egertge

well, i posted earlier that i have tried 8 times to seal my tranny. well, i dont think it is the pan anymore. i took the dust cover off where the torque converter is, and there is a lot of tanny fluid in there. i think something in there is leaking and it just ran out of the dust cover onto where the pan seal is, making me think over and over that my pan was leaking right there. what kind of seals are up by the converter, and how hard are they to change, or even to get to and see? thanks for any advice.


[Modified by egertge, 6:08 PM 8/12/2003]

427V8

there are two seals, one around the torque converter thats a wear item since the converter spins in it. And another that goes in when It's built and should never leak.

The converter seal would require pulling the drive shaft and unbolting the trans from the engine and pullubg the trans back some. Not too easy...

egertge

so the converter seal is not something im gonna want to do in my garage with the car on jackstands? the tranny pan was hard enough with the car a few inches form your face, im thinking i might have to take it to a mechanic if it really is that seal. :sad: i really dont like taking my babies to the mechanic, always seems that something else goes wrong shortly after you get it back. never took my vette to a mechanic though.

egertge

so has anyone ever changed that seal in their garage without a lift? and is there a seal that would be leaking engine oil too? there is a little oil in there also.

arrio76

To change the front seal on the transmission essentially requires that you remove the transmission from the car. This is not an easy task on the garage floor. But I've seen some fellows drop one in 30 minutes in thier garage on the floor. You'll need to get the car better than 2 feet off the ground. A floor type trans jack would nice, but guys have used a regular hydraulic floor jack to lift the trans down to the ground and then back up for the reinstall. Usually a two man operation to manhandle and steady the unit. Be sure to drain the trans before you start, or you'll have a rather messy job when you start tilt and move the trans around.
The engines rear seal is right there too, just in front of the torque converter and flywheel. You can verify if the rear seal is leaking by removing the flywheel and visually inspecting the rear seal area. Though I am not sure what else has to come off to change the rear engine seal. The engine oil pan, rear main cap? Check the engine over real well to be sure that the oil is not dripping down from something else above. If the rear seal is indeed leaking, this would be the time to change it.

egertge

ya, sounds like something i cant do. with only one pair of jackstands and one floor jack, definetly not something im gonna do alone, looks like ill just have to take it to the mechanics. im not sure if that is where the oil is coming from. the leak is very small, only a drop a day or so, nothing major. and im not sure where its coming from. i cant believe i changed the tranny pan seal 9 times and the leak was actually coming from that dust cover. all those wasted hours and being ticked at my car. oh well, live and learn.

XLAR8R

I did one in a '70 Chevelle I had one time in the driveway using a tranny
floor jack and yeah I know a Chevelle sits a LITTLE higher but if you can
get it up high enough you can get those type of jacks at a rental store.

Chevyguy

Pulling the transmission isn't all that hard of a job, especially if it's an auto. I did my T400 myself, took a week, but I had a broken rib at the time. Service manual pretty much walks you through it. Couple of different shops here wanted $1200-$1400 to replace the seal. That convinced me :thumbs:

69Rat

I've done many tranny swaps in my day... like the other said.. get TALL jackstand.. ( you should get them anyway... not too $$).. and I just use a regular floor jack. Remove all the shifter/speedo connections, converter-to-flywheel bolts, driveshaft, and mount bolts.. then put a piece of 2x6 on the jack head, and release the pressure of the tranny, then roll it back a tad, as soon as the tranny clears the guide pins, you can start lowering it down! :)

I usually hang onto the tail-shaft for guiding it out. Piece of cake!!
:hurray: :hurray:

egertge

i dont think my jackstands are very short, i just never put them up as high as they will go. i only have 2, only raised one end at a time, just felt safer that way, and safer yet with the jackstands not fully extended. will i need 4 jackstands, or can i get away with raising one end. if so, front or back? and is it alright to put the jackstands on the last notch or is it not as stable that way? i just got a quote for 215+parts for the job. im thinking maybe i will do this myself. thanks for any advice you have for a first timer.

NHvette

$215 doesn't sound that bad. Parts: $5-10

You are right, though - doing it yourself gives you a certain peace-of-mind.

But, if you think you are capable of doing it - spend $20 on another set of stands and go for it.

I stick a couple of tires under the frame area - just in case there were any
troubles with the stands. (never has been)

Take the exhaust off in one piece - with the tranny crossmember - and slide
it out of the way.

Have another jack available to hold the motor from tipping - since
the tranny will no longer support it in the rear. A scissors or bottle jack is
fine - or just a stack of 2x4s to the right height will work.

The front tranny seal will be relatively easy. The rear main seal in the engine
(2-piece) can be a challenge. You need to loosen all the crankshaft journals
to lower it slightly and get the seal into place.

A drop or two a day - HAH - I'd drive it unless it's freshly restored.


Good luck... :seeya

egertge

well, ive decided to do it. just need a few more tips. where do i stick the jack stands? just on the 4 corners of the frame or should i stick them somewhere else? do i really need to take the exhaust off? i will if i need to, but ive never really dont anything with exhaust. do they just bolt right up the the manifolds or is there a seal, will taking my spare tire and holder off the back make it any easier for anything? thanks for all the tips. oh, and do i need to drain the oil or the tranny fluid before i start taking stuff apart? and when i drop the tranny, a 2x6 against the pan with a jack under it right? this sounds like it is going to be fun. my first major mechanic project.


[Modified by egertge, 3:14 PM 8/13/2003]

egertge

getting ready to do this, i took off my speedo cable, shouldnt there be an o ring in there? there wasnt, and was a small leak onto the crossmember.

Marc80

It IS something you can do ...I know since I did it and I am a woodworker!

I used the floor jack to lift the car enough to get 2 cinder blocks under, plus a piece of 2x6. I went to the other side and did the same thing. Total of 8 blocks and the frame is 17 1/2" off the ground. You may want to undo the bolts on the top of the bell housing when it is down since they are easier to reach from the top.

Then support the motor with a jack on blocks (to get the height) and support the Trans on the floor jack (since you will be lowering it). Unbolt every trans bolt you can reach from the underside and on removal of the last one it will be possible to back it straight back and then slowly down.

I got mine out and in by myself. Just plan every step ahead. Obviously better with 2 but I get on a roll when new parts are here.

It is easier to get the trans out and back in than it is to install the door handle on my '80, or to replace the parking brakes. Really its not too hard. The biggest PITA is haveing to disassemble the exhaust ...and my rear U-Joint is a mother since it is hidden above the integral differential bracket on my '80 (how thoughtful)

By the way, to get the Ujoints out you will need to customize a box wrench. I think it is 1/4 or 5/16. but you have to bevel the end of it all the way around the "box" to get to fit down into the recess in the brackets. You'll see. Just be ready to grind down and little wrench. I don't know of another way. sockets didn't seem to work.

Enough said for now. Good luck. Have fun.

egertge

so do i need to drain the tranny fluid before i take it out or will that not be a problem? i just went and got some 6 ton jack stands because they are a lot taller. wher do i stick them on the front? my chilton manual says there is a place up front, im just not real sure where on the frame would be best. im thinking right behind where the sway bar is. after i get some adrice on jack stand placement and whether to drain the fluid, its time to start taking it off. thanks.

bigvette1

Advice from someone that had done several. $215 or $250 will seem cheap after 2-3 hours under the car, leaking trans fluid out the tail shaft, moving the exhaust system out of the way etc.