GrayES300

Been gone for a while. My car is a 2001 ES300. Had issues with my U140E trans no longer going in overdrive. After trying to fix it, gave up and parked the car for over a year. Now I have bought a used one from a junkyard and I am currently trying to remove the old trans. It has been a nightmare of a project. Broken bolts, had to cut off my stabilizer bar links because the nuts were rusted to them and the passenger side axle is frozen in the axle bearing housing.

I'm at the point now where I am ready to remove the old trans. Just got the front brace removed. I cannot figure out how to get at the upper trans to engine mount bolts. Service manual does not help. Only tells me to remove the bolts.

Pics attached to show the area on my car as well as on my new trans. Anyone done this before? I tried to reach them from under the car, but that did not work. Is there something that will come off easily on the top of the engine to make this easier? Any help is appreciated!

LeX2K

Are you trying to remove the tranny with the engine still in the car?

GrayES300

Yea. I have been following the 34 easy steps as shown in the service manual LOL. I have a trans jack under it and everything is ready except for removing the bolts around the trans to engine. It seems something needs to be removed on the top of the engine, but I wanted to get some advice first. It would be my luck that I would remove a ton of stuff only to find out I just had to remove some simple thing for adequate access. You would think they would mention it in the manual, but no such luck.

I also put a new front pump to torque converter seal on the new trans while it is out. I have read that it is recommended to do that while you have access. The original seal was flush with the front pump. My replacement seal is seated about 1/32 out of the front pump. I do not want to force it. Would that be OK or do I need to drive it in harder?

GrayES300

Finally got the bolts out. Ended up removing the two water hoses that are in that area, removed the throttle body and a couple of lines on it so I could pull it out of the way and the nut on a stud holding the wire harness on the engine. Of course when I removed the throttle body, the bolt that holds the bracket to it broke.

After all of that, I used a 1/2" drive breaker bar with a 1/2" to 3/8" reducer and a standard 17mm socket. That combo made the length perfect to fit in the pocket where the bolts were. Still was a huge pain. After breaking loose the bolt, I switched to a swivel head socket wrench to speed up removal. You can only remove it so much. If you go too far, you will not be able to get the socket back off. Finished removal with a box end wrench.

Now that all the bolts are removed, still trying to get the trans and engine separated. i think the dowel pins are corroded holding it together. Going to try thin scrapers at the seam between the two and move up to a chisel & pry bar to get them apart.

Hayk

iTrader: (1)

It's too late now, but I would have suggested to remove the engine with the transmission and separate them on a bench. I've heard of people removing the engine and leaving the transmission in the car, but never the other way around.

GrayES300

I thought about it, but I do not see much of a benefit besides a more comfortable working position. Separating the trans from the engine would be easier though.

JSM

When I removed my JY motor I took it out motor and trans. When I pull my bad motor out of my car, I'm going to try removing just the engine without the trans.

So much fun!

BigDaddy59

After having the engine out of my son's '93 TWICE, let me assure you that it's much easier to just pull both the engine and transmission out together as an assembly. Way easier to put them back in too. And you don't have to pull the wiring harness from the motor while it's in the car- just disconnect it under the dash and at the fuse box on the drivers side.

GrayES300

JSM, I agree with BigDaddy. If you are removing the engine, you probably should just take the trans with it. In my case, I was avoiding having to mess with A/C & power steering lines so I kept the engine in. It's proving to be a PITA getting the trans reconnected with the engine though.

JSM

But you guys are pulling Axles out first right? Then you need an alignment. Just seems like so much extra work.

I was talking to a new friend at the dealer and he said to just pull the motor. It's how they do it all the time.

It was not fun doing this in the JY by myself!

GrayES300

I've never gotten an alignment after removing or changing axles. No problems so far on any of my cars.