Tranny swap

[intrcptrbird]

So im going to be doing a tranny swap in my '95 4.6L sometime in the near future. I have a used tranny (got it on ebay for $400 with 56,000 miles on it) with the torque converter and all ready to drop in there. I just wanted to know if anybody could think of any tricks that would be helpful when doing this to make it go even smoother. I have access to a lift and plan on using it. Thanks.

[97Bird]

Soak the exhaust manifold nuts several times with PB Blaster or Kroil for a few days before your planned removal. If they are really rusted you may need metric sockets. Use 6 point std or metric sockets to avoid rounding off the nuts. If you don't have torches to heat them up then buy yourself a Mapp gas torch which is like a propane torch only much hotter. Try to heat the nuts more then the studs so that they expand and break free of the studs. Be sure there is no more then a 1/4 tank of gas (the less the better) because you have to drop the tank down several inches to get the driveshaft out. It's nice to have a tripod tall enough to support the tank while you remove the driveshaft otherwise you have to completely remove it, have some one hold it or rig up some other way to support it. A tall transmission jack is also very handy! See if you can get a front yoke off of a junkyard driveshaft to insert into the tranny after you remove your driveshaft. This will keep tranny fluid from running out of the back while you are trying to remove or install the transmission. Replace the front seal in the transmission you are going to install and put some tranny fluid on it before installing the torque converter. Now is the time to replace the driveshaft u-joints since you have it out anyway. If you use a socket and breaker bar to spin the engine over to remove and install the torque converter nuts remember to remove them before starting the car! The original torque converters may have one stud that is painted or has a paint spot near it. While you are removing the torque converter nuts look for this stud. The flywheel (torque plate) should also be marked at this point. Install the new torque converter so that these marked points are together. Three people make this easy. Two up front removing everything and one at the back removing the tank and driveshaft. It's always nice to have strong friends to help remove and install transmissions. Last but not least, be sure the refrigerator is stocked with everyone's favorite beverage to help celebrate a job well done! Good luck!

[intrcptrbird]

Thanks for the tips. Ive taken it to a tranny guy before once to have him inspect the flex plate (thought it was cracked). I was under the impression that you had to remove the tank as well to get the drive shaft out but he told me that there is and was enough room for him to romove the rear yoke and slide the drive shaft out above the pumpkin enough so the front yoke came out and he slid the drive shaft out completely.

[97Bird]

I'll bet it doesn't take much longer to drop the tank down a few inches then it does to remove the rear yoke and you don't have any preloads to reset when putting it all back together. If he did remove the yoke I bet he didn't reset the pinion bearing preload which could cause problems down the road with the differential. Good luck with the swap.

[intrcptrbird]

Well I dont mean remove the entire yoke. I meant to say unbold the shaft from the yoke and slide it up. I figure it would be worth a shot to try since its only 4 bolts anyways.

[midgetracing28]

yeah but those are goin to be the toughest 4 bolts u have ever ran into beleive me soak those along with the other nuts b4 u try and have a breaker bar handy.

[Waylonis]

I have done it both ways and if I were doing it again I would definately take the time to drop the tank it just makes it so much easier to get at things, and you aren't forcing anything. The way I see it the straps are always rotten, it's a good time to change them and put some antiseize on the bolts, becasue if you haven't already you will be working on that fuel pump some day. A little extra now will mean a whole lot less later. I guess really it all depends on how much you like the car. My T-Bird is my baby. It's my 5th one and I will drive this one to the same place as the other ones, the recyclers.

[intrcptrbird]

Well just to let you all know..... After I swap this tranny Im selling the car. It has 130,000 miles on it and I just drive too much for this car to hold on for very long at all anymore (I drive about 400 miles a week. And thats going just to and from school and work). So I probably wont replace anything while Im under there unless it will effect the resale value of the car drastically (which it probably wont cause these cars blue book at almost nothing). So if anybody would be interested in a '95 bird with a good amount of stuff on it let me know. Im asking $4,000 for it but I am flexible.