engine removal. somethings still holding on!

[raser13]

hey guys and gals, new to the explorer scene. what it is. a 98 sohc v6 auto with electric 4X4. we bought it off the side of the road for $300. pretty sure that the timing chains are dead.

so we're yanking the engine to see if wer rebuild or replace. we've read multiple threads. watched lots of videos. we took off the dipstick the four flywheel bolts and the six motor to tranny bolts. BUT THE RASFRATEN CARNED SARNED THING WON'T COME OFF THE TRANNY!!!!!!! what the blankety blank are we missing??? we've removed everything everyone has said to remove. we can't see it or tell what it is. it acts like it's towards the top. any help and fast would be great we're trying to get this out this weekend so we can put what ever back next.

 

[boominXplorer]

You have all 8 trans bolts out?

 

[raser13]

nope just the six that everyone on the net showed. we looked for more once we couldn't get it out but we couldn't find any any where. but we couldn't get this one wire cluster that ran across the top of the bell out of our way very well. we we looking using the access panel under the center console, and using a cell phone to get a better angle. we got the ones at the 4 and 7, 3 and 9, and 11 and 1 o'clock positions. where are the other two we missed? and why does every one else say there are six?

 

[Josh P]

The sohc has an extra bolt between the 1 and 3 o'clock position.

 

[2000StreetRod]

transmission bolts

2&10

 

[drdoom]

There's one you can get to easily by pulling the inner fender out on the passenger side.

 

[raser13]

thanks to everyones quick response. we finally found the two bolts we were missing. they were the ones all the way at the top twelve o'clock position. we got it out. yay!!! now we need to go on to the next fun issue. we dropped the cover that calls itself an oil pan. and the oil looks like blackish Vaseline. Wtf? I've worked on a lot of cars and seen a lot of bad oil. but i have nevet seen anything like this! any ideas?

 

[2000StreetRod]

low coolant temperature?

Some people who experience engine overheating mistakenly remove the thermostat or install a low temperature thermostat. This results in rapid generation and accumulation of sludge.

Frequent short trips and infrequent oil changes can also result in excess sludge.

 

[raser13]

thanks 2000streetrod. we'll double check to see if the took out the thermostat. this was a vehicle that was relegated to their son driving it back and forth to school and soccer games.so i don't know how far it got driven. probably not much.

I've just never seen oil look like this this stuff is more like shoe polish or Vaseline, margarine consistency. all the sludge I've seen is the oil getting thicker like syrup and then burning up and get crusty. this is just some weird stuff. have to run some tranny fluid or sea foam through it and see if everything starts flowing.