Peter posted on May 08, 2009 00:10
1. Start with your average 3.9L engine on a hoist, or better yet, an engine stand. Engine stands are much better and safe, use an engine stand.
2. Remove the tranmission cooler lines if you haven't already. You'll need to remove the transmission dip stick before you can get to the last oil cooler line. The dipstick is easy to get with a big old crescent wrench as it wasn't the 1 1/16" one I had and wasn't 19mm. Some place inbetween.
3. Next, remove the cover plate on the back of the trasmission. This plate only covers the bottom half of the flywheel. Most bolts are 11mm but two are 13mm. Don't ask me why. This is what your standard plate will look like on any given Rover that leaks oil out the rear main seal. Notice how it's really hard just to see the bolt heads through the goop.
4. The manual says to remove the bottom cover plate on the transmission, but I found after the fact that I didn't need to. I'll explain why later. But here's what it looks like. I think they are 11mm bolts.
5. Here's what it looks like with that plate off.
6. I tried following the instructions but there is a bit of a flaw to their logic. It tells you to then use a 17mm wrench and put it up that access hole and remove the 4 bolts holding the plate to the torque converter. Only problem is when you go to move the bolts, which are torqued down, they move the whole driveshaft. Unless you have someone hold the driveshaft still, via the pulley at the front of the engine, you're out of luck. What I did was to remove the engine oil pan (really straight forward.....remove all bolts holding it up and give it a whack with a wrench to pop it free) so I could use some air tools to break that bolt free.
7. With these 4 bolts off (it helps to have another wrench on the pulley up front to trun the crankshaft to the next botl) you then remove all the remaining obvious bolts holding the tranmission to the engine. I ended with the top one so I could control how it backed off. The transmission, torque converter and bell housing weigh close to 200lbs total, so it's best not to hang on to it. Pelican cases, however, love to help out in a situation like this.
8. Now slowly back it off, being careful not to bang up the shafts. This is the torque converter looking head on into the transmission.
9. And the flywheel that is left on the engine
10. Slid the torque converter off....place it near the ugly yellow drapes you use to soak up your grease (or dream of owning ugly yellow drapes to soak up your grease).
11. Lastly, remove all the bolts holding the bell housing on to your tranmission if you need to. I think they are 15mm. Air tools help in this case. Or a long handle on a wrench.
That's all there is to it!! One day I'll have photos of reinstalling the ZF transmission on a 2.8TGV, but that'll have to wait a month or so.