Help!auto tranny pan stuck

[BillM]

I am trying to change my tranny fluid 98xlt auto
and I have the pan off the tranny. I just cant get
the pan out form behind the cat converter. Can I just jack the engine up a little or do I have to drop the exhaust.

Bill M
98 xlt
sohc 4.0

 

[mdrut]

I haven't looked at your set up, but you can probally take the tranny mount loose from the crossmember, PUT A BLOCK OF WOOD on your jack, and jack the tranny up enough...But like I said, I'm not sure, have never looked under a 98..

 

[BillM]

I never got the pan out. It was a real pain
replacing the gasket and filter. I have no leaks
and didn't have to use any goop. I just used a couple of dabs of grease to hold the gasket in
place. I overfilled it a little ,but sucked that out the filler tube.
Bill

 

[Robert]

The proper way to do it on the SOHC is to remove the catalytic converter from underneith the transmission. I tried to do it the proper way on my '97, but instead ended up doing it my way. My way was to loosen the two bolts that hold the transmission to the crossmember and jacked it up. I also removed the bolts that held the pipe to the exhaust manifold so that I could move the catalytic converter around too. I still had to wedge and pry to get the pan out and ended up spilling probably a quart or so onto the catalytic converter, but I did manage to get the pan out. When I at first attempted to remove the catalytic converter, one of the clamps had the bolt installed from the opposite side of the other bolt on the same clamp. The clamp is the one that holds it to the pipe that goes to the muffler. Since I couldn't get anything up there that would allow for any kind of leverage, I couldn't loosen the bolt. I was able to get the other three loose though.

Talk about timing, I will be changing the fluid again on Friday. This time I will try a few more methods to remove that pipe.

 

[SteveVB]

just a thought

A thought: put a drain plug in the pan, so you dont have to wrestle with a pan full of (hot to warm) trans fluid. I had a plug put in mine when I had it enlarged so it would be easier to change the filter. B&M sells one, but its just as easy to have a bung tapped and welded to the pan.

 

[amigo]

Thank God I have a 91 and not a 98. Sounds like a total pain in the a** to change it.

 

[Fred Garvin]

removing tranny pan on Sport 4WD

On the Sport 4WD, why not disconnect the front crankshaft at the differential and carefully let it drop? This should give you room to remove the transmission pan.

 

[BillM]

I was going to drop the front shaft, but I don't
have the correct torx socket to fit. I couldn't get a wrench on the bolts either. It would just
slip and I didn't want to strip or break a bolt.
Then I really would have been screwed.