terrybo3

Hey guys. I've been having some trouble with the way my clutch has been working, or not working, so I decided to get a new one and put it in myself. I got the clutch kit off ebay, it's an Exedy and I think it'll work for what I need for now. I've taken the drivelines off, disconneted the wiring harness from the transmition/transfer case, I took the crossmember under the transfer case out, taken the shifters off, starter, slave cylinder, etc. etc.

Now, I think I'm ready to start taking the tranmission to engine bolts off, but I've been reading some posts here as well as some other sites, and I've been hearing conflicting things.

Some posts say you need to take the exhaust pipe off of the header, some say you don't. Some say you need to disconnect the front differential, some say you don't. I DON'T WANT TO SCREW ANYTHING UP!!!

It looks to me like the oil pan has enough clearance above the diff, but it is just a little bit of clearance. Does the engine come down when the transmission is disconnected? How much? This is what it looks like now:



Here's another view...you can see the exhaust a little in this view. It doesn't look like it's in the way to me.




1995 3.0 V6, stock as of today. Any and all help is greatly appreciated. I will be doing a buildup of this truck as I go. Thanks, guys!!!

terrybo3

Here are some more pictures...maybe you guys will see something I don't:

Before any work started:



More pics:

89silverpu

I hope you have a floor jack and aren't gunna just try and use that bottle jack cause that's not gunna work out too well...

terrybo3

I have a floor jack. The bottle jack is just holding it up for now. It's alot easier to get around under there without a floor jack in your way, and I'm not ready for it yet. I want to make sure I don't have to take the diff out or the exhaust off.

Anyone have anything useful?

881stGenRunner

you dont have to touch the diff. Your going to want to take the pipe that bolts to the manifold off. Its very easy. Only 3 bolts and gives you a lot more access to that area.

jason191918

I did this last week on my pickup. I did not touch the diff or the exhaust. I left the cross member on the tranny, and took it off the frame. That way you can get better leverage for balancing the tranny on the jack. The 4 14mm bolts just hold the stiffener plate on, take all of those out first (the 2 on the passenger side use nuts). Then break the 6 tranny bolts free (3 on each side). Remove the top one first (I found it easiest to remove it through the shifter hole in the cab), then remove the rest of the bolts.

Jay351

When we did the clutch on my rig we did not touch the front diff or the exhaust. Unbolted the front d-shaft, rear shaft, crossmember bolts and the bellhousing bolts. Removed the whole tranny,t-case and crossmember assembly at once.

Do yourself a favor, get a tranny jack.. or at least another guy to help you out. Its not easy to balance that thing and get the bolts in..

Targetnut

Don't worry about the diff,

It is benefitial to disconnect the exhaust. This allow you to tilt the engine down more in the rear and makes it easier to get the assembly back in. You can do it without, it's just a bit easier if you do.

bigt

i dont have any experiance with the 3.slow but i do with 22r series engines... get a tranny jack.. and a few floor jacks...to line the tranny in i used a wrachet strap up the tranny hole into the O HECK handles... also i found it best to use the factory jack ender engine... also there is two bolts coming from the headlight side into the tranny on the ones i did..

lots of info on the net... all i did was read read read and then wrench wrench wrench!!!

terrybo3

Thanks, guys!

Another question: Where do I put the jack on the engine (so I don't tilt it down too much)?

terrybo3

I answered my own question...I just used a block of wood between the diff and the oil pan. I'll post some pictures later.

Pictures:

terrybo3

Ok...so, I put the crossmember back on. I think you guys are right - it'll help me balance the tranny a little better. I didn't take the exhaust off, either, but may do that later if I need the room. I don't think I will.

Stay tuned for some pictures of the old clutch and flywheel.

If anyone has any other advice for getting the rear main seal out, or for the input shaft seal in the tranny feel free to give me your .02! I think I can figure it out, but any and all advice is GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks again!

Jay351

Thats where we jacked up my engine from. Good placement. No help from me on the seals, mine were still in good shape so I didnt bother touching them....

srozell

Taking the flange off the front differential gives you a few more inches of room to maneuver. While it means you'll have to top up the fluid in your front diff, working with less than optimal tools you'll really want that extra room.

Targetnut

Really takinng the pinion flange off the diff is not a good idea at all

The nut that holds it on is what sets the pinion bearing preload and if you don't get that back right, youll be needing to rebuild you diff in a couple thousand miles.

If you really need to get that out of the way, the whole axle assbly is only held in with 3 bolts

abecedarian

@Targetnut- what I think was meant was that the u-joint flange with 4 bolts to the axle pinion flange was removed, not the flange itself (as one would have to unbolt the u-joint).

edit- nevermind, I just re-read and read about topping the diff fluid. but unbolting the shaft from the transfer case and differential flange would accomplish the same thing without affecting the diff.

Jay351

Though removing the flange on the t-case would serve no purpose at all except increase your workload.... I left my front shaft bolted to the t-case and just lowered the sucker!

Jay351

...the truck won't go!!!

jason191918

Neither will mine!

terrybo3

Ha ha! Whatever! You guys are already done! I'm waiting for a freaking jack! The only way mine's gonna move is if it rolls off the driveway by way of GRAVITY!!!