Need opinions on T45 swap, please help!!

[ZanexGt]

I've got a 98GT, stock, with a T45 and 125k miles. I started to notice some choppiness while shifting and occasional popping out of reverse upon letting the clutch out about 20k miles ago. Well, it's obvious that the transmission is on its last leg.

I plan on swapping the transmission myself but this is my first time with such an overwhelming project. Granted, I've replaced my entire suspension and done brakes several times but never really done anything this big. How hard is it to swap out the tranny and put a new/used one in?

Also, where is the best place to get a new/used transmission? Is it worth getting a rebuilt one or is a junkyard special ok?

Can I take the transmission out w/ the car on jackstands? Would it be easier with a engine harness and take the complete engine/tranny out at once? A lift really isn't an option which sucks.

Any help you can all give is definitely appreciated!! Thanks

 

[sunburstgold]

I dont think you could get it out with just an engine hoist but i'm not sure and using jack stands is probably possible but really unlogical. Have you checked prices on a shop install? it prolly wont be to bad that the way i would go it would save a LOT of headache. But if you do do it yourself without a lift u da man! lol

 

[RandyStinchcomb]

well, you already have a "used" T-45 why buy another? get a new one from D&D Performance 248-735-6220 at one time they had NEW T-45's fo @$995.00

 

[ZanexGt]

A new T45 for $995, that sounds like a good deal. Thanks for posting that number, I'll give them a call and see what they say.

As for the install, I really wanted to learn how to do it which was my motivation to do that install. If I have to, I'll pay someone to install it, I'd just rather do it myself.

From your responses it sounds like a lift is in order to remove the trans?

 

[hognutz]

there is no reason to pay someone for a tranny swap unless you just don't want to do it.

I mean the only thing that holds a tranny in place is bolts.

If you have:

a jack
jackstands
basic hand tools

you can swap a tranny. now I would do the clutch and re-surface the flywheel wile you in there as well at that milage.

now granted doing it on a lift is nicer but I can't count the number of time I had to change my clutch in my 69 camaro (I liked 6500rpm sidesteps of the clutch a bit too much back then) on my gravel driveway by myslef growing up.

 

[ZanexGt]

there is no reason to pay someone for a tranny swap unless you just don't want to do it.

I mean the only thing that holds a tranny in place is bolts.

If you have:

a jack
jackstands
basic hand tools

I was hoping that I could do just as you suggested, jack up the car, place jackstands, and remove the transmission. I've got 125k miles on the original clutch so I'll be sure to replace that as well as resurface the flywheel.

I was worried that the bellhousing on the transmission would make it difficult to get the tranny out from under the car (even up on jackstands) after I dropped the tranny.

Anyone got an estimate how long this would take? Would a weekend suffice?

 

[hognutz]

week shoudl be plenty. as long as you have some long extentions and swivels and remeber to jack the front of th engine up a little to get the top bell housing bolts easier I can't see not haveing the tranny dropped in a couple hours.

then you need to find a shop to resurface you flywheel.

putting it back in will go easier with a trans jack or extra bodies (extra bodies are usually free or can be bought with beer)

short story long if you could find a shop that would quick turn you flywheel in a day you could do this over a weekend no problem.

 

[soctty7676]

Check out this thread....I pretty much asked the same question.

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=641646

 

[ZanexGt]

soctty7676, thanks for the link! Looks like I'll attempt this in the garage and hope for the best.

I'm going to surf around eBay and the local junk yards for a 96-98GT T45 transmission. I've read that the 96-98gt's have a gear driven speedo whereas the 99-later have a electronic driven speedo. I don't want to get the wrong transmission!

I might get a remanufactured t45 if I can find one at a good price. I'm sure someone has to be overhauling these things?!?

 

[hognutz]

wow they had gear driven speedo's in 98? that is suprising

my 1990 iroc ans a vss driven speedo.

 

[BCB00GT]

I did my clutch on jack stands in the garage, which means removing the tranny from under the car. Had the whole job done in 6 hours, breaking for lunch, bs with buddy, etc. Easily a 4-5 hour job.

 

[Disturbed One]

Have you ever had the mid-pipe out of the car before?? When we did the clutch on my 97, mine had never been messed with, I had a guy at work cut the mid to catback bolts out and put new in there so that was easy, but the manifold/header bolts were a pain. They did come out. Get some swivle sockets to make the job easier. Taking it all out took us like 5 hours the 1st time with all the problems we ran into and not having the tools.

63 miles later cause the flywheel wasn't done right, it only took use 1.5 hours to get it all tore back out all done on jack stands and ramps.

 

[BCB00GT]

Use PB blaster or similar on the bolts BEFORE the install (maybe 1 or 2 times on different days if midpipe has never been off). It will make the bolts remove a lot easier.

 

[mity2]

swap T-45 is not that big of job. I did it with car on Ramp and Jack stand, and floor jack. and myself and help from Stangnet. Hardest thing is to remove the 3rd bolt from starter(u can't see it, and u need looong extention to get to it from front of k member
Basicaly, it goes like this.

-jack the up as high as u can
-remove mid-pipe
-drain fluid
-Take driveshaft out
-remove all plugs, shifter, and linkage from trans
-support it with floor jack(i used cargo tie down strap to strap it to jack)
-remove crossmember
-remove all the bolts you can from bellhousing(u can't get to all of them yet)
-then let the trans hang, so that now u can have access to top bellhusing bolt. using extention, remove the rest of bolts(i think there were 7 or 8 bolts all together)
-after u make sure that you removed all the bolts, start pulling part. i used decent sized plybar. once they are apart, lower it, yank it out from under the car.
-drink beer. Because your now at 1/2way point

install is reverse of what you just did.
it may look like huge job. But its really not. I'm not mechanically talented or anything. I can do my own oil change, install bolt on, and did my own suspension work. and have minimum tools. It took me almost week, because in my case, I had to remove the passenger side header first befor trans came out, and i was doing it between my job, and classes. but otherwise, i say its few hours job to get the trans out.

Few things you should look in to here.
Think about may be TKO? I know i'm doing that next time my trans goes.
new clutch. thats given
your car being 125k+miles, it'll be excellent time to change your rear main seal. yours may be leaking or not leaking yet. But at 125k miles, replace it, as its right there