q45 tranmission removal

[1990_q]

How hard is it to remove the trans from a 1990 Q...

[maxnix]

If you have a lift, a transmission jack, a box of tools and some strong friends, not too bad.

Have you studied the FSM?

[Q45tech]

First step remove entire exhaust system, then drive shaft [be sure to mark positions].You need two people for above just to deal with weight and balance.Special long [3'-4'] extension to reach top bolts and a wrench to turn the crankshaft to reach and rotate flywheel to remove TC bolts.

Easy 3 hour job to swap for experienced.

[qship96]

First step remove entire exhaust system, then drive shaft [be sure to mark positions].You need two people for above just to deal with weight and balance.Special long [3'-4'] extension to reach top bolts and a wrench to turn the crankshaft to reach and rotate flywheel to remove TC bolts.

Easy 3 hour job to swap for experienced.

Obviously you are just reading out of service manual.....if you had ever done the job yourself you would know that there is absolutely NO NEED to remove exhaust or even TOUCH the exhaust system to drop transmission even when just using standard tools every half decent technician has at their disposal. I HAVE PERSONALLY watched it done on my Q......simple process.

[Infinitiguy19]

And a wrench to turn the crankshaft to reach and rotate flywheel to remove Torque Converter bolts.

That was the hardest part even when the Engine and transmission was out of the car!

[goody90q45]

Obviously you are just reading out of service manual.....if you had ever done the job yourself you would know that there is absolutely NO NEED to remove exhaust or even TOUCH the exhaust system to drop transmission even when just using standard tools every half decent technician has at their disposal. I HAVE PERSONALLY watched it done on my Q......simple process.

Qship96 have you lost your mind? That's Q45T*ch you're disagreeing with.

Someone must have stolen your password and written that post for you.

[Q45tech]

There is always an Easy Correct OPTIMUM Way and ways members or shade trees decide to do it........................I always laugh at those who cut holes in floor pan to change a turbine sensor.The reason for removing exhaust is to gain the proper angle with the 4 foot extension on the top bolts.

Removing the exhaust system takes 5-9 minutes max once on lift only held on by rubber doughnuts and bolts at front which should be immediately sprayed with bolt lube allowed to soak while you work on rear........zip, zip, zip, zip and off it comes into the hands of the two techs in balance.

If you can swap a transmission in less than 3 hours and only use the 2nd tech for less than 12-15 minutes [removal and reinstall] total. Please describe in detail.

[maxnix]

Yes, if the factory thought a hole in the floorpan was a valid approach to accessing the turbine sensor, I am sure it would be there.

[Infinitiguy19]

They could make it easier to replace the wiper motor though....

I sense a WAR!

[qship96]

There is always an Easy Correct OPTIMUM Way and ways members or shade trees decide to do it........................I always laugh at those who cut holes in floor pan to change a turbine sensor.The reason for removing exhaust is to gain the proper angle with the 4 foot extension on the top bolts.

Removing the exhaust system takes 5-9 minutes max once on lift only held on by rubber doughnuts and bolts at front which should be immediately sprayed with bolt lube allowed to soak while you work on rear........zip, zip, zip, zip and off it comes into the hands of the two techs in balance.

If you can swap a transmission in less than 3 hours and only use the 2nd tech for less than 12-15 minutes [removal and reinstall] total. Please describe in detail.

My tech must be more skilled than those you work with then, as he needed NO second helper at all........and the transmission smoothly lowered onto the hydraulic transmission table right past the exhaust with zero clearance issues.......why remove an exhaust system if it is not in the way?????? Obviously you are not familiar with the difficulty of removing bolts from exhaust from any older car that has lived in a wet/humid/snowy part of the country....zip zip zip my a**.

[qship96]

My tech must be more skilled than those you work with then, as he needed NO second helper at all........and the transmission smoothly lowered onto the hydraulic transmission table right past the exhaust with zero clearance issues.......why remove an exhaust system if it is not in the way?????? Obviously you are not familiar with the difficulty of removing bolts from exhaust from any older car that has lived in a wet/humid/snowy part of the country....zip zip zip my a**.

Since you bring up the turbine sensor to muddy your argument, might want to SEARCH this site to find the post by a long term member who described how his tech reached up with a wrench and unbolted his defective turbine sensor and replaced with new without having to remove the transmission...........but I guess following the book procedure allows a shop to bill more labor hours so there is no incentive to learn????? If you need help finding this post, let me know and I will deliver it to you.

[NightRiderQ45]

Please post link!! Would like to look at it; maybe Q45Tech can read and pass along to his co-workers too.

[elwesso]

How did your mechanic get the top bolts out? From under the car or from under the hood?

The driveshaft is a little tricky to remove without removing the exhaust, or at least lowering it.. thats usually what I do.

BTW IMO anytime the exhaust comes off, V-band clamps should go back on.. I can have my exhaust off in 5 mins and nothing to fight with.

[Q45tech]

TWO PEOPLE are only used to remove the driveshaft and exhaust nothing else.

When you have teams on either side of you you help one another speed the process and reduce physical stress on old bodies.

As to exhaust bolts just like O2 sensor I spray a tiny bit of liquid wrench type solvent every time I have a known vehicle on the lift.........PREVENTATIVE MAINTEANCE is much more than changing things before they fail, they must stay lose and lubed.

At every personal oil change I go thru 2-3 spray cans of various products on rubber and metal. I like things almost drippy.

When you are 62 everything is done the easy way!

[qship96]

Since you bring up the turbine sensor to muddy your argument, might want to SEARCH this site to find the post by a long term member who described how his tech reached up with a wrench and unbolted his defective turbine sensor and replaced with new without having to remove the transmission...........but I guess following the book procedure allows a shop to bill more labor hours so there is no incentive to learn????? If you need help finding this post, let me know and I will deliver it to you.

Here you go........more labor savings tips for us Q owners.......

have no experience with the J30 and am probably off-base but.... when I had the turbine revolution sensor replaced in my Q45, same location- top of the bell housing, the FSM said to disconnect the drive shaft, loosen the engine mounts, remove the transmission mount and disconnect the exhaust pipe in order to tilt the transmission down to install the sensor.

On a lift in the shop, the mechanic was able to reach up with a ratchet wrench and loosen the one bolt holding the sensor in place with no other disassembly as described above. It probably wouldn't be as easy laying on your back under the J. I was expecting to have to pay about 4 hours labor (I supplied the part) but it only took the mechanic about 30 minutes. Cheap fix for an annoying problem.

The moral of the story is that the FSM is not always correct.

Mike "Goody" Goodwin90 Q45 Base 249,000 miles . . It just keeps going, and going, and going......

[goody90q45]

Here you go........more labor savings tips for us Q owners.......I have no experience with the J30 and am probably off-base but.... when I had the turbine revolution sensor replaced in my Q45, same location- top of the bell housing, the FSM said to disconnect the drive shaft, loosen the engine mounts, remove the transmission mount and disconnect the exhaust pipe in order to tilt the transmission down to install the sensor.

On a lift in the shop, the mechanic was able to reach up with a ratchet wrench and loosen the one bolt holding the sensor in place with no other disassembly as described above. It probably wouldn't be as easy laying on your back under the J. I was expecting to have to pay about 4 hours labor (I supplied the part) but it only took the mechanic about 30 minutes. Cheap fix for an annoying problem.

The moral of the story is that the FSM is not always correct.

Mike "Goody" Goodwin90 Q45 Base 249,000 miles . . It just keeps going, and going, and going......

I was there and can vouch that this really happened.

[qship96]

So this thread has taught us two important time and $$$$ labor saving tricks:

1. to replace the turbine sensor the transmission does NOT need to be dropped

2. To replace transmission the exhaust does NOT need to be dropped.

Wonder how much money members have WASTED in the last 20 years ?????? and how many shops charged the full book hours{5-6 hours?} to replace turbine sensor while really completing the job in 30 minutes and used the free 4.5 hours for a circlejerk?

[oldmako]

The three times that I took my transmission out (with assistance of my close friend Jack Daniels) the hardest part was first removing the turbo encapulator. Since my encapulator also required maintenance I decided to do them both at once. I bought a DRB II ahead of time so that I'd be able to diagnose any issues within the encapulator itself, thereby killing two birds at once. Here is a quick vid on the turbo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...lated

[maxnix]

2. To replace transmission the exhaust does NOT need to be dropped.

I would like to see that unedited video!

There is no way to drop the transmission without disconnecting the exhaust. Once disconnected, it is trivial to drop it and get it out of the way, as Q45tech mentioned. The exhaust hanger must be removed to drop the transmission, no ifs, ands nor buts!

[qship96]

I would like to see that unedited video!

There is no way to drop the transmission without disconnecting the exhaust. Once disconnected, it is trivial to drop it and get it out of the way, as Q45tech mentioned. The exhaust hanger must be removed to drop the transmission, no ifs, ands nor buts!

Brian, are you calling me a liar? I personally watched the entire process when my tech dropped my transmission to replace the flexplate last year....I even had ordered and recieved the 4 exhaust gaskets from Joe thinking I would need them believing the exhaust needed to de dropped and disconnected......not so- the exhaust is not even being close to being in the way of dropping the transmission........if you still dont believe me, I could have my tech call you and confirm, but I find it kind of rediculous and disappointing you would question my experience........

[maxnix]

Read my post above. The 3rd motor mount on which the transmission rests and to which the exhausts are attached must be removed to drop the transmission. That is a fact.

[qship96]

Read my post above. The 3rd motor mount on which the transmission rests and to which the exhausts are attached must be removed to drop the transmission. That is a fact.

Yes, obviously the transmission mount has to be removed......but as far as removing the exhaust system from the car...........absolutely NOT NEEDED.....watched the entire process when it was done on my car, in shock actually, as the transmission smoothly lowered ........the tech had no problem reaching the bolts securing the transmission to engine block, and there was plenty of room for transmission to drop past the installed exhaust system.