Dropping RT4wd transmission

redbarchetta

Apparently the throwout bearing on my RT4wd has gone out. Pressed in clutch, heard a snap and pedal went limp. It's not the cable, so i think the spring on the TO bearing broke.

Anyhow, what's the consensus on the easiest way to drop the tranny in a driveway on jack stands. I'm leaning towards just pulling the entire engine out as that seems easiest, but I'm interested in hearing others experiences.

ThinkFab

you have to take the front subframe off, undo the three bolts holding the intermediate shaft on, pull the axles, take off the starter, undo the speedo and clutch cables, support the engine, remove the shifter linkage's, remove the trans mounts, take out the trans bolts. that is the majority of the hard stuff to do. drop it out the bottom and use a square tube in between the fenders to support the engine from the top. if that makes any sense. good luck, it will take you a day or 2 if everything goes your way. hope you have a spare car. and i would recomend replacing the clutch if it has more than 60,000 miles on it.

redbarchetta

Thanks for the response. I'm familiar with everything required to remove the tranny, just looking for input whether it's easier to get it out (at home, on jackstands) by following the service manual and dropping it out the bottom, or if pulling the whole motor/tranny out is easier for a driveway job.

wagodizzle

a friend and i just lowered the engine and dropped the tranny from the bottom... it was easy enough for a couple retarded teenagers working outside in the grass who had never replaced a tranny before and only had a simple 40 pc. socket wrench toolkit

granted it was a 2wd, not a 4wd....

ThatDoodle

Wow this just happened to me 2 weeks ago. Im replacing my entire transmission with a hydraulic 4wd from a Ferio RTSi though. Im just waiting on my hasport mounts and hydro conversion.
Think Fab Is right on. Only thing different than the way I do it is dropping the front subframe. I just undo the front tourque mount. Its doable in your driveway. No need to drop the whole motor. That would be more messy. Look for a service manual for a crx or civic here. http://hondatech.info/search/crx/DL it and take a look at how the factory does it. If you have a 4wd then just remove the shifter cables and the propellor shaft.

ThinkFab

the reason i said to drop the subframe, is because on the 4wd's, the trans seems to be a very tight fit, and taking the extra 15 min. to undo 8 bolts is well worth it compared to the un-needed hassle.

SiWagon

I removed my 4WD tranny in my driveway with only jackstands,a floor jack & your basic tools by myself. :x Damm that was a COLD winter.

You don't need to drop the subframe or remove the engine.

:idea: Good time to slam the wgn;replace the pilot brg,put in a lighter flywhl & have clutch (press.plate,TO brg) ready in case you need to replace them.
Read this link for more info:
http://www.hondacivicwagon.com/board/vi ... ?p=453#453

redbarchetta

I'll give it a shot just dropping the tranny. The suck part is that this is a newly rebuilt motor and transmission that just went in about 2000 miles ago. New clutch, flywheel, TO bearing etc. Not sure what went wrong with the TO bearing unless I foobar'd the install somehow.

On the bright side, this will give me a chance to drop the oil pan an tap an oil return line for teh upcoming turbo install

panza_verde

I've also removed the transmission on my 4WD and changed clutch, bearings, seals, clean and re-grease everything, etc. in my garage at home.

To remove the transmission you'll have to:
1. Jack the front of the car and support it on both sides from the front (close to where the towing brackets are go). Remove the typical little stuff (shifter and clutch and spedometer cables, ground and back-up light switch wire, starter, couple hose clamp brackets, plastic splash shields, both drive axles, middle shaft extension between transmission and driver's side drive axle, etc., etc.)... probably loosen-up or remove the exhaust middle pipe (between the manifold and the catalytic) and disconnect the rear drive shaft. If you unbolt one side of the shaft safety bracket and push the shaft end away towards the driver's side will make your life easier when trying to fit the transmission back in place.

2. Un-torque (slightly loosen) the transmission-to-engine block bolts all around now. You'll have to remove the sheet-metal rock-shield, a small L-shaped bracket close to the front mount and couple bolts on the flywheel cover.

3. Remove the front and rear transmission mounts (which you might want to replace if the rubber there has cracked). The front mount is a 3-bolt deal... fairly easy; the rear is a bit harder... first loosen up and remove the shifter cables to then be able to remove the cable assembly bracket to then finally be able to get to the bolts that attach to the transmission.

4. By now the motor-transmission will sway back and forth fairly easily a few inches. You'll have to support the engine (a jack with a wide piece of wood and a thick towel in between) on the oil pan... the closest you can to the transmission. I've also used a long piece of 2x6 levered on another piece of wood on the floor to have someone else support the transmission as it comes out but this will work much better with a hoist/chain/winch from above.

Loosen up and remove the right (passenger) side engine mount by first removing the long bolt going through the large round rubber part. Now you'll be able to slowly drop the transmission to get to the other two or three bolts to the transmission on that mount.

You'll have to let the motor-transmission tilt down a few inches. Watch for any fuel hoses, wires, etc. that they don't get pulled too far. I've managed to get the MAP sensor knocked out against the fire wall... just be slow and careful.

5. Loosen-up all of the transmission-to-engine bolts about 1/2-3/4" and wiggle things around to separate the transmission. You might have to pry it loose... as long as you don't distort the aluminum. There's no gasket to ruin or replace in here. Remove all the bolts and keep working at it... eventually the transmission will come off and it should be able to barely slide through the side chassis panel, right under the battery. You'll have to be carefull that the transmission drive shaft does not twist too much and ruin the drive splines.

To install the transmission you'll have to:
1. After cleaning, re-greasing, re-installing bearings and clutch disk and pressure plate or whatever you'll need to make sure the drive splines on the clutch disk is aligned with the bearing on the flywheel. There's a plastic plug to do that BUT it tends to flex and move around. I double checked it by eye before tighening the pressure plate's bolts to the final specified torque.

You'll have to lift and align the transmission and slowly work it back in place. The 4WD transfer case makes it tricky to get it right. You almost have to get that through and snap off the flywheel and then get the main shaft and splines to engage... until everything mates back in place. Get couple transmission bolts in quickly to hold things in place, re-check everying and the rest is just a reverse of the removal process.

Good luck!

wagodizzle

that was a great right up panza_verde.

this being your first post imma say Welcome. where in southwest michigan are you?