removing the trans cross member! , I’ve been wanting to change the torque converter , but in removing the cross member, I’m unable to remove the rear trans mount , [the trans wont jack up far enough to clear it ] the cross member is not bent. but that’s not real problem . I removed the nuts to the cross member bolts to the frame tabs to raise the cross member and move the cross member back but when pushing the bolts up they hit the floor board and 1 in of the bolt is still sticking out the frame tab ,making it impossible to remove. the dealer said its possible the chassis pads have become pressed due to age. When have you heard of that happening …never ! theirs a bushing in the pad that bottoms out at compression. Also when is a chassis that much higher than the frame; half in. lost for age but 1 in. of compression, unless rotted. but the others would hold up the body but never in my experience. I’ve been a body man 40 years and associate mechanic and never seen such a thing. Some one said @ dealer; someone may have changed the bolts …. OK, then how did they get them in if you cant get them out ? plus nearly and inch longer to add ? I’ve seen foreign car do things like this on certain parts of the car . it tells the dealer that some one has worked on the car since manufacturing. so other people cut the factory bolt and replaced ,necessarily not them .I know the drive line was put on the chassis before the body but someone must have ran out of the proper bolts and now we have a problem. so it seems . I know I have senior moments but this is “all timers”, big time! any suggestions? most likely the answer is to cut move forward and finish ! got it! but I’m more interested in the answer, Why! and has anyone encounter this before? and also the bolts are factory not hardware store or out of the pile in the bucket I know the original owner and cars life cycle and no tranny work or mounts replaced . this is a one owner car before me .
Transmission Removal & Installation
- Disconnect the negative battery cable.
- Raise the vehicle and support safely.
- Drain the fluid from the transmission by removing all the transmission pan bolts except for one on each corner. Loosen the 4 bolts on the corner and drop the oil pan to allow the fluid to drain into a container. When drained, reinstall a few of the bolts to hold the pan in place.
- Remove the converter bottom cover and remove the converter drain plug, to allow the converter to drain. After the converter has drained, reinstall the drain plug and tighten.
- Remove the converter to flywheel nuts by turning the converter to expose the nuts.
NOTE
Crank the engine over with a wrench on the crankshaft pulley-attaching bolt.
- Mark the position of the driveshaft on the rear axle flange and remove the driveshaft. Install a suitable plug in the transmission extension housing to prevent fluid leakage.
- Disconnect the starter cable and remove the starter.
- Disconnect the wiring from the neutral safety switch.
- Remove the mount-to-crossmember and crossmember-to-frame bolts.
- Remove the mount-to-transmission bolts.
- On 1988–89 vehicles, disconnect the manual rod from the transmission manual lever using grommet removal tool T84P–7341–A or equivalent. On 1990–92 vehicles, disconnect the shift cable from the transmission. If equipped, disconnect the throttle valve cable from the transmission throttle valve lever.
- On 1993–00vehicles, detach the wiring connectors.
- Remove the bellcrank bracket from the converter housing.
- Position a suitable jack and raise the transmission.
- Remove the transmission mount and crossmember.
NOTE
It may be necessary to disconnect or remove interfering exhaust system components.
- Lower the transmission to gain access to the oil cooler lines.
- Disconnect the oil cooler lines from the transmission.
- If equipped, disconnect the speedometer cable from the extension housing.
- Remove the transmission dipstick tube-to-engine-block retaining bolt and remove the tube and dipstick from the transmission.
- Secure the transmission to the jack with a chain and remove the transmission-to-engine bolts.
- Carefully pull the transmission and converter assembly rearward and lower them from the vehicle.
To install:
- Tighten the converter drain plug to 21–23 ft. lbs. (28–30 Nm).
- If removed, position the converter on the transmission and rotate into position to make sure the drive flats are fully engaged in the pump gear.
NOTE
Lubricate the pilot with chassis grease.
- Raise the converter and transmission assembly.
- Rotate the converter until the studs and drain plug are in alignment with the holes in the flywheel. Align the orange balancing marks on the converter stud and flywheel boltholes if balancing marks are present.
- Move the converter and transmission assembly forward into position, being careful not to damage the flywheel and converter pilot.
NOTE
The converter face must rest squarely against the flywheel. This indicates that the converter pilot is not binding in the engine crankshaft. To ensure the converter is properly seated, grasp a converter stud. It should move freely back and forth in the flywheel hole. If the converter will not move, the transmission must be removed and the converter repositioned so the impeller hub is properly engaged in the pump gear.
- Install the transmission-to-engine attaching bolts. Tighten the bolts to 40–50 ft. lbs. (55–68 Nm).
- Remove the safety chain from around the transmission.
- Install a new O-ring on the lower end of the transmission dipstick tube and install the tube to the transmission case.
- If equipped, connect the speedometer cable to the transmission case.
- Connect the oil cooler lines to the right side of the transmission case.
- Position the crossmember on the side supports.
- Position the rear mount on the crossmember and install the attaching bolt/nut.
- Secure the engine rear support to the transmission extension housing.
- Install any exhaust system components, if removed.
- Lower the transmission and remove the jack.
- Secure the crossmember to the side supports with the attaching bolts.
- If equipped, connect the throttle valve linkage to the throttle valve lever. On 1993–00 vehicles, attach the wiring harness connectors.
- On 1988–89 vehicles, connect the manual linkage rod to the transmission manual lever using grommet installation tool T84P–7341–B or equivalent. On 1990–92 vehicles, connect the shift cable.
- Install the converter to flywheel attaching nuts and tighten to 20–34 ft. lbs. (27–46 Nm).
- Install the converter housing cover.
- Secure the starter motor in place and attach all electrical connections.
- Install the driveshaft, aligning the marks that were made during removal.
- Install the transmission fluid pan bolts and tighten, evenly, to 107–119 inch lbs. (12–13.5 Nm).
- Lower the vehicle.
- Fill the transmission with the proper type and quantity of fluid, start the engine, and check the transmission for leakage.
- Adjust the linkage as required.
- Disconnect the negative battery cable.
- Raise the vehicle and support safely.
- Drain the fluid from the transmission by removing all the transmission pan bolts except for one on each corner. Loosen the 4 bolts on the corner and drop the oil pan to allow the fluid to drain into a container. When drained, reinstall a few of the bolts to hold the pan in place.
- Remove the converter bottom cover and remove the converter drain plug, to allow the converter to drain. After the converter has drained, reinstall the drain plug and tighten.
- Remove the converter to flywheel nuts by turning the converter to expose the nuts.NOTECrank the engine over with a wrench on the crankshaft pulley-attaching bolt.
- Mark the position of the driveshaft on the rear axle flange and remove the driveshaft.
- Install a suitable plug in the transmission extension housing to prevent fluid leakage.
- Disconnect the starter cable and remove the starter.
- Disconnect the wiring from the neutral safety switch.
- Remove the mount-to-crossmember and crossmember-to-frame bolts.
- Remove the mount-to-transmission bolts.
- On 1988-89 vehicles, disconnect the manual rod from the transmission manual lever using grommet removal tool T84P-7341-A or equivalent. On 1990-92 vehicles, disconnect the shift cable from the transmission. If equipped, disconnect the throttle valve cable from the transmission throttle valve lever.
- On 1993-00vehicles, detach the wiring connectors.
- Remove the bellcrank bracket from the converter housing.
- Position a suitable jack and raise the transmission.
- Remove the transmission mount and crossmember.NOTEIt may be necessary to disconnect or remove interfering exhaust system components.
- Lower the transmission to gain access to the oil cooler lines.
- Disconnect the oil cooler lines from the transmission.
- If equipped, disconnect the speedometer cable from the extension housing.
- Remove the transmission dipstick tube-to-engine-block retaining bolt and remove the tube and dipstick from the transmission.
- Secure the transmission to the jack with a chain and remove the transmission-to-engine bolts.
- Carefully pull the transmission and converter assembly rearward and lower them from the vehicle.
To install:
- Tighten the converter drain plug to 21-23 ft. lbs. (28-30 Nm).
- If removed, position the converter on the transmission and rotate into position to make sure the drive flats are fully engaged in the pump gear.NOTELubricate the pilot with chassis grease.
- Raise the converter and transmission assembly.
- Rotate the converter until the studs and drain plug are in alignment with the holes in the flywheel. Align the orange balancing marks on the converter stud and flywheel bolt holes if balancing marks are present.
- Move the converter and transmission assembly forward into position, being careful not to damage the flywheel and converter pilot.NOTEThe converter face must rest squarely against the flywheel. This indicates that the converter pilot is not binding in the engine crankshaft. To ensure the converter is properly seated, grasp a converter stud. It should move freely back and forth in the flywheel hole. If the converter will not move, the transmission must be removed and the converter repositioned so the impeller hub is properly engaged in the pump gear.
- Install the transmission-to-engine attaching bolts. Tighten the bolts to 40-50 ft. lbs. (55-68 Nm).
- Remove the safety chain from around the transmission.
- Install a new O-ring on the lower end of the transmission dipstick tube and install the tube to the transmission case.
- If equipped, connect the speedometer cable to the transmission case.
- Connect the oil cooler lines to the right side of the transmission case.
- Position the crossmember on the side supports.
- Position the rear mount on the crossmember and install the attaching bolt/nut.
- Secure the engine rear support to the transmission extension housing.
- Install any exhaust system components, if removed.
- Lower the transmission and remove the jack.
- Secure the crossmember to the side supports with the attaching bolts.
- If equipped, connect the throttle valve linkage to the throttle valve lever. On 1993-00 vehicles, attach the wiring harness connectors.
- On 1988-89 vehicles, connect the manual linkage rod to the transmission manual lever using grommet installation tool T84P-7341-B or equivalent. On 1990-92 vehicles, connect the shift cable.
- Install the converter to flywheel attaching nuts and tighten to 20-34 ft. lbs. (27-46 Nm).
- Install the converter housing cover.
- Secure the starter motor in place and attach all electrical connections.
- Install the driveshaft, aligning the marks that were made during removal.
- Install the transmission fluid pan bolts and tighten, evenly, to 107-119 inch lbs. (12-13.5 Nm).
- Lower the vehicle.
- Fill the transmission with the proper type and quantity of fluid, start the engine, and check the transmission for leakage.
- Adjust the linkage as required.