Anyone in Upstate NY have a Tranny Jack?

[BruceM]

I need for find a tranny jack so I can pull my truck's transmission out next week to replace the pump lip seal. Leaks about a gallon a week now and I need to get it done. I had crappy harbor freight scissor type jack but I've been warned against using that for the 4r100 transmission.

I'm looking to borrow/rent one from someone rather than have to plunk down the cash at harborfreight for one as cash is a little tight right now.

if anyone has one within say 2 hours of albany, NY please let me know.

Or for that matter if anyone knows of an easy way to pull the tranny without a jack let me know. I've read come creative ideas with ratchet straps, but I'm thinking that a jack would be easier.

[waytallwhitey]

Bruce, most auto supply stores loan them out; you'll have to put down a deposit but you get it back when you return the jack. Also check with some rental places in your area.

[2000XLIFTED]

I just did the TQ in mine by myself with a Grand Rental Station one. I was sweet to have, 50 for the weekend from the location in NJ

[Marv]

I'll second what both guys above have said....check your local parts house to see if they rent out one.

I've rented a number of tools from Autozone here local and they usually work out great.

[BruceM]

I just did the TQ in mine by myself with a Grand Rental Station one. I was sweet to have, 50 for the weekend from the location in NJ

2000XLIFTED - how hard was it to do on your truck? From the looks of it you and I have nearly identical setups, cept mine is a 250. I have a 6in lift, 4in MRBP 4in exhaust, and a very oily (atf) underside. I've done FWD transmissions before and one 87 F-150 5speed, everyone tells me the 4r100 is really heavy.

did you have to pull any part of your exhaust or take off the turbo up pipes? I have read that you can do this without, but I wondered with the MRBP 4in if that would cause a problem of being in the way.

I have the fun of doing this in my driveway at my house then carrying it into my porch to do the actual work on the transmission.

[2000XLIFTED]

I did not need to remove anything other than the V3 off the cross member. other than that take off drive shafts,T case if your 4X4, there are electronics in the top of it if you have electric 4X4. Open up the access plate and remove the TQ bolts there are either 4 or 6 depending on year. Then the bell housing bolts and slide her back and down. You can leave the trans and transfer case together but if your by yourself split them apart. Other than being hit in the chest by the T-case as it came out the worst part was getting the 2 top bell housing bolts back in and tight. Remember to make sure the TQ is FULLY SEATED on the pump shaft! It will click in 3 or 4 time before its in.

If you go to Bankspower.com you can download their instructions to install their billet TQ. This is what I use when I pulled mine.

Also, when your in there check your up pipes for leaks, it is so easy to change the donuts then and near impossible after the trans is back in, or replace with the new upgraded International ones.

Have fun, took me about 8 hours taking it easy.

[BruceM]

thanks for the heads up on the bank's instructions. I'll take a look at them now while I sit here at work. I know my up pipes looks good as I that was one of the first things I checked when I bought the truck.

I'd love to spend money on the bellowed ones, but I would rather save the cash to put towards an 03 7.3L Lariat CC long bed if I can find one :-)

sounds like it should be a fairly easy job to get it out, I'm picking up a transmission jack adapter to turn my high lift floor jack into a tranny jack, can't beat $40 for it :-) I'm starting to believe this will go alot faster than I thought since I have spend my whole weekend reading up on people's methods for doing these.

Sucks that the weather report has changed for monday/tuesday for Albany. Was supposed to be near 50F not it's supposed to be in the low 30's till Wednesday. Oh well it needs to get done.

[BruceM]

so I've run into a snag on this. Seems for some reason my starter won't come away from the bell housing. I have the 3 bolts removed, but I can only get it to wiggle away about 1/4 of an inch. too much cast AL under there for me to pry and risk breaking a chunk of housing off.

Any tips from your recent R&R of a tranny?

Thanks

[skyskijason]

Strange. Hope ya got it figured out by now! I've had the starters off both our 7.3's a couple of times. Starter practically fell out after last bolt...

I added a petcock valve to the block drain above starter to make coolant flushes EASY. (about $2 ) Removing that plug w/starter in place is a PITA for me!

Tell us the good news about how easy the rest went and how perfect the repair is working!!

[BruceM]

Well the tranny is still in there by 4 bolts, I am having a hell of a time getting at 2 bolts on account of the MBRP 4in exhaust downpipe. Got some nice weather today so I am optimistic it will be out and on the ground in an hour or so.


Turns out that there was oil and road grime covering the third bolt. I thought like some other fords that one of the tranny bell-housing bolts was the 3rd bolt holding the starter in. I was wrong. :-(

All in all other than the bolts I need the hands of an petite asian female to get at, this job has been far easier than doing the FWD Taurus SHO transmission I am used to. Only concerning thing is that after 170k the belhousing bolts were barely tight, as were the TC locknuts. They all turned with a minimal amount of a tug to break free. Almost makes me think (hope) that perhaps this transmission has been rebuilt before and thats why it shifts so nice even at 170k. Oh well back to it.

update 3:20PM stupid exhaust had to come out. What a pain that is sicne the pipes are crushed together with saddle style exhaust clamps. Yay another expense, some band style clamps so this can be taken apart easier in the future

I am seriously considering adding a petcock there too since ya mentioned it. Course I just flushed my coolant last May so I should be good for a while I suppose.

[2000XLIFTED]

Good luck! Never easy is it!

[skyskijason]

I am seriously considering adding a petcock there too since ya mentioned it. Course I just flushed my coolant last May so I should be good for a while I suppose.

Regular coolant changes (and monitoring SCA's if your coolant needs them!!) is critical to a diesel. The damage from incorrect coolant and/or lack of SCA is catastrophic to these engines! I decided to use Evans NPG+ in the F350, which is a 'lifetime' coolant (among other SUPERIOR qualities) and used CAT ELC in the X. The CAT coolant is only good for 350k miles before ya have to add an additive to get the full 500k life out of it... Neither of these heavy-duty diesel coolants require SCA's and SCA monitoring.

Not quite as easy to add valve with coolant in block, but I bet ya can do it and only spill a little - if yer quick! Even if I don't have to do it for a loooong time, it sure will be EASY when I do!!!

I'm gonna pull my ZF6 when I get home and change pilot bearing inspect clutch. Luckily we have a dealership shop to 'play' in on the weekends. Lifts, fancy transmission jacks, etc make it MUCH easier! We did the clutch in about 3.5 hrs, goofing off and helping other projects at the same time.

[BruceM]

Yeah I know the importance of regular coolant maint. on a diesel. I'm suprised at how many people don't know about it. I have a bucket of those diesel coolant test strips and I have made it a point to test my coolant every 2 months.

I learned something important about this project R&R of my trucks tranny...

A) The 6in lift makes it nice to work under, cept for having to reach way up from the creeper to get to some bolts

B) I Really wish I had the cash to splurge on some International Bellowed Pipes (mine aren't leaking, but it sure would be easy ti install right now)

C) Wish I had the time to pull my turbo and pedistal so I could replace those o-rings that are leaking onto my block and tranny (will have to do that when I get back from FL)

D) The 4r100 is retardedly shaped for sitting in a tranny jack.

E) Harbor Freight's Tranny jack attachment is as useless as a cock flavored lolliepop! As evidenced by my trans mission sliding down th adapter and then tipping the jack over. Thank God for the blocks of wood I had put on either side for just such an occurrence.

[Marv]

E) Harbor Freight's Tranny jack attachment is as useless as a cock flavored lolliepop!

LOL...awesome!

That's quite the analogy you got there Bruce!

[skyskijason]

The bellowed up-pipes are going in mine when the tranny comes out! Saw how easy it would be the first time I had it out, but could not wait for the pipes to come... Mine leak!

My pedastal o-rings don't, but I should change'm out too one day while I'm HOME. My luck (lately!) will have me doing that under the awning of 5ver at camp 1000's of miles from my workshop and 'real tools'. I do travel with enough tools for almost anything, but I always want something out of the big box, ya know?