How difficult is it to do this job?

[mustang gt 2003]

Hey fellow stang lovers, I have a question for you guys. I was wondering how difficult it is to drop the transmission and examine it a little. I am not the best mechanic around, but I will be doing this with my dad. We just installed a new fuel pump a week ago, and we had no idea how to do that either but managed just fine. We also have the haynes repair manual (1994-2004 ford mustang) with us. Do you think we can manage this job...or take it to a shop? Also, if you have any advice on this job, let me know. I want to start this tonight, after i get home from school, so a quick response would be great. Thanks!!!


:SNSign:

 

[Seanmay1]

Im not sure on mustangs, but the last tranny we dropped was on a 75 cutlass, its not all that complicated just remember where everything goes and keep up with your bolts, Some of the bolts are going to be a pain in the ass to get to though man

 

[Shiroelex]

In my opinion, the two hardest parts of dropping the trans on a new edge is getting to the top starter bolt, and getting the H-pipe nuts off of the passenger side. Once you've gotten those out of the way, you're essentially home free, aside from the top bellhousing bolts, which weren't a problem for me since I had a 3 foot extension, and I let the tailshaft hang down. As was mentioned already, try and remember where all of the bolts go; although they are mostly self explanatory. Make sure you get all of the harnesses unplugged, and the clutch cable out of the way, and zip tie a shopping bag to the tailshaft to avoid making a big mess when you tilt it down. On reinstallation, don't even bother putting the top starter bolt back in. The two will work just fine!

 

[mustang gt 2003]

Thanks for the quick reply! I feel better about this!

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

Depends on what tranny you have. I have a personal relationship with the 4R70W and the hardest parts are (again) getting the top more driver side positioned starter bolt. You have to go through the A arm of your passenger side wheel suspension or through an area of the bottom of the firewall with a U joint and two extensions.
The next and possibley even harder part is getting the top two bellhousing bolts off from the tranny to the engine. Could not AT ALL get at them. SO we had to drop the tranny crossmember - put that end on a jack and lower that end down slowley tilting the whole engine backwards to fit an impact sockt and extension in there. Just make sure you do that with all the rest of the bellhousing bolts on so as to not tweak anything - and watch for clearance in the engine bay as to not crush any piping in the back.
Other than that it's not that bad - just takes effort and time.

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

Why do you want to drop the trans to inspect it?

 

[mustang gt 2003]

Why do you want to drop the trans to inspect it?

Well its making a horrible grinding noise while im driving in 4th, and again low rpms in 5th. I just had a new clutch kit installed. And yes there is some chatter because of the stage 3, however, this does not sound like normal noise...so i want to see if anything is wrong with the clutch, pressure plate, flywheel....ect. So that is why i asked the question.

 

[joshjwc9]

B&M shift kit FTW in my 75 Cutlass!

That is my other car, I still have it from HS simply because no one wants something that gets 10mpg.

On topic: The starter will be a pain... same as the top bolts on the housing.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Where are you going to do it? In the driveway or on a lift?


take it from someone who has dropped a 3650...it's a bitch!

I've done it on a lift, but i still needed help from friends and it took a lot of wiggling to get everything to line up right. It's a physically large trans and pretty heavy.

I've actually dropped a 3650, t-56 and a t-45 using a lift. I would NEVER want to do that sort of job on my back with the car on jackstands

The T-5 is actually easy to do in the driveway because it weighs 75 lbs and separates from the bellhousing.