[phattyduck]

Originally Posted by Previologist

Heading to HF today to get some 1/2" ratchet extensions.

Yeah, getting to the bellhousing bolts from behind the trans/t-case is no joke.



-Charlie

[Previologist]

The bad news is my rear diff is definitely low. The other bad news is my assessment of that exhaust bracket bolt being frozen was correct. It will not budge. I put some cotton balls on the bolt end above the bracket and soaked them in PB. I'm willing to be verrrrrrrry patient on it. I'm not sure if heating the bracket will help, or just make the threaded hole tighter. I will wait a day or 2 before I find out.

The good news is my diff breather is definitely not breathing...so maybe..MAYBE? I won't need new seals.

[Previologist]

Good news, I realized I would never get that freakin bolt out without an impact driver so I bought one. Bad news-it still won't budge. More bad news-it threads into the exhaust flange, so I can't just cut it off. More bad news: I forgot that I don't even have a propane/map torch anymore, and its a 60 mile round trip to get one. I suppose I could start the engine and let that heat it up, but then I'd probably scald myself on the pipe so no thanks. Good news: I got my diff breather breathing again, so a minor yay! for that.

I'll just keep soaking and trying I guess.

[Previologist]

Got that mofo exhaust bolt out with propane torch and impact wrench. I would have bet 100 to 1 against me getting it out in one piece, but I did. It only took me 15 days to get this far, but I haven't broken anything yet so that's good. I'm a starter away from the tranny bolts now.

[BuffaloBass]

I had to buy a 20" extension from Harbor Freight as well as use a socket "knuckle" to get to those tranny bolts. Oh and maybe a magnetic base light to peer over that transmission to see the bolts! Neck stretching excersize for sure!

I am NOT looking forward to the reverse of that procedure soon.

PS I realized that HEAT is nice for removing stuck bolts. I broke one of those long adjusting bolts on the AC, used heat n the PS and ALT ones and got them free. I think the heating/cooling cycle breaks rust free.

[Previologist]

Time for a curse break.

G%$#&^*( D$#@! This M*&!!%$#@ job!!!! My F$#@!%^ neck is killing me from all this neck-craning! Thanks to my valve covers that have been leaking for years, every G%$# F$#@ thing is covered in oil including me. [note to self: next time you develop oil leaks, how about fixing them you IDJIT!]

The starter is out and I am down to the last freekin bolt on the clutch access cover, the one by the slave, and i have no freaking idea how I will ever get a wrench on that one! i have always wanted to be a magician and I guess i better become one fast beause there is no way to get a f4321771 wrench on it. F^%&***$$#@ THIS!!!!! All this for a rustbucket with 310K!!!!!

There, that's better. Not much, but a little.

[Previologist]

Time for a curse break.

G%$#&^*( D$#@! This M*&!!%$#@ job!!!! My F$#@!%^ neck is killing me from all this neck-craning! Thanks to my valve covers that have been leaking for years, every G%$# F$#@ thing is covered in oil including me. [note to self: next time you develop oil leaks, how about fixing them you IDJIT!]

The starter is out and I am down to the last freekin bolt on the clutch access cover, the one by the slave, and i have no freaking idea how I will ever get a wrench on that one! i have always wanted to be a magician and I guess i better become one fast beause there is no way to get a f$#%^!! wrench on it. F^%&***$$#@ THIS!!!!! All this for a rustbucket with 310K!!!!!

There, that's better. Not much, but a little.

[AuSeeker]

Originally Posted by Previologist

Time for a curse break.

G%$#&^*( D$#@! This M*&!!%$#@ job!!!! My F$#@!%^ neck is killing me from all this neck-craning! Thanks to my valve covers that have been leaking for years, every G%$# F$#@ thing is covered in oil including me. [note to self: next time you develop oil leaks, how about fixing them you IDJIT!]

The starter is out and I am down to the last freekin bolt on the clutch access cover, the one by the slave, and i have no freaking idea how I will ever get a wrench on that one! i have always wanted to be a magician and I guess i better become one fast beause there is no way to get a f$#%^!! wrench on it. F^%&***$$#@ THIS!!!!! All this for a rustbucket with 310K!!!!!

There, that's better. Not much, but a little.

You should feel much better X 2 now since you posted this twice...LOL..I feel your pain, good luck!

[brillo_76]

I mostly use acetylene torch on the exhaust bolts. Or I use a coil induction heater too.. I heat those bolts till they turn red many times to get them to come use and out.

When I pulled my manual transmission out. I had a heck time getting those bolts on flywheel cover off. Its a metal plate on the bottom. :-(

Its a project to change a clutch. You get there. Just take your time. When rust is involved it does take a lot longer to work with. I fought with a AC adjusting bolt for 2 weeks before I got it out.. You can do this. :-)

[Previologist]

The cursing seems to have helped. I had to remove a harness clip (easy, pop it out with a screwdriver) and then ran a long extension section from way forward, where i could insert a ratchet from below, while black chunks of crud fell into my ears.

But I got that last cover bolt out. Then I dropped it into some hidden cranny where I couldn't find it again, but who cares. I'll find it or replace it.

On to the tranny. I may have to rest my poor neck for a couple days first.

[phattyduck]

Originally Posted by brillo_76

I had a heck time getting those bolts on flywheel cover off. Its a metal plate on the bottom. :-(

Hey, with the auto you have to do that cover *then* the torque converter bolts! I suppose it could be worse.

-Charlie

[brillo_76]

Originally Posted by phattyduck

Hey, with the auto you have to do that cover *then* the torque converter bolts! I suppose it could be worse.

-Charlie

Yes the TC bolts are 2nd worse. I done 3 of those jobs too thus far 1 man, 2 auto. :-) At the time, I didn't have the flex head long wrench ratchets. Those make that plate bolts job a lot easier. The bell housing bolts need very long extensions and tilt everything in the rear done some to get at those 2 top bell housing bolts. I am sure I be doing some down the road as well but at least now its on a lift. With newer rigs though.. its almost impossible to get to things without a lift. In the 3rd gens though thankfully, you can do just about everything off jack stands with an engine hoist.

[Previologist]

I realized that I really needed to get that last harness clip off so I could move it out of the way and give room for extensions over the top. It took forever to find the blind release with my pick but finally got it, then realized there was yet another one but that one was easy. I cracked one of the easy to reach tranny bolts just to see if I could. I have a lengthy extension up very close to a top bolt, which is where I think I'll stop for the night. I think I will need to add a wobble extension to get it on the bolt.

2 things: I've seen some references recommend supporting the engine before removing the tranny. Is that really necessary?

Also seen reference to using a ratchet strap around the rear axle to pull the tranny off the pins. I'm not sure how I would attach it to the transfer case, if I chose to try that, but doing this alone I may need all the help I can get.