Having trouble getting the transmission out | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Having trouble getting the transmission out

blueka

Elite Pickler
Elite Explorer
Joined
December 18, 2005
Messages
5,146
Reaction score
144
Location
Liverpool
City, State
UK
Year, Model & Trim Level
97 UK XLT, 99 Sport V8,
We've got the starter off and pushed back, got the t-case and both shafts undone,

I can't get the exhaust undone and we can't get to the top bolts on the bellhousing to get it out

does anyone have any suggestions??


Si
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





do you have the upper intake manifold off? You should be able to get the upper bell housing bolts by reaching down from the top, in between the engine and firewall. You will have to do this by "feel"
A swivel ratchet really comes in handy here.


I Also imagine the exhaust has to go Simon.
 






Can't get the exhaust off for love nor money,

If I take the upper manifold off, it's the OHV, will I need new gaskets?


Si
 






Can't get the exhaust off for love nor money,

If I take the upper manifold off, it's the OHV, will I need new gaskets?


Si

Yes. However if you get a valve cover gasket set, which you should anyway, the upper gaskets should be included.

FEL-PRO Part # VS50368C for 99 OHV is what rock auto lists as the part number

edit--I thought both your trucks were sohc engines,which year OHV are you working on here?

I moved this thread to the 2nd gen forum
 






It's not on my Explorer Jon, It's the FIL's and he's getting ready to kill me and bury me in the explorer.

so the valve covers and inlet manifold need to come off too???


Si
 






CENTER CONSOLE

is this a stick or auto?

assuming its an automatic you also need to rotate the crankshaft and get all 4 of the torque converter bolts

the y pipe should come off, those exhuast bolts can kill the deal, but getting the trans out over the y pipe is difficult (it can be done with the torque converter unbolted) but stabbing the transmission back in that Y pipe must be removed.

To unhook the oxygen sensors I believe you need to go through the center console anyways (I always work on Gen II v8's never the V6, I think they are the same, 3 02 sensors right?) so removing the center console and cutting the carpet will give you a STRAIGHT SHOT at those 4 upper bellhousing bolts and the vent tube holder thingy as well as the ground strap bolt
removing the center console will save you a bunch of headaches and you can keep your upper intake in place

access.jpg


also those 4 top bellhousing bolts, especially hte top ones, are easier to access once the y pipe is gone, you can use LONG extensions (like 48") and have one person near the back of the transmission guiding the long extension and wobbly up to the person pretty much laying on top of the engine with his hands around the back of the intake manifold and guide the extension/wobbly/socket onto the top bolts

Again this is much easier going through the center console :)

I have also found these VERY helpful for those bolts:

96369.jpg


90007.jpg


but usually those are done with no upper intake

see if the center console method works for you... anything Gen II I justs remove that sucker... some roll the carpet back, I just cut it... the console hides the scar and I am not worried about road noise from above my transmission

just FYI I had a 97 explorer OHV, I could NOT seperate the exhaust manifolds from the Y pipe, nothing worked, no room to cut them
I ended up removing both engine mounts for wiggle room, and PRYING the manifolds clear of the heads/studs on both sides, then we pulled the engine out... this was a 7 day battle
Usually I can swap an OHV in a weekend... 7 days for 4 bolts, once the engine was out I cut all 4 of them in about 8 minutes with a grinder... we re-used the y pipe and it was bent just a bit from prying those manifolds over, but it sealed up nicely... that was a PITA wish I never met that truck....ALWAYS plan for this crap to happen
'
bottom line. use a big breaker bar, 3/4" driver if you have to, but do what you can to get those y pipe bolts loose and drop that y pipe out of there, it will actually save you time when re-installing and save you headaches now
 






It's not on my Explorer Jon, It's the FIL's and he's getting ready to kill me and bury me in the explorer.

so the valve covers and inlet manifold need to come off too???


Si

Well, pulling the upper will get you right to the transmission bolts. Replacing the valve cover gaskets is just a preventative while you are there see, as the upper needs to come off to check the rockers and replace the valve cover gasket. Might as well get it now-since the gasket kit is so cheap.

Where is the exhaust holding you up?
Which year is this truck in question please?
 






All the bolts on the exhaust manifolds are seized, the 3 on the bottom of the y pipe are seized too.

It's an auto, with a full length centre console.

I've unhooked the o2 sensors, I've not got the 2 loom plugs at the back of the block unplugged yet, cos I have no leverage.

Si
 






To get to the upper bellhousing bolts I put a jack under the trans and drop the trans cross member.. Then let it tip backwards some. Now use a long extension (3ft or so) with an impact wobble. Now I can gut the socket on it and hit it with the impact..

The other way as mentioned is to pull the upper plenum and use a gear wrench.

~Mark

edit:
extension. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=39193
impact wobble http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=36846
 






great advice yup drop the back of the trans and long extensions :) works great, easier with two and its also easier with the y pipe gone

You think this is tough try a V8!! LOL
 






I almost forgot, that long extension should allow you to sit in front of the truck and take off the converter bolts using an impact. It makes life so much easier than lying under the truck and getting your hand up there and getting torque on the wrench (can't can't most impacts in there)


BTW, are you using air tools on this?

~Mark
 






I do the torque converter bolts myself too, sitting riught in front of the beam, its a balancing act with the shop light, the crankshaft driver and the 3/8" driver extension for the 14mm tc bolts.. :)

the first time is always the PITA, after that its like butter
 






using air tools,

We took the pan off the bad trans and had a look, cos it only needs a solenoid anyway, and we noticed that it's identical to the new trans, the new trans is from a 99 OHV, I think it's a 5r55e and the old one is a 4r55e.

Here's what we got

13042010323.jpg

13042010324.jpg


Even the pan is the same as the one on the good trans... is it poss that this tranny that's in is already a 5r55e? or are the 2 identical?

Can we use the solenoids from the good tranny on the bad tranny??


Si
 






No idea if the solenoids will interchange but the 5r and 4r are all evolutions of the A4LD - so the pan will generally be the same across the board. I think the only difference is between 2wd and 4wd - depth difference.
 






If the solenoids are the same, then we can have it back on the road today... which will make the FIL very happy. If not, then I probably won't be around for a very long time, pending surgery!


Si
 






hmmmm well does the 95 have all the same wiring and is still cable operated just like the 94? I dont think that 95 has a kick down cable, instead I think they have a DTRS (range sensor) ont eh side of the trans... if that is the case the 95 only looks like the 94

again I dont know enough about the 95 model year auto so only guesses


you can call ford parts and compare solenoid part numbers 94 to 95
 






I called ford and they said the solenoids in the 99 are the same as the ones in the 96 so, we're gonna change em all out

fingers crossed!!


Si
 






does anyone know which solenoid is solenoid A? and how do you go about getting them out???


Si
 






Are you in Lloyd or Liverpool? If you are in Lloyd I could come give you a hand next week if you are still stuck.
What I did to get more room to work, was remove the wheel wells. From there it was easier to get at the exhaust manifolds. I had to cut 3 of 4 studs going to the Y-pipe, then welded nuts to them and got 2 of 3 off. I then drilled thru the last one and just used a nut and bolt to hook it back up. I also jacked the motor up a little higher and then went after the top 2 bellhousing bolts.
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





I'm in Lloyd now, I was in Biggar, SK at the time, but we got it sorted, thanks for the offer of help tho, that's really nice. In the end, I swapped the solenoids in the pan with the tranny in situ, cos we just couldn't get it out. It sorted the problem out.

But thanks again

Si
 






Back
Top