trans to bellhousing bolt

[Shorty]

hopefully i am not the first to have a issue (maybe it was just a bad day) but the upper driver bolt conecting the trans to bellhouse is impossible. there has to be a trick, i have tried every combo i can think of but there is a bolt (star pattern, what is this?) in the way of getting a good bite. coming at it with a universal it just wont break free. any tricks for people that done it before, gotta be overlooking something. thanks

been down 9 months and time to get this thing back on the road


****added note: while doing this i have decided to replace any bushings that i came across and sure most will assume the energy suspension trans mount is much better. i did also swap the x-member bushings, i have not clue that it will ever benifit but they are significant better quality and longer.****

[nxcoupe]

Well, I use an impact, 1/2" extension and impact swival, and a shallow 6 point socket, then hit it with all she's got with the impact. If that won't work, then put a breaker bar on it and push the extension while pulling on that breaker. also, make sure the trans is hanging down as far as it will go, gives you a lot of room, and the exhaust is off and out of the way. hope this helps.

[Shorty]

exhaust is off, x-member out, using 1/2 inch impact and still wont come. cant get even remotely a straight shot at it and once you put that universal at a almost 90 degree angle all the torque is gone. that bolt just aint allowing nothing to fit just right, tried removing it but didnt have right size hex. if it aint nothing crucial i will grind that thing flat off. lol

[coupe]

What about a box-end wrench with a "cheater" wrench on the other end? I've done them before and they're stubborn, but not impossible. I don't know what the other bolt is, but I wouldn't recommend grinding it down.

[Shorty]

tried the box end and there isnt enough room for movement+ cheater bar. it is setting right inside a rib and that bolt (plug maybe) is blocking straight forward access. thus now the bolt is just getting more and more rounded off. i am assuming that this one was just beyond normal seized up point which is not allowing it to break free like the others. i know i got issues now cause it just keeps rounding more but with that "star" bolt blocking cant get a good bite. my thinking was if i ground it off then it could be gotten out once the trans was out. also since nobody knows what it is i almost feel it would never be of need to me

[QWKSNKE]

if you are at a 90 degree angle then you don't have enough extensions. You need enough to get close the back of the transmission. 2' minimum

[Shorty]

if you are at a 90 degree angle then you don't have enough extensions. You need enough to get close the back of the transmission. 2' minimum

u cant get any socket on the trans bolt with a straight shot due to the large round hex bolt blocking it. it is only a few inches and doesnt allow any flex. tried letting the trans down, lifting up. extensions, 90's with universal. its so sieze that anything other than solid fit is slipping and rounding it badly. perhaps i am missing something but i believe that hex bolt is getting ground off when i get back to the house. it cant be much or somebody would know what it is, google didnt even know

[coupe]

If it has loc-tite on it, you can give it a few minutes with a propane torch (the blue gas, not the yellow can MAPP gas). It will break up red loc-tite and allow it to come free. Also, put a punch on the head of the bolt right dead center and smack the shit out of it with a hammer... It will also help loosen the threads. If this doesn't loosen it up, I recommend 1)find out what that other bolt is for and 2)remove it correctly with the right socket.

[Shorty]

if you are at a 90 degree angle then you don't have enough extensions. You need enough to get close the back of the transmission. 2' minimum

u cant get any socket on the trans bolt with a straight shot due to the large round hex bolt blocking it. it is only a few inches and doesnt allow any flex. tried letting the trans down, lifting up. extensions, 90's with universal. its so sieze that anything other than solid fit is slipping and rounding it badly. perhaps i am missing something but i believe that hex bolt is getting ground off when i get back to the house. it cant be much or somebody would know what it is, google didnt even know

[Shorty]

If it has loc-tite on it, you can give it a few minutes with a propane torch (the blue gas, not the yellow can MAPP gas). It will break up red loc-tite and allow it to come free. Also, put a punch on the head of the bolt right dead center and smack the shit out of it with a hammer... It will also help loosen the threads. If this doesn't loosen it up, I recommend 1)find out what that other bolt is for and 2)remove it correctly with the right socket.

havent tried heating yet, i can find no evidence of any thread locker, all this still from the factory still. unfortunately the 15mm bolt is now like a 14.5mm round head. lol. i am not mechanically ignorant, this thing is just unreal

[TheJeanyus]

Sounds like it's broke to me. I'll give you $500 for the whole car just so you don't have to mess with it any more. :D

[coupe]

that hex bolt is getting ground off when i get back to the house. it cant be much or somebody would know what it is, google didnt even knowSome of those bolts on the outside of the trans case hold lugs and attachment points for the parts inside. Remove certain bolts and some things fall apart inside. If you're prepared for that, then grind away. I think removing a bolt with the right tool is a little more appropriate.

[QWKSNKE]

I have been trying to call..........

[QWKSNKE]

By the way, that bolt that is in your way holds the lever that operates reverse I believe..

Also, go ahead and take the bellhousing bolts loose from the engine and drop it all as one assy. Unless I am forgetting something it can be done that way. It will be more of a pain in the ass but then you could worry about that one bolt with everything outside of the car

[Shorty]

Well finally got to where I could get a good bite on it & didn't budge with 1/2" impact or 2 people & a 2' power handle, heating did nothing nor did hammering it. Decided that it must have been cross threaded from Ford. Being as the bolt will have to be replaced, thinking of just cutting the head off to speed the process.

[EHardy1971]

By the way, that bolt that is in your way holds the lever that operates reverse I believe..

:yup: It does.

Decided that it must have been cross threaded from Ford. Being as the bolt will have to be replaced, thinking of just cutting the head off to speed the process.
I doubt it was crossthreaded, it's probably seized up from corrosion on the threads. You might just want to pull the tranny with the bell housing, and work on it out from under the car. If the threads in the bell housing ARE messed up, you're going to have to take it to a machine shop to get a helicoil put in it, unless you have a kit to do it yourself.

[Shorty]

I have done clutches where the bell was attached. Is It normal on fix t5 to have a small gap (fingers width) that doesn't easily push up? Assuming so with the new parts & collar, given how little it is all spines have got to be aligned, is this correct? Wanted to be sure before I user the trans bolts to close the gaps.

Also installing aluminum driveshaft, marked all points on original but cant anywhere that says there is any particular way of installing the new one to insure balance. Some say the aluminum requires no specific orientation.

Thanks all.

[Shorty]

I have done clutches where the bell was attached. Is It normal on fix t5 to have a small gap (fingers width) that doesn't easily push up? Assuming so with the new parts & collar, given how little it is all spines have got to be aligned, is this correct? Wanted to be sure before I user the trans bolts to close the gaps.

Also installing aluminum driveshaft, marked all points on original but cant anywhere that says there is any particular way of installing the new one to insure balance. Some say the aluminum requires no specific orientation.

Thanks all.

[coupe]

put driveshaft on and if it vibrates, re-install 90º rotated... do this until it is back smooth again. Not a difficult task. Loc-tite on final one.

[QWKSNKE]

there is a yellow paint mark on the driveshaft. Align that with the with the factory yellow paint mark on the pinion flange and you will be good to go

Sometimes tranny's will be a pain in the ass to push all the way up. The t-5 in my old cobra used to give me and Brian hell anytime we were reinstalling it. Most other cars we never had a majo problem with. Did you grease up your bearing retainer?

[Shorty]

put driveshaft on and if it vibrates, re-install 90º rotated... do this until it is back smooth again. Not a difficult task. Loc-tite on final one.

i was afraid that was gonna be the answer. lol

[Shorty]

there is a yellow paint mark on the driveshaft. Align that with the with the factory yellow paint mark on the pinion flange and you will be good to go

Sometimes tranny's will be a pain in the ass to push all the way up. The t-5 in my old cobra used to give me and Brian hell anytime we were reinstalling it. Most other cars we never had a majo problem with. Did you grease up your bearing retainer?

i greased it but very very little due to it being so close to friction surfaces. some sources i read said to grease, others not to. a little more may not hurt along with the fact i am doing this 100% alone so aligning and muscling at the same time is difficult. it seems to be stopping movement when it gets to where the throwout bearing collar meets the trany which i was contributing to it being new and possibly not quite just the same as the original. guess i will back it off, try a little more grease and go from there.


thanks all

[QWKSNKE]

Grab it by the tail shaft and wiggle/push the sh** out of it

[TheJeanyus]

Grab it by the shaft and wiggle/push the sh** out of it
:huh:

[EHardy1971]

:huh:
:spit:

[QWKSNKE]

:huh:

Sometimes you have to do that with a big shaft :D

[86GTPONY]

Sometimes you have to do that with a big shaft :D

:yup: I have to agree!

[TheJeanyus]

Sometimes you have to do that with a big shaft :D
Who have you been helping with their shaft then? :D

[93cobra1928]

Who have you been helping with their shaft then? :D

Why do you know it's not his? :D

[QWKSNKE]

Why do you know it's not his? :D

:rofl: :rofl:

EXACTLY

[TheJeanyus]

Why do you know it's not his? :D
Because no guy packing a magnum would drive around in a car named Powder Puff. :doh:

[QWKSNKE]

Because no guy packing a magnum would drive around in a car named Powder Puff. :doh:

I am undercover :D

[EHardy1971]

Because no guy packing a magnum would drive around in a car named Powder Puff. :doh:
It's a .22 Magnum.:jester:

[TheJeanyus]

It's a .22 Magnum.:jester:
I knew it was probably a rimfire. :rofl:

[93cobra1928]

:rofl:

[EHardy1971]

I knew it was probably a rimfire. :rofl:
:lol:

[Shorty]

wow this went off to left field. :D

ended up using the trans bolts to pull it up, wiggle the shaft did nothing but made me smile.
no more than it lacked being up i knew everything had to be aligned.

[Shorty]

instead of starting a new thread i will add a question here.


1). what is the purpose of the power steering cooling system. is there some rack failure issue that caused this to be needed. not a usual feature and i have a couple of reasons that i would like to remove it if no negative results.

2). during the clutch change (as stated previously) i changed to aluminum driveshaft, already had lower gears,,,,,,there is much debate on if removing the dogbone will cause negative effects,,,,,,curious to see what people i know and trust have done


thanks

[EHardy1971]

instead of starting a new thread i will add a question here.


1). what is the purpose of the power steering cooling system. is there some rack failure issue that caused this to be needed. not a usual feature and i have a couple of reasons that i would like to remove it if no negative results.

2). during the clutch change (as stated previously) i changed to aluminum driveshaft, already had lower gears,,,,,,there is much debate on if removing the dogbone will cause negative effects,,,,,,curious to see what people i know and trust have done


thanks
IIRC, the P/S cooling line is supposed to keep the fluid from foaming up/expanding under high heat or sprited driving. In my experience, it's useless and not needed. My old GT 'Vert had it, and my coupe doesn't (as the original donor car I did my V8 convo from wasn't equipped with it). I've never had any issues on my coupe, and it get's driven pretty hard on a regular basis. If you want to pull it, go ahead, but it's not really taking up much space, or adding any weight. On the dogbone, I've ran with, and without it, and never noticed any difference. If you want to try running with it off, go for it, but if you have any vibration or noise issues, put it back on. I'm running an aluminum driveshaft too FWIW.