Transmission Removal -- Who has done it on J30?

[Thrundar]

If you have removed transmission from a 1995 J30:

Did you find you had to remove the entire exhaust system? Did the manifold to pipe bolts bust? (3 studs/nuts per side)

IF I try to take the transmission out of this 1995 J30 we got, I have a feeling a lot of stuff on the exhaust is going to be damaged/ruined, which of course means more $ to repair.....

Serious straight forward answers please. Yes,this transmission needs pulled and rebuilt. I will do the rebuild myself.
Just getting the darn thing out is the big concern now.

[J30tChumpCar]

I have replaced the trans in our car 3 times although it was never with the stock exhaust system(we run a cat delete, Xpipe) Some part of me wants to say it should come out with it in place.

Things off the top of my head, the top 2 bolts are done from under the hood, cooler lines are annoying and loosening the driver side engine to trans bracket on the engine side may make it easier.
IF you have to touch the manifold bolts squirt them with penetrating oil, if that doesn't work apply heat, remove or lower the exhaust in one piece to minimize potential issues. Another note, I have no rust and frequently use the impact gun on our manifold bolts, they are strong.

[Thrundar]

I have replaced the trans in our car 3 times although it was never with the stock exhaust system(we run a cat delete, Xpipe) Some part of me wants to say it should come out with it in place.

Things off the top of my head, the top 2 bolts are done from under the hood, cooler lines are annoying and loosening the driver side engine to trans bracket on the engine side may make it easier.
IF you have to touch the manifold bolts squirt them with penetrating oil, if that doesn't work apply heat, remove or lower the exhaust in one piece to minimize potential issues. Another note, I have no rust and frequently use the impact gun on our manifold bolts, they are strong.

Yeah, I've been looking at buying an electric (AC) impact gun and a set of metric impact sockets. Plus a set of Nut Splitters (just in case). Although 2 of the exhaust manifold studs are in such a position that a nut splitter couldn't get in the spot if needed.

Of course, I need to start soaking the bolts with P Blaster.

This stock exhaust is hanging (in the way) of the drive shaft where the bearing is.

Some of my knowledge is as rusty as the bolts. Been researching. Looks like impact is better than a breaker bar for rusty bolts/nuts.

Thank you for your input J30tChumpCar.

[J30tChumpCar]

Forgot about the carrier, my mind was focused on the actual transmission.
PB blaster will likely work fine, the carrier bearing is annoying but with some creativity may come loose with the exhaust in place, if not remove the manifold bolts and all the hangers and let the system hang whole.

More off the top of my head, remove the 10mm heat shield bolts first to get a better shot to the bearing bolts, leave the shaft whole, disconnect @ the rear end, they are 14mm and very tight, they will not break so get a GOOD grip and pull, mark/scribe a line so you get the driveshaft mated back to the same clock position on the rear, if not you may have a vibration.
Everything is 10mm 12mm 14mm 17mm and I forget what the cooler lines are, possibly 21mm, watch as not to loose the 2 copper sealing washers.

For re-installation, forget about using Nissan fluid, we have been racing using http://amaliestore.com/shop/wolfs-head- ... -92866-56/ with great luck, shop around to find the best price.

[Thrundar]

Forgot about the carrier, my mind was focused on the actual transmission.
PB blaster will likely work fine, the carrier bearing is annoying but with some creativity may come loose with the exhaust in place, if not remove the manifold bolts and all the hangers and let the system hang whole.

More off the top of my head, remove the 10mm heat shield bolts first to get a better shot to the bearing bolts, leave the shaft whole, disconnect @ the rear end, they are 14mm and very tight, they will not break so get a GOOD grip and pull, mark/scribe a line so you get the driveshaft mated back to the same clock position on the rear, if not you may have a vibration.
Everything is 10mm 12mm 14mm 17mm and I forget what the cooler lines are, possibly 21mm, watch as not to loose the 2 copper sealing washers.

For re-installation, forget about using Nissan fluid, we have been racing using http://amaliestore.com/shop/wolfs-head- ... -92866-56/ with great luck, shop around to find the best price.

Update:
Had to Grind off the drive shaft bolts. Broke 2 top of the line flare wrenches trying to get nuts loose.
Transmission is now out. Used 10mm 12mm 14mm, 17mm and 19mm sockets/wrenches, no 21 or 22.

Question: How in the world do you get the transmission pump out of the front of the trans? (1995 J30) No auto parts stores carry metric Slide Hammers OR the / a Pump Removal Tools shown in the manual ST25850000 (two shown in one image). Help.

Nevermind, I figured out how to get the pump out using this video as a guide:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sIWBAQ_RGM
Different transmission type, but same principle.


T

[Thrundar]

One more possible last update on this forum since this forum is very slow moving on responses.

I got all the clutch packs out and there are NO burned out friction plates. Plenty of friction material still on all of the plates. The front pump was taken apart and all seems good in there. All of the vanes look good and inside the pump is nice and clean.

One area of concern is the reverse clutch where it slides over the pump seems quite rough inside as shown in the image following:

[2brokey]

I don't think reverse is so hot on any of the Jatco RE4Rxxx units... I have personally had one reverse clutch / band fail and know about 3 more as well. Don't get me wrong, it holds up for a long while and a good number of miles, but it certainly is a part in that trans that wears out sooner than the rest. The ones I knew about had no other problems than no reverse. I was doing the Fred Flintstone for reverse for a while, got sick of it, and drove the car out to CT to pick up another autotragic without issue. Sorry I was too late to chime in on the exhaust thing - I have done it a few times, and I just disconnect the pipes from the headers (the 3-bolt flanges). When you are ready to put it back together, you should replace those doughnut gaskets so it doesn't leak. I fought with the studs and got them off, and replaced them with bolts with a ton of anti-seize. Glad I did, as I went back there a few more times :P [Engine replacements, transmission replacements... yay!]

[Thrundar]

I don't think reverse is so hot on any of the Jatco RE4Rxxx units... I have personally had one reverse clutch / band fail and know about 3 more as well. Don't get me wrong, it holds up for a long while and a good number of miles, but it certainly is a part in that trans that wears out sooner than the rest. The ones I knew about had no other problems than no reverse. I was doing the Fred Flintstone for reverse for a while, got sick of it, and drove the car out to CT to pick up another autotragic without issue. Sorry I was too late to chime in on the exhaust thing - I have done it a few times, and I just disconnect the pipes from the headers (the 3-bolt flanges). When you are ready to put it back together, you should replace those doughnut gaskets so it doesn't leak. I fought with the studs and got them off, and replaced them with bolts with a ton of anti-seize. Glad I did, as I went back there a few more times :P [Engine replacements, transmission replacements... yay!]

I actually got this transmission out with the exhaust in place still. Getting it back in may be a different story. Oh, the band on this one was okay, had lots of material on it still. I'm almost convinced someone attempted a rebuild before we got the car. The plates look way too good for over 200k miles.

[Thrundar]

One more possible last update on this forum since this forum is very slow moving on responses.

I got all the clutch packs out and there are NO burned out friction plates. Plenty of friction material still on all of the plates. The front pump was taken apart and all seems good in there. All of the vanes look good and inside the pump is nice and clean.

One area of concern is the reverse clutch where it slides over the pump seems quite rough inside as shown in the image following:

Transmission rebuilt, back in car, works, even reverse! Praise the Lord. (Yes, I did a lot of praying while rebuilding it and I know God was guiding me.) The reverse drum in the image seems to have been the culprit.

[yodawill2000]

Good job man.
I would never attempt a rebuild.
Auto's are the only thing I don't have any experience with.
What was the total cost ?

[Thrundar]

Good job man.
I would never attempt a rebuild.
Auto's are the only thing I don't have any experience with.
What was the total cost ?

Total cost was close to $1,000 USD. Although we had to buy some tools as well to do the job, including a transmission jack which was $200 by itself. Several other tools too. I don't have a break down right now on costs, but if we had the tools, the rebuild in parts would have been close to $500, ballpark figure off the top of my head.

T

[J30tChumpCar]

It was about the same in parts for our rebuild, $500 parts $100 to my re-builder friend
Knowing the torque converter was working well and there was no contaminated fluid it was reused.