drop the engine on my MK3 (flywheel, clutch pressure plate bolted to engine) and then slide and bolt the trans from under the car?
or the only way is to bolt trans to engine and then drop the whole drivetrain from the engine bay?
I have never done this so I am looking for the easier most effective way
thanks
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MKIII 4281 Non Donor Build|LevyRacing 5-Link Rear Suspension|LevyRacing Koni Double-Adjustable Shocks|LevyRacing 13″ 6-Piston Wilwood High-Clearance Front Brake Kit|LevyRacing 12.2″ Live Axle Rear Street Brake Kit|SBF 302 bored and stroked build by Borowski's race 500HP|TKO-500|FFR Vintage Halibrand Replica Wheels, 17″ x 9″ Front and 17″ x 10.5″ Rear|ISIS Intelligent Multiplex wiring System 3 cell with InLINK RF control module|Alex's standard Glove Box|Casey Design Modular dash
Much easier to install them together. It's a piece of cake if you have a leveler so you can adust the angle as you lower them in. You start out with the rear (transmission) end dipped low and then bring it to level as you lower them into place. I've done this by myself several times. I have also removed and installed the transmission from the bottom and it's not much fun.
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Chas Randolph Sidney, Ohio FFR 6113, Stock (for now) '91 5.0 EFI, T5Z w/midshift, 3-link, SAI Mod, TurboCoupe rear 3:55's, 17" Team III's, Picked up @ FFR on 5/5/07, First start 10/5/08, Go Cart 9/27/09, Licensed & Legal 9/30/10. Painted 6/3/12. Graduation 8/21/12
Location: Somewhere between Arkansas and Colorado....
Posts: 1,992
I think so. The removable tranny "panel" should make this very straightforward. I have heard about difficulties with the MKIIs but I would think it is very doable on the MKIII.
Question is why? I installed my engine/tranny assembly a couple times by myself in a matter of maybe 30 min each time. really easy if you have a decent engine hoist and engine leveler.
I think so. The removable tranny "panel" should make this very straightforward. I have heard about difficulties with the MKIIs but I would think it is very doable on the MKIII.
Question is why? I installed my engine/tranny assembly a couple times by myself in a matter of maybe 30 min each time. really easy if you have a decent engine hoist and engine leveler.
thanks for the help guys,
the main reason is that I want to install a mid shift on my tremec but I don't have it yet, and I would rather install the mid shift with the tranny outside of the car, and I need to drop the engine because I am borrowing a engine hoist and I only will have it for about a week, so I would like to drop the engine and then slide the tranny when I get and install the mid shift kit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cwrandolph
Much easier to install them together. It's a piece of cake if you have a leveler so you can adust the angle as you lower them in. You start out with the rear (transmission) end dipped low and then bring it to level as you lower them into place. I've done this by myself several times. I have also removed and installed the transmission from the bottom and it's not much fun.
what was the "not fun" part if you don't mind me asking?
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MKIII 4281 Non Donor Build|LevyRacing 5-Link Rear Suspension|LevyRacing Koni Double-Adjustable Shocks|LevyRacing 13″ 6-Piston Wilwood High-Clearance Front Brake Kit|LevyRacing 12.2″ Live Axle Rear Street Brake Kit|SBF 302 bored and stroked build by Borowski's race 500HP|TKO-500|FFR Vintage Halibrand Replica Wheels, 17″ x 9″ Front and 17″ x 10.5″ Rear|ISIS Intelligent Multiplex wiring System 3 cell with InLINK RF control module|Alex's standard Glove Box|Casey Design Modular dash
I think it is a lot easier to align the transmission and attach it before you drop the whole assemby into the car. You need to have a good engine hoist and a tilt and level tool is sure handy because you need to tilt the engine at an angle of about 30 degrees to get it over the front radiator top cross piece. It's not impossibe to install the trans from the bottom but it is a heavy sucker and you don't want to drop it on your face. You need to kind of jack the rear of the engine up to allow the trans to go back over the transmission bracket and center cross member. Even If you have done a good job of aligning the clutch disk it can still be a bear to get the bell housing bolts in.
Rental stores usually have engine hoists and tilt lift leveler to help get the engine up over the radiator top bar and into the tunnel.
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I had the engine/trans assembly in/out of my Mk3 during the build twice. First time took a couple hours. Second time about 30 minutes. It's really very straightforward. I would go so far as to say I would figure out a way to borrow/rent/buy a lift for your second time vs. trying to change while in the car. Especially if you have to do the transmission swap on your back and the car on jack stands.
Location: Somewhere between Arkansas and Colorado....
Posts: 1,992
If I had to install the tranny later (clutch change, tranny replacement etc) after the fact (painted body installed) I would do it from underneath. With some decent jackstands and at least a floor jack to help lift the tranny I feel confident I could manage to get it lined up easier than pulling the engine assembly and risking damaging the paint and body.
If it is the only thing holding you up, i say go for it and deal with it later. If there are other things you can do to kill time, then do those and only install the assembly once.
I've never dropped the tranny out the bottom but have done the engine and tranny as a combo and the engine alone several times. With a typical Harbor Freight Engine Hoist it doesn't have enough length and throw to do them as a "combo" with the body on...I had to go rent a hoist from a rental yard for this approach...but my Harbor Freight works fine for just pulling the engine after undoing the bellhousing from the engine. I have done it twice by myself now, not that bad to do yourself...but a buddy is nice. You need to loosen the rear tranny mounts and put a floor jack under the tranny to angle it up a bit to get the engine out. Good luck.
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Just try to have a helper when you reinstall it. I have helped a friend r and r his trans on his MkII twice and it was a big help to have me up above w/ a strap around the trans helping to take some of the weight and being able to see what was interfering that he couldn't see from under the car. W/ the removeable trans mount on the MkIII it should be a lot easier.
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what was the "not fun" part if you don't mind me asking?
It's just a lot easier to assemble the transmission to the bellhousing on the floor rather than underneath the car. Laying on your back, some bolts difficult to reach, sore neck the next day, etc. When I removed my T5 I first separated the trans from the BH. I couldn't slide the trans back far enough to get the input shaft out of the BH so I had to remove the BH also. When I re-installed a new T5Z with the S10 midshift conversion, the new shifter location allowed me to slide the trans back far enough to clear the BH. Now I don't need to remove it (the BH) to remove and install the transmission.
I know that you are not running a T5 so I'm not sure if this is the same situation for the 3550.
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Chas Randolph Sidney, Ohio FFR 6113, Stock (for now) '91 5.0 EFI, T5Z w/midshift, 3-link, SAI Mod, TurboCoupe rear 3:55's, 17" Team III's, Picked up @ FFR on 5/5/07, First start 10/5/08, Go Cart 9/27/09, Licensed & Legal 9/30/10. Painted 6/3/12. Graduation 8/21/12
I replaced TKO600 last year due to need for different fith gear ratio. Trans input shaft would not clear bellhousing so I unbolted bellhousing and it all came out pretty easily. Went back in just as easy. Key here is a second set of hands. Agree easy to install as assy but if you need to take transmission out, no reason to remove engine.
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MKIII, Carlquist Comp Engine 347, 480hp, Boss Block, Z Heads, TKO600, Quicktime, spec stage II, IRS, Wilwood 6PS, 4PS brakes, Eibach springs, Forte IRS Adjusters, Eagle F1, 2x rollbar, many personal touches. Delivered April 09'. Graduated July 2010...........
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