Trans Pull Out 1979 123 300 Td Wagon

[leathermang]

This is my parts wagon,,, I can not figure out how to get to the top bolt keeping the transmission on the engine.... I just don't see enough clearance... does this mean I have to pull the engine to get to it ? Haynes says it can be dropped out from underneath.. but does not say how to get to that bolt... I don't see any access hole through the firewall... just hoping .... Thanks, Greg

I have been successful by dropping the rear transmission mount and using a long swivel extension and swivel socket. I guess I'm a little spoiled cuase when I do most of my work I have a lift available. It is so sweet. Done to much of iy on the floore with a creeper

[leathermang]

Thanks, I am working on the ground..... but that indicates the Engine will pivot a lot on its front mount... I will try that..... Greg

[tcane]

Greg:

You'll probably want to loosen the front engine mounting bolt a turn or possibly two to let the engine pivot a little easier and put less strain on the mount. I'm talking about the allen head bolt that you get to from under the engine - as I recall it is a 8mm allen head. The trans weighs 115 pounds without fluid, add 25 pounds for the torque converter also without fluid.

Good Luck!!
Tom

[leathermang]

That little Kiss on the front end of my parts car broken the right engine mount... so I had to cut it ( that aluminum does not want to cut) (oxy-acet).... I had taken the front off in front of the engine so we just pulled it straight out the front.. but on groud that is not easy..... the bolts that hold the starter on are allen also... bummer ....finished at 9:15 tonight... Thanks Mtrdoctor and Tom...

I know I'm about a day late here, but I'd like to throw my two cents in here. At least next time you might remember when your in the same pinch.
I did the engine out trick/leave the tranny in. If I remember right, there are two bolts about 6 or 8 inches apart across the top of the engine. I took about four feet of 1/2" drive extensions and snaked it up along side the top of the transmission to the head of the bolts in question. So now your breaker bar or ratchet is some where near the tail end of the tranny. It's better to use 3 or 4 shorter extensions than a couple of long ones. This way the shorties make a slight arc and afford somewhat of a swivle. Next time give it a try.
Ernie

[leathermang]

Dirty Ern, yeah , where were you when I needed you ? and who in the world owns FOUR FEET worth of extensions..? I own about three but I say they should have provided passenger compartment access to those two or placed them differently... Greg

[P.E.Haiges]

That's the way I did it (extra extensions). Geting some wobble extensions will help.

P E H

[leathermang]

OK,OK, I AM OBVIOUSLY EXTENSION DEFICIENT AND WILL CORRECT THE SITUATION.... Greg

[Ridge]

Guys,

Came across this thread very late in the game. I've a 240D with a 300D engine in it and it's down right easy to get at those two bolts because there's no sound deadening right there. On the other hand my son's 300Turbo Diesel has the sound deadening and it's nearly impossible. Maybe one needs to cut out some of that 3/4 inch thick material mext time. Liked the idea of four feet of extensions as we're converting another auto tranny to manual in a turbo.

Ben

[leathermang]

Ridge, There is no sound deadening between the metal of the firewall and the engine... so maybe on the turbo they built more into the firewall and moved the metal forward....
A major problem for the wagon is the placement of the Sway bar... I don't know how your car is made ,, but that sway bar is really in the way for someone wanting to have a meaningfull relationship with those two bolts.... Greg

[tcane]

Greg:

All I can say about those two bolts is that any meaningful relationship should be very, very short with the least amount of conflict!! Glad to hear you guys got that engine out, working on the ground is no fun (way too many push-ups). I guess the side with the problem engine mount was pretty bad preventing unbolting the mount from the engine - must have been fun cutting that aluminum (this from one who's seen that horror movie a time or two or three!!). Is this the engine you're going to power your welding rig with? Don't feel bad about about being extension "deficient" (actually "challenged" is the PC term) I could probably get 2 1/2 feet using all of my 3/8 and 1/2 extensions connected with an adapter!!

My, as usual, very cheap $0.02 worth!
Tom

[P.E.Haiges]

Ridge,

What engine and car are you converting to a manual shift?

What transmission and bell housing are you planning to use?

P E H

[leathermang]

Tom, the hole accessing the engine mount is not much bigger than the tool you need to put through it... and it is a little distance there so it did not take much movement to make it where I needed to cut it... At first I thought it was going to turn out to be a solid piece of aluminum... if it had been I would have been in big trouble ..I feel better now , I was only counting half/inch drive extensions... I have decided that I am too old for that getting up and down... and low crawling under the car on my back with only my shoulder blades for propulsion.... It was very helpful to have Bill available for handing tools to me... Yes, this is the engine I am planning on using for welder,pump,generator,sprayer,? ...Greg

[autozen]

Snap-on sells a long extension that allows you to enter at the tranny tail shaft.The one end is a 1/2 inch drive and it tapers to a 3/8 inch drive at the socket end. Use a good quality (nothing that says Taiwan on it)17 mm wobbly for the tranny bolts and a plain 1/2 inch wobbly with a 10 mm allen socket for the starter bolts. This long one piece extension gives you the 1/2 inch breaker bar muscle you need at one end and the 3/8 inch flexibility you need at the other end.I hope snap-on still makes the tool;I bought mine about 25 years ago.The key is to use good quality tools like snap-on which,in my opinion,is the second best quality made tool in the world.Hope this helps.This extension makes the job a cakewalk.

Good luck,
Peter