October 10, 200718 yr Hi, I'm an old school dog, having rebuilt several EA63 and EA71 cars, but I'm maintaining a couple of '88 EA82s for daily drivers. I have to remove and replace a 3AT transmission. I pulled the donor transmission from "top side" in the yard (used a shop crane). I just wanted to ask how easy it would be to remove and replace the 3AT from below (no engine removal). It looks like there's more room in trans tunnel of the '88 than earlier years (more room for 4AT I guess). Any quick advice to avoid cussing and wrench-throwing action? Thanks!
October 10, 200718 yr With a transmission jack it is not bad. Drain the fluid first. Good luck. Hi, I'm an old school dog, having rebuilt several EA63 and EA71 cars, but I'm maintaining a couple of '88 EA82s for daily drivers. I have to remove and replace a 3AT transmission. I pulled the donor transmission from "top side" in the yard (used a shop crane). I just wanted to ask how easy it would be to remove and replace the 3AT from below (no engine removal). It looks like there's more room in trans tunnel of the '88 than earlier years (more room for 4AT I guess). Any quick advice to avoid cussing and wrench-throwing action? Thanks!
October 10, 200718 yr Moving a 3AT around underneath isn't too bad. They're not as heavy as that damn 4EAT. Get a transmission jack if you can.
October 10, 200718 yr I prefer a bottom pull (OK, who's gonna be the first to be a wise-ackre). The hardest thing to do was to get the tranny out from under the car - that 3 A/T is HEAVY ENOUGH!!!
October 11, 200718 yr Author Hey, many thanks! Out the "back door" it will be. There's a scissors-type transmission jack on sale at Harbor Freight, and I'm going to split the cost with a neighbor who's got one of those early Legacy ATs to pull soon.
October 11, 200718 yr that legacy AT is the 4EAT and that IS heavy, so watch out when handling that thing.
October 11, 200718 yr You will need to put the car on wheel risers to give you clearance to drag the tranny out. I didn't have any when I did mine. I barely had enough clearance to get the tranny out from under the car.
October 11, 200718 yr Author I went to an estate sale a few years ago, and the house (an older one in a very old neighborhood) had a work pit in a driveway next to the garage. I thought that was cool enough, but then when I was in the garage later, I discovered there was a stairwell going down under the garage wall and into the pit outside! Way cool. Let's see, where's that shovel... You will need to put the car on wheel risers to give you clearance to drag the tranny out. I didn't have any when I did mine. I barely had enough clearance to get the tranny out from under the car.
October 12, 200718 yr Why are you replacing the tranny? Some of the more common problems can be fixed in car, which could save you a lot of time and effort.
October 12, 200718 yr Author Previous owner reported the transmission whined with a high pitch (related to speed) all the time and in all gears. Then one day, no motion in any gear including reverse. A nice car otherwise, so an adoption was in order. Thought it might be the torque converter, but it sure seems like the pump is gone (no pressure). I didn't find any gear lube in the tranny, and the fluid (and level) seemed OK. Decision to replace was made easier when a nice 3AT showed up at U-Pull for a hundred bucks. Why are you replacing the tranny? Some of the more common problems can be fixed in car, which could save you a lot of time and effort.
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