Automatic Transmission/Transaxle: Service and Repair

1. Remove air suction guide from air cleaner.
2. Disconnect battery cables and remove battery and tray.
3. Remove ground cable from transaxle.
4. Disconnect solenoid and shift lever connectors.
5. Remove wire harness and speedometer cable from transaxle.
6. Remove oil pressure control cable from accelerator cable, then accelerator cable from transaxle.
7. Disconnect select cable from transaxle and remove starter.
8. Drain transaxle fluid.
9. Disconnect oil outlet and inlet hoses from oil pipes. Plug all openings.
10. Raise and support vehicle, then remove engine pipe, catalytic converter and exhaust pipe, if necessary.
11. Remove inspection plate.

Fig. 10 Removing drive plate bolts:

12. Remove drive plate attaching bolts using a screwdriver to hold drive plate in notch provided, Fig. 10.

Fig. 11 Removing snap ring from differential side gear:

13. Remove LH front drive axle as follows:
a. Remove wheel center cap, then cotter pin and drive shaft nut.
b. Remove wheel nuts, then wheel.
c. Remove snap ring from spline of differential side joint from differential side gear using a suitable screwdriver, Fig. 11.
d. Remove stabilizer bar bracket bolts and ball stud bolt.
e. Disconnect ball stud from steering knuckle by pulling down on stabilizer bar.
f. Disconnect inboard joint from differential side gear and wheel side joint from steering knuckle, then remove drive axle assembly.
14. Disconnect the inboard joint of RH drive axle from differential.
15. Remove the RH side transaxle mounting member bolts, then secure transaxle using a suitable jack.
16. Remove LH side transaxle mounting bolts.
17. Remove engine to transaxle attaching bolts.
18. Remove transaxle from engine by sliding towards the left side and carefully lowering jack.

Fig. 12 Torque converter installation:

19. Reverse procedure to install, noting the following:
a. Apply a suitable grease around the cup at center of torque converter.
b. Measure distance ``A'' as shown in Fig. 12. Distance should be more than 0.85 inch, if less than 0.85 inch, converter is improperly installed. Remove converter and reinstall.
c. Guide the right drive axle into differential side gear as transaxle is being raised.
d. After installing inboard joints into differential side gears, push inboard joints into side gears until snap rings on drive axles engage side gears.
e. Adjust oil pressure control cable if necessary.
f. Fill transaxle with fluid.
g. Torque drive plate bolts to 14 ft. lbs., mounting member bolts to 40 ft. lbs., transaxle mounting nuts 33-40 ft. lbs., transaxle mounting bolts 40 ft. lbs., stabilizer shaft mount bolts 31 ft. lbs., ball stud bolt 44 ft. lbs., and wheel nuts to 40 ft. lbs.