TH350 removal advice...asap

[rocketscientist]

i have a 72 cutlass supreme and im pulling the tranny tomorrow to rebuild it, havn't done a tranny pull before. i was wondering if anyone had some tips or advice on pulling it, anything would be extremely helpfull and would also like to know the general procedure, or if i needed to set aside a whole day to do this instead of just a few hours and a 12 pack.

thanks alot, any info is greatly helpfull.

[J-(Chicago)]

Um.......
Chris Witt?

[gearheads78]

-for less mess pull the pan to drain and reinstall or get an old input shaft to plug it when you pull the driveshaft
-disconnect battery
-pull starter
-pull lower cover
-disconnect converter bolts
-support transmission with jack with a piece of plywood to keep from denting pan
-pull driveshaft
-remove speedo cable, detent cable, and trans lines
-pull rear crossmember
-remove bellhousing bolts you will find long extensions and and wobbles very helpfull. Also rachet wrenches fron the top bell housing bolts can be lifesavers too

I have done it many times on the floor by myself but its much easier with a buddy to balance it on the jack as you come down

[Bluevista]

Rent a transmission jack, it tilts and swivels and makes it a lot easier to align things. Using one you can do it yourself and you won't damage the car or your body trying to wrestle the thing in, most tool rental places have them.
Factory Service Manual helps a real lot too.

[gearheads78]

Originally Posted by Bluevista

Rent a transmission jack, it tilts and swivels and makes it a lot easier to align things. Using one you can do it yourself and you won't damage the car or your body trying to wrestle the thing in, most tool rental places have them.
Factory Service Manual helps a real lot too.

Thats cheating. You have to do a few bench pressing them your chest to learn

[Bluevista]

I used to do my cast iron Ford-O-Matics setting them on my belly then crawling under there and using the strong exhale technique.
I had a furd, how smart could I have been?

[csstrux]

Originally Posted by gearheads78

Thats cheating. You have to do a few bench pressing them your chest to learn

Press them hell. I use my feet to line up the centering pins....after the jack slips out of place Ahh to be young again

[Lady72nRob71]

This seems to be a good project to photodocument!
I never had done this, but it does not SOUND too difficult...

My tranny needs just an exterior reseal, but I have a feeling I know what will happen...
I may even have to do it one-man style!

[Bluevista]

Originally Posted by Lady72nRob71

This seems to be a good project to photodocument!
I never had done this, but it does not SOUND too difficult...

My tranny needs just an exterior reseal, but I have a feeling I know what will happen...
I may even have to do it one-man style!

Another photo-saga would be cool.

If your transmission is just leaking this will fix it Rob.

TPDT-9K-2.jpg

[gearheads78]

Originally Posted by Lady72nRob71

This seems to be a good project to photodocument!
I never had done this, but it does not SOUND too difficult...

My tranny needs just an exterior reseal, but I have a feeling I know what will happen...
I may even have to do it one-man style!

If you want to just drop if off and have it built I know a guy that is very good and reasonable in Nevada just North of us. He will do a bench build or R/I it if needed.

[Olds64]

All excellent advice! BTW, are you rebuilding the transmission yourself or taking it to a shop? If you do it yourself make sure you have a buddy help that has done it before. You also need a VERY CLEAN garage!

[citcapp]

Don't forget to put a jack under the engine so it doesn't fall at the rear when the tranny is removed. Don't ask me how I know this (I was 15 at the time chevy powerglide). I also use to bench press trannys into place. Where did the years go

[gearheads78]

Originally Posted by citcapp

Don't forget to put a jack under the engine so it doesn't fall at the rear when the tranny is removed. Don't ask me how I know this (I was 15 at the time chevy powerglide). I also use to bench press trannys into place. Where did the years go

Thats a good tip. I sometimes forget the most basic stuff when telling someone how to do something.

[J-(Chicago)]

Originally Posted by citcapp

I also use to bench press trannys into place. Where did the years go

It's a blast! especially when you don't have anymore extra yokes to slide on the tailshaft, so you use a plastic bag.......and then it rips and pukes all over your chest and down your boxer shorts.

[rocketscientist]

right on you guys rock. and i don't cheat, well at least im too poor to cheat. two buddies are helping me remove it in a storage unit, they haven't done one before but i helped remove a 700r4, so i guesse i have some experience. and as for sending it to nevada, well, im in kansas unfortunately going to college for auto restoration and im rebuilding my tranny in class . what other college kids can say that, and as for the photo saga thats a great idea i think ill do that and post em, ill let you guys know how it goes.

p.s. today i removed the starter, lower cover, disconnect the batter, and went to drain the fluid. i found out the hard way that you have to remove the crossmember to take the pan all the way off, but a good amout of fluid still came out, so i may risk plugging the tailshaft and wing it, its only a storage unit anyways....

[My442]

I use 4 of the 8 ton jack stands.

You have to get the car high enough for the tranny and the jack.

It is fairly strait forward, but really important thing is to get the converter on the input shaft correctly. There is about 1 to 1.5" of space between a properly seated converter and the front edge of the tranny case. Use a yardstick to verify.

Once the tranny is seated to the engine and bolted up, the converter should spin free and need to be pluued forward to bolt to the flexplate.

Failure to do this properly will ruin the tranny pump in about 45 seconds after you start the car.

[dan2286]

Just so you know, the trans is most likely going to be seized to the engine block. Make sure you have some kind of pry bar to wedge in between the engine and trans to break them free.

[joe_padavano]

Originally Posted by citcapp

Don't forget to put a jack under the engine so it doesn't fall at the rear when the tranny is removed. Don't ask me how I know this (I was 15 at the time chevy powerglide). I also use to bench press trannys into place. Where did the years go

That may be more of a problem with drivetrains that use a front and bellhousing side mounts. To be honest, on my Oldsmobiles with motor mounts on the sides of the block, I never bother to support the engine when swapping the trans. I just let it hang on the motor mounts. It tips back (watch the fan on the fan shroud) but that's all. It even makes access to the top bellhousing bolts easier sometimes.

[redoldsman]

Hey Rob:

You are near one of the best transmission shops in the country. Plano Transmission has been around since like 1966. Jeff is the guy that owns the place and is the most honest guy I have ever dealt with. Years ago when I had a 90 Lumina it started pouring transmission fluid. It was a time when I really did not have any money. I had to have it fixed and I called him. He gave me an estimate of something like $250. I dropped the car off on Saturday morning and he called in about and hour and said it was ready. The bolts on the converter cover were loose. He tightened them and put fluid in it. He would not take a dine. All he asked was I come back or send him a customer if I had the chance. I have done both. These kind of places are hard to find. Jeff is a really good guy.

[88 coupe]

Originally Posted by joe_padavano

........ (watch the fan on the fan shroud) ........

And the distributor cap.

Norm

[Yellowstatue]

X6 on the bench press...I usually do my four speeds with the press and jiggle method...works up a good sweat...mostly from the panic that I will drop it on something warm and tender..Me the automatics flatten the fur on my chest so I resort to mechanical aids... as for the oil down your shorts, a good quality rain suit with pants is advisable, snorkle optional

[Lady72nRob71]

Glad this post resurfaced; I forgot I even posted here!

Thanks for the area shop suggestions - hopefully I can take care of everything without pulling it. The outer seals weep and it seems to shift from 1-2 too soon. Also the kickdown cable limits throttle opening and prevents the carb secondaries from opening. Fluid can prolly be changed...

I do not know the history of this tranny, so I am debating if a rebuild might be beneficial. It could surely benefit from a shift kit...

Hmmm... Post #999!