Swapping transmission

[JollyGreen]

I decided last night that I would swap out transmissions today. Got a buddy to help me (who was supposed to know more about this $hit than I do). Didn't get started till almost 10 since his worthless a$$ didn't get out of bed. Get both driveshafts out no problem, disconnect the linkage and electrical. Then the cross members comes out. I then get told that we should start to pull the housing bolts out. I said, we should probably take the t-case off because we won't have enough room behind us to pull the tranny all the way out. "Oh, we'll have plenty of room", says my buddy. Ok, I said. Get the bolts out, including the 2 on top of the housing (thank you GM engineers, fu*kers!). Then HE realized that in the middle of pulling it out that we had to take the t-case out.

J8sus H...

Get that off and pull the transmission out and someone else at the shop needs to use what is the only tranny jack in the whole place that works. So while they're using it I swapped out all the seals. The t-case output seal was especially great because it wouldn't go in. I mean we tried everything but it WOULD NOT go in. By this time it's 3 and I know we won't get the damn thing put back together before they close at 5, so I told my buddy that we just need to get the transmission installed and I can finish it up tomorrow. Once again I should have listened to myself. He wanted to bolt the convertor onto the flywheel first, instead of sliding it onto the input shaft of the tranny. So after doing that and raising it up to bolt it up, we see that the gap on the bellhousing is too big and the convertor isn't all the way on shaft. I dropped the tranny and said we're stopping for the day. They aren't open tomorrow so I'll have to take at least a full day from work to get it put back together myself. FML.

Sorry for the rant. I just get pissed when my friends, who are supposed to have done this many of times end up costing me hours that I didn't have to begin.

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[outalne94z71]

do not put it together like that, the converter if not lined up will damage the pump, it must be installed in the trans first and seated all the way in.

 

[JollyGreen]

That's what I told the dumb $hit that helped me. It is sitting in the transmission in the back of my truck.

 

[outalne94z71]

these are the things that always make me wish i was closer to people needing help, should have only taken about 45 mins to a hour to get out with having a lift like that

 

[JollyGreen]

If I was in Illinois, I would have driven to you.

 

[tylers88]

these are the things that always make me wish i was closer to people needing help, should have only taken about 45 mins to a hour to get out with having a lift like that

Thats pretty fast, you work in a trans shop? As a GM tech I could do a 4wd 4L60E remove and replace in about 5 1/2-6 hours, 2wd was around 4 1/2, that was on my hoist so add a couple hours on the ground. I think the 4wd ones pay around 8 or 9 hours.

 

[jeff's88silverado]

45mins to an hour is good time. hell i've done it

 

[outalne94z71]

Thats pretty fast, you work in a trans shop? As a GM tech I could do a 4wd 4L60E remove and replace in about 5 1/2-6 hours, 2wd was around 4 1/2, that was on my hoist so add a couple hours on the ground. I think the 4wd ones pay around 8 or 9 hours.

no i work in my driveway for the most part out in about an hour even faster when they have a sas , i just have removed so many of them i have it down to a science with having all the tools laying out that i need and unbolting all the top stuff first then its time to go nuts removing the lower stuff, gear wrenches are one of the best tools ever and the stanley twist ratchet is a close second when air tools dont fit, i get $450 to remove and replace them when i actually charge someone.

now changing out a 4l80e with the bw t-case, that one is a huge pain as the case just barely squeeks out if you get it in the right spot

 

[JollyGreen]

Now that I've done it I could probably get one out in less than 2 hours. Just a matter of being completely sure of yourself and having all the tools right next to you. Every time we needed something other than an open ended wrench we had to walk up to the front to get it. Combine that with the problems in my original post and that's why it took so long. BTW, why did GM use studs on the top, instead of bolts like the bottom. Doesn't make any sense to me.

It's like asking me to machine something. I know I could do it faster than most people because I've done it hundreds and hundreds of times.


Ken - Does it matter what bolts you put in first? Any special tips on install that you have?

 

[outalne94z71]

Now that I've done it I could probably get one out in less than 2 hours. Just a matter of being completely sure of yourself and having all the tools right next to you. Every time we needed something other than an open ended wrench we had to walk up to the front to get it. Combine that with the problems in my original post and that's why it took so long. BTW, why did GM use studs on the top, instead of bolts like the bottom. Doesn't make any sense to me.

It's like asking me to machine something. I know I could do it faster than most people because I've done it hundreds and hundreds of times.


Ken - Does it matter what bolts you put in first? Any special tips on install that you have?

one of the things i do to make mounting easier is use starter bolts on the bellhousing to guide it in place since they are so long and then use the right bolts after the trans is butted up, since you have a lift and trans jack that stage of the process may not need that.

put in the dipstick tube just before you get the trans in place or you just may be throwing wrenches as you get more frustrated trying to get it in with the trans in place