Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 09:09:53 -0400
Reply-To: Rick Koller <rkoller@HELIX.NIH.GOV>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Rick Koller <rkoller@HELIX.NIH.GOV>
Subject: Re: jacking up tips for auto tranny
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
Hi Craig,
I recently was faced with installing a used auto trans in the parking
spot in front of my townhouse. I have the same jack as you and, as you
point out, there is no balance point on the tranny. I was under a time
constraint and didn't take the time to fabricate some kind of wooden cradle
for the job. In future I will try to make some kind of wooden holder to
balance the tranny. What I did do, was to push the trans under the van on
some plywood (on the tarmac) in its basic position for reinstalling. Then
I gradually elevated the front and the rear of the trans on short pieces of
2 x 4. I did this with a friend who put the blocks under the rear edge of
the differential and the front trans mount while I lifted it inch by inch.
You could do it solo with a small scissors jack I imagine. It was a royal
pain and the vanagon autobox is much heavier than the manual trans (which I
have installed in a similar fashion by myself), but eventually we got it
high enough to get the jack under it. It is still wobbly on the jack but
the 2 x 4's offer some stability if it falls off the jack. Its a tight fit
and I raised the rear of the trans and lowered the engine as much as I
could to get the torque converter end of the trans in position on the
engine studs it bolts too. Then I was able to raise the front mount. I
replaced the trans cooler spring clamps at this time with regular hose
clamps on the trans cooler hoses, they are much easier to deal with in that
tight area back there. Also, be careful of a brake line that is on the van
frame near the front mount, I managed to hook the cooler bolts or something
on the line and bent it as I was jacking up the front mounting. Luckily, I
noticed this and stopped before I broke the thing.
Overall a real physical effort, and then the replacement trans doesn't
like to shift on start up, only after a short warmup, so it looks like I
have to eventually repeat the effort after rebuilding the trans. I have
tried numerous flushings on new fluid in the trans to try and clean it out,
but so far this hasn't worked. Oh well thats the gamble using a used part.
Hope this helps and pmail me with any questions.
Rick Koller
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