How Difficult Is Transaxle Swap?

[dondarnell]

I have a '86 951 which needs a new trans (seals are leaking, ring and pinion are pretty noisy, and it is not a LSD). I think I struck a deal to buy a LSD with about 97k on it.

My question is twofold. First, is this transmission swap something I can do myself? I have average skills and a decent tool selection, air, lift, etc. How many hours will it take? I am also a lawyer, so if a job is really time consuming, it doesn't make sense for me to spend a bunch of time on tough jobs. On the otherhand, I don't mind getting dirty, and if I can do it in one weekend, I'm in for it.

Second. Buying a used LSD unseen, untried. Represented as working fine, shifting nicely, about 97k. Should I open it up and look at it? If so, what am I looking for? Should I reuse the CV bolts, or buy new ones?

Any thing else I should do while I am in the swap?

Regards,

Don Darnell

[John_AZ]

Originally Posted by dondarnell

I have a '86 951 which needs a new trans (seals are leaking, ring and pinion are pretty noisy, and it is not a LSD). I think I struck a deal to buy a LSD with about 97k on it.

My question is twofold. First, is this transmission swap something I can do myself?
Second. Buying a used LSD unseen, untried. Represented as working fine, shifting nicely, about 97k. Should I open it up and look at it? If so, what am I looking for? Should I reuse the CV bolts, or buy new ones?

Any thing else I should do while I am in the swap? Don Darnell

Don,

You can do it if you have a tall floor jack and a support for the trans. Harbor Freight has one that could be used on the jack. If you do not want to buy a one time tool, I have used a DIY wood plank that mounts on the jack pad and use a very HD strap around the transaxle to avoid slipping. Dropping the transaxle is the easy part, lifting and alignment is tougher with your back on the floor. Muscle is good for this stage.

Get expensive metric hex-not cheapo or you will strip the coupler bolt.
Get expensive metric "triple square",aka cheesehead set for the CV bolts.
Get a couple of tubes of CV grease
Be careful of the linkage bolt with the security wire. Do not over torque.
The short black shift rod tube has tabs about 8 inches in on each end. Drop the rear of the transaxle slightly to remove and replace. The tabs should be down.
Clean the heads of the CV bolts to get crud out and I reuse. Your choice
Get new trans fluid. Redline, Swepci, Amsoil, Make sure it is best for a LSD and not a non LSD.

NOW, DO NOT think you can open the trans and poke around.

Here is a good link to explain better:

http://www.944online.com/cgi-bin/forum/forum.cgi?board=944-2;action=display;num=1236739823

GL
John_AZ
1988 924S + 1987 924S

[jcommin]

Check the clutch plate and throwout bearing???

[mikepellegrini]

I've done transaxles several times and it's not too bad a job. To add to what John said:

- it makes it easier if you have two people - 1 to control the jack and the other person to guide the trans into place. I've never done it by myself - I guess you could, but it'd be more difficult. I use a regular floor jack with a piece of wood on it.

- The last time I installed a trans, I threw away the black plastic tube that "protects" the shift linkage. That made it a humongous amount eaier to install.

I don't think the plastic tube really protects anything - and with it out, it makes it so very much easier to align the trans when you're installing it.

- When you move the driveline coupling sleeve back, you have to have the bolts all the way out before it'll slide. There's an indentation in the driveline where the bolts sit - the coupling won't move with the bolts just loose.

Similarly, when reinstalling the sleeve, the bolt holes have to be perfectly lined up with the indent in the drivelines. If they aren't lined up perfectly, you'll not be able to start the thread on the bolts (and can end up stripping them - twice I did that).

- If your shift lever has any play in it or the boot is bad or anything like that, now's a good time to replace them (because you'll have to dismount the shift lever). Pelican has new shift levers cheap (I forget - $40-60 or something). If your gearshift has any slop in it, a new lever can make a big difference.

- Same thing for any gas tank leak or vent problems. The biggest hassle with pulling the gas tank is pulling the trans, so if you have any of those sorts of issues, now is the time to fix them.

Start to finish time for me is now a couple hours or so. I use the procedure at Clarks. It's extremely helpful.

[John_AZ]

Here are the easy to follow instructions:

Short version- http://www.clarks-garage.com/pdf-manual/trans-03.pdf

Long version B&W- http://www.rennlist.com/techarticles/951clutchreplacement.htm

Long version really B&W- http://www-public.tu-bs.de:8080/~y0003315/944clutch.html

Long version color/pictures by Jim Pasha- http://www.924.org/techsection/ClutchReplacement.htm

Additional stuff to do? Change your fuel filter and maybe the tank hose to FP if it looks cracked and brittle. Since you will be empting the tank, clean the fuel sending unit. Have a gasket. Get out the toothbrush and really clean the trans axle. If you see drips from the transaxle shafts in the future, the seals are easy to do. Get a new backup switch. Easy to put in the the transaxle out.

It is not necessary to cut a hole in the spare wheel well to get the transaxle to drop as some have done.

Again GL
John_AZ

[earlr85944]

if you can swing the bill: and have a shop you know: let them install the trans.
Let the shop do a check of it first, no need to open it, change oil, check for metal, noises, play etc on the bench. cv's can b greased, boots are fine if intact, swap axles from L to R.

if you do it yourself see above, 2 people and it may run into overtime (2 weekends and spring is coming!) for limited experience mechanics, not a big deal but it can happen

[Mankato944]

I did it on my 86'. Took about a week but only cause i had to work in the evenings.
The only advice I can give you is to be crazy careful with that coupler from the tt to the trans. I almost got mine on the wrong way, and almost put on one with stripped threads.
overall, it was easier then i expected, but its certainly no cakewalk.
long story short, now i have a lsd in my 44, and an extra tt.
Good Luck!

[Slam]

STEP 1: Always work on that coupler FIRST. Loosen the bolts and slide it onto the tranny shaft. If you don't do this FIRST then you're asking for the weight of the tranny to be partially supported by the coupler later on and it won't budge.

[Slam]

STEP 1: Always work on that coupler FIRST. Loosen the bolts and slide it onto the tranny shaft. If you don't do this FIRST then you're asking for the weight of the tranny to be partially supported by the coupler later on and it won't budge.

[Slam]

Wait a minute! Two posts? Just trying to help...

It's actually not bad at all. The tranny is smaller and lighter than it looks. I will agree, though, that getting the car's ass way up in the air is a good idea. I ended up practically bench-pressing my 924 tranny into place 'cause the car was too low for a good shot at it with the jack on install.

Cheers!

[rickharrison]

To check the ring and pinion gears you can pop open the side cover on the passenger side of the transaxle...you can have a look to see if any teeth are missing, or if there's any metal fragments attached to the magnet on the inside of that cover.

It will show you if you spin the mainshaft how well the ring and pinion mesh together...feel for any binding...this is an indicator of pinion bearing looseness.

I also found it easier to remove the 2 bolts on the rear cross member and lower that with trans still attached there instead of smashing knuckles trying to loosen those damned tranny mount bolts. Of course when I did it, my exhaust was out of the way.

[Dean924s]

First time it is a 3-4 hour job. I can now blast through a swap in under an hour. Add another 10-15 min for new seals and new gear oil for the trans going in.

[John_AZ]

Originally Posted by rickharrison

To check the ring and pinion gears you can pop open the side cover on the passenger side of the transaxle...you can have a look to see if any teeth are missing, or if there's any metal fragments attached to the magnet on the inside of that cover.

It will show you if you spin the mainshaft how well the ring and pinion mesh together...feel for any binding...this is an indicator of pinion bearing looseness.
.

I was not aware that the passenger side cover could be removed and inside inspected. Is there special positioning when the cover is put back on. I could not determine when I looked at the WSM. I did find that only Loctite 573/574 is needed to seal.

Thanks

John_AZ

[Marajit]

I don't give advice to lawyers.

[Dean924s]

Originally Posted by Marajit

I don't give advice to lawyers.

Dang it!!!!! Soda out the nose funny stuff rite there!!!!

[rickharrison]

Due to the shape of the side cover, it only fits back on one way I believe. Don't forget there is a bolt in the centre of the CV joint hub there to undo also.