transmission mount help!

[mytrplseven]

I'm in the process of dismantling the underside of my '87 to replace the RMS. Anyone have a process for removing the two transmission mount bolts that are hidden from view on top of the transmission? Cutting a hole in the floor is not an option.

[klaus]

Where are you having trouble?

The key for me has always been taking the load off those bolts, in another life I would use a standard jack, but lately I got a lot smarter and decided to start using a transmission jack. Once you have the transmission supported, take the two nuts off the passenger side (I use a small ratchet to get in there), and the two bolts should just pop out the other side by applying a little bit of pressure.

[968rz]

On my 924 and 968 I used a very flexible socket, not Craftsman but rather Snap-on as they have the ball/socket type instead of just a square joint.

[mytrplseven]

I can see the pax side bolt and can feel the driver's side bolt but for the life of me I can't see how a socket can get in there and move. Do I use a long extension with a couple of universals or is there some other majic involved? I pulled the CV's and fuel filter and should be able to get at them. I'll give it another look tomorrow now that I have a tranny jack.

[klaus]

You don't need to worry about the drivers side, they are held in place by the transmission. You only need to worry about geting to the ones on the passenger side. With the CV and fuel filter out of the way you should be able get a small ratched up there.

As a backup option, you can drop the entire cross member that holds the transmission in place, I know a couple people that prefer this method.

[mytrplseven]

Let's see if we're on the same page. The '87 944 has a single two bolt mount and the earlier cars has two mounts with 2 bolts each. Mine has the single mount with two bolts. Perhaps I'm not looking at the right bolts. The one's I'm looking at are near the shift mechanism and are on either side of the transmission center line, pointing front and rear. I couldn't seem to find any diagrams or pics of the mount so I'm only guessing here.

[acorad]

mytr, the two bolts in your trans mount go east/west, not north/south.

The nuts are on the pass side and the heads of the bolts are on the driver's side. The bolts heads are captured by the trans housing such that they won't turn.

google around, I found some pics last week somewhere when I was working on dropping my trans...

[Ga 951]

777
+1
I dropped the trans by using a floor jack and dropping the trans carrier ( 2 m10 bolts on the frame). Very easy.
Be sure to remove the fuel filter and cut the tie wrap. Once down, remove the trans mount for clean/inspect .

GL

[Capt Squid]

Facing the front of the car, remove the two 13 mm nuts on the passenger side. The bolt heads are held in the trans housing. Jack up the trans to take the pressure off the bolts. Poke the bolts out with a screwdriver or punch.

[Arizona_928]

haha cut the floor. take off the two bolts holding on the trans mount the big bar. watch out for the fuel lines,the bar will get tangled if not helped. you'll need to remove the LR tire to clear it too.

[mytrplseven]

Thanks to all of you who helped with info on dropping the transaxle. I was also worried about the stories I read about trying to drain/change the lube because of frozen drain plugs. I bought a transmission jack from Harbor Freight, loosened all the bolts on the transmission bellhousing and mounts. But before I started to actually drop it, I applied several squirts of nut buster, propane torched the aluminum around the drain plugs, inserted the 17mm allen socket into the hole and whacked it with a hammer to help the nut buster penetrate further and then gave them both a hard pull with a torque wrench. Yippee! No issues. Even though there were no records from the PO as to when (if ever) the fluid was changed, it looked great and found no evidence of metal in the bottom of the tranny. Tomorrow I drop the transaxle and get to the clutch part.

[Timmay!]

Holy crap!
Why don't we remove the rear hatch glass too?! I realize we're all doing our best to be helpful and friendly, but.........
You guys are digging WAY too deep again. Capt Squid's response gets the most helpful award......

Leave the tires on.
Leave the tranny mount cross member on.
Leave the fuel filter alone.
Leave the axle alone.

1. Separate the shifter linkage or you won't be able to slide the long 8mm bolts (13mm head)out that attach the tranny to the suspension point.
2. Come in from the passenger side, near the tire, above or to the side of the fuel filter (it will flex on it's mount) with a LONG extension and a 13mm socket. You'll get nearly a straight shot at the two 13mm nuts that retain those long bolts. Remove the nuts, washers.
3. Take the weight off the bolts by lifting the tranny however you can. Push the bolts through their tunnels in the tranny using something like a scribe. Since the 2 bolts are at different heights, one will usually slide out first, then you have to raise OR lower the tranny to get the other to slide out.
I guess when you do this stuff for a living, you have to find the most efficient way to GIT-R-DONE! LOL!
Our shop record for removal of a late tranny by a single tech is 27 minutes, which includes shift lever, dropping the inner CV's, etc. and it was done using jack stands and a floor jack!
I lost a case of good beer when he beat my 30 minute record.......I hate that guy.

777,
You're lucky you didn't crack the thin wall of your drain plug by "whacking it with a hammer."
How about just cleaning all the road grime out of the plug, ensuring your 17mm tool is inserted all the way in, then giving a nice steady pull using a good-sized ratchet (18 inches or so?) I'm a small guy (driver) and I don't have any bad stories about drain plugs unless someone has come before me and *&^%$'d it all up? Maybe it's an east coast corrosion thing?
Easy does it.....
Good luck with the clutch. I usually remove both front tires and duct tape a hand grenade to the clutch bell housing for that job........ Just kidding! Don't try that in your own home!
Beers on me!

[mytrplseven]

Actually, I didn't smack the drain plug that hard, just enough to shock the nut buster into the threads. Once I heated the aluminum around the plug and smacked it, they both came out easy. Transaxle is on the roll around tranny lift and I high pressure washed everything and will replace the output shaft seals and put redline MT-90 in it before I put it back in the car. I got bellhousing and clutch out (rubber!!) and tomorrow I'll drop the flywheel and change the Rear main crankshaft seal (which is what started this mess). Got a Sachs clutch disc, pressure plate and throw-out bearing on ebay for $100 delivered. I miked the disc and it's right at factory new tolerances and the PP and bearing are like new. New bearings on the clutch fork shaft and pilot bearing to go along with doing it right. I don't think I've ever researched a project anywhere near as much as I have this one. Early car vs later car in the directions I read caused a little confusion but it all worked out.

I've got so much oil and dirt on my levi's they'll have to be bagged in a HAZMAT bag for disposal.

[Timmay!]

That all sounds great, 777.... but the clutch kit for $100 is AMAZING!

[mytrplseven]

Yeah, that was a great deal. The old clutch was a rubber core unit and had been with the car for over 40k miles and even though it wasn't showing evidence of deterioration, you simply can't tell with rubber. Everything else in this car, including the culprit, the RMS, was just like plastic. After I pulled the flywheel off, the flourescent dye tracks confirmed it. Now it's all going back together and I'm replacing all the components I can while I'm in there. Tomorrow the Bell Housing goes back in and I'll try (carefully) to get the drive line installed by myself. I don't have anyone around here to help with my projects. Now I understand why 944 people hate having to do a clutch job.

[Timmay!]

What's up with your speedo drive and what's the 2 digit letter code on top of the tranny bell housing?

[mytrplseven]

The code on the top of the bell housing is 5S15126. Don't know if that's significant to anything. I didn't see a 2 letter code on it. The speedo screw-on connector was cracked and it's being replaced so it's been removed in the pic. As I said, I'm replacing everything that's suspect while I'm in there.
I was raised in San Diego. I miss it. All the roads in florida are straight and flat....not a good place for a great road car, and the beaches are really different (not in a good way).

[Timmay!]

Yeah, sorry, some of the codes are a letter and a number or even 3 digits. QK, 7V, QM, AGP, etc.
Yours is a 5S, US tall 5th, open diff, built on 15 december(12th month) 1986- hence 15126.

[Rasta Monsta]

Gah, tie up those axles, man. Dangling them is unkind to your CVs.

[mytrplseven]

They were only down for removal of the xmember above the tranny. Couldn't get the torque tube housing out far enough without removal. Now just trying to get the splines back into the clutch. They're being difficult. Alignment tool goes in an out easy but I'll keep at it.