackets not on the other ones.

This "on vehicle service" doesn't show anything about the axles. I can't follow the order of this, it seems to jump around and not make sense. I didn't see in the other ones where you have to take the transmission apart to get it out like on this one.

Thank you for sending this to me.

Spinne, did you have axle pullers to take the axles out? How did you do that?

Chris.

[Bud_Wheel_19]

Yeah its weird but each step it tells you that is pretty much what you will be removing.
Also to remove axles a set of pry bars will work but if it doesnt you will need the puller.
Alot of times the ring clip on the end of the axle will get egg shaped and is a pain to remove axle.

[Blue Bowtie]

The half shafts removal was described above. The brake caliper needs to be removed from the bracket and supported out of the way. The upper bolts for the steering knuckle should be removed from the strut. The tie rod should be removed from the knuckle. The hub nut should be removed from the outer end of the axle. The knuckle can then be moved out of the way and the axle can be disengaged from the transaxle with a prybar, punch, or the special slide hammer adapter (factory tool). The left (driver) side axle inner CV is difficult to remove with the prybar method but can be done. As Bud Wheel alluded, be careful to remove the inner CV straight or the retaining clip can be distorted, making removal even more difficult.

[happydog500]

Well, haven't been able to do the swap yet. I helped a person for a week about a month a go. We where going to exchange work. I guess I will right it off.

I found a trans shop who will do it for $500. I thought it was 7.2 hours but the shop looked it up. I saw in the Chilton book the time was 5.5. It came out to low $400 area but, "with fluid and pan gasket" was rounded out to $500. Don't have the money right now but this at least gives me something to shoot for.
Wonder if it will be a thing where they quote one price but when you come back, it's way higher?

I told them I was going to have a new seal behind the torque converter. She told me I should change the axle seals since it's out. This adds $30 more. With the cost of the used Trans, seals and swap I'm into it for about $900. Sure didn't want to put this into this car.

Chris.

[Jrs3800]

I have said this before... Too bad you are not closer Chris...

[happydog500]

Originally Posted by Jrs3800

I have said this before... Too bad you are not closer Chris...

Thank you.
All the years you've worked, I still think you deserve a cross country vacation.

[happydog500]

May be near the $500 with sisters help. I was going to have my friend help me with the seal behind the torque converter and axle. Now, with the shop putting it in, I want to do the seals myself.
The one behind the TQ, do I just pry it off? Don't see a way to remove axle seals.
Any advice on how to do this so I don't even have to involve friend who said he was going to help?

Thank you,
Chris.

[happydog500]

Sorry for posting in an old thread. I wanted to thank everyone who has helped me with my transmission.

I got the transmission in and after 8 months without a car, it runs good! This was the easiest transmission to do. The whole thing took about 15 minutes! I drove it to the transmission shop and dropped it off.

Could not get any help from friend so when I got the money, I had a transmission shop do it. I was charged $550.82. This is for the install, new seals and a flush with new fluid. All the gaskets where changed.

Thank you very much,
Chris.