Removal and Replacement
REMOVAL1. Disconnect the battery and remove the windshield washer reservoir.
2. Disconnect the harness connectors at the Transmission Control Unit (TCU).
Fluid Cooler Hoses:
3. Disconnect the fluid cooler hoses.
Engine Timing Sensor Mounting:
4. Remove the engine timing sensor.
5. Raise the vehicle.
6. Remove the front wheels.
7. Remove the pins attaching the driveshafts to the transmission output shafts with a pin punch.
Steering Knuckle Splined Bolt Locations:
8. Remove the steering knuckle-to-strut upper bolts.
CAUTION: The strut bolts are splined just under the bolt head. Do not turn the bolt. Hold the bolt head with a wrench and loosen/remove the nuts as needed. Then tap the upper bolt out of the strut and steering knuckle with a rubber or brass mallet.
9. Loosen the steering knuckle-to-strut bottom bolts but do remove the nut from either bolt. Tap each bolt 3/4 of the way out of the knuckle and strut until the bolt splines are clear.
Tilting Steering Knuckle Outward:
10. Tilt the steering knuckles outward.
Transaxle Splash Shield:
11. Remove the transaxle splash shield.
12. Pull the driveshafts off the transmission output shafts.
13. Disconnect/remove the brackets, retainers, tie straps or clips securing the transmission electrical wiring harnesses to the vehicle body. Do not remove the various transmission sensors and wire harnesses. These components will remain in place for transaxle removal.
Starter And Heat Shield Removal:
14. Remove the starter motor attaching bolts and pull the starter out of the housing.
15. Disconnect the wires from the starter motor.
16. Remove the starter heat shield nuts and remove the shield.
Converter Housing Access Plug Location:
17. Remove the converter housing access plug.
Converter Bolt Removal:
18. Remove the converter attaching bolts through the access plug opening. Rotate the engine crankshaft until each bolt is accessible.
Exhaust Pipe Bracket Removal:
19. Remove the exhaust pipe clamp and bracket.
20. Support the transaxle with a transmission jack.
Transaxle Crossmember Removal:
21. Remove the bolts/nuts attaching the transaxle crossmember to the engine cradle.
22. Remove the bolt attaching the rear mount to the transaxle bracket.
23. Remove the transaxle crossmember and rear mount as an assembly.
Bellcrank And Shift Cable Mounting:
24. Disconnect the shift cable from the bellcrank.
25. Remove the brace rod.
26. Remove the bolts attaching the shift cable bracket to the transaxle case.
27. Disconnect the link rod from the transaxle shift lever.
28. Remove the bellcrank bracket bolts. Then move the bellcrank, link rod and bracket and the shift cable and bracket aside for working clearance.
Transaxle Bracket Removal:
29. Remove the transaxle bracket bolts and remove the bracket.
30. Remove the bolts attaching the transaxle to the engine. Note that two of the attaching bolts are reversed.
Transaxle Removal:
31. Pull the transaxle assembly rearward. Then lower the transmission jack and move the transaxle from under the vehicle.
INSTALLATION
1. Inspect the converter driveplate before installing the transaxle. Replace the driveplate if damaged in any way.
2. Lubricate the hub bore of the driveplate with chassis grease.
Dowel Pin And Driveplate Timing Wheel Locations:
CAUTION: When installing the transaxle, be sure the dowel pins are seated in the converter housing before tightening any bolts. Also be sure the converter is aligned in the driveplate timing wheel The timing wheel timing segments can be damaged if misalignment occurs.
3. Install the converter if removed for service.
Transaxle Removal:
4. Mount the transaxle on a transmission jack.
5. Raise the jack and position the transaxle on the engine.
6. Align the converter housing with the driveplate and engine dowel pins and slide the transaxle onto the engine.
Transaxle And Torque Converter Bolt Installation:
7. Install the transaxle-to-engine bolts. Tighten the bolts to the torque specifications shown.
8. Apply a drop of Loctite 271 to the torque converter bolts. Then install and tighten the bolts to 33 N.m (24 ft lbs.) torque. Install the access plug after tightening the bolts.
Transaxle Bracket Removal:
9. Install the transaxle bracket. Tighten the bracket bolts to 40 N.m (29 ft-lbs) torque.
Bellcrank And Shift Cable Mounting:
10. Install the bellcrank and bracket on the transaxle. Tighten the bracket-to-case bolts to 43 N.m (32 ft-lbs) torque.
11. Connect the bellcrank link rod to the transaxle shift lever.
12. Position the shift cable bracket on the case but do not tighten the bracket bolts at this time.
13. Attach the brace rod to the bellcrank and shift cable brackets.
14. Tighten the shift cable bracket bolts to 43 N.m (32 ft-lbs) torque and tighten the brace rod bolts to 21 N.m (15 ft-lbs) torque.
15. Snap the shift cable onto the bellcrank.
Transaxle Crossmember Removal:
16. Install the transaxle crossmember but do not tighten the crossmember bolts completely.
Attaching Transaxle Bracket To Rear Mount:
17. Attach the transaxle bracket to the rear mount.
18. Tighten the transaxle bracket-to-rear mount bolt to 67 N.m (49 ft-lbs) torque and the crossmember bolts to 43 N.m (31 ft-lbs) torque.
19. Remove the transmission jack.
Exhaust Pipe Bracket Removal:
20. Install the exhaust pipe bracket and clamp. Tighten the bracket bolts to 43 N.m (31 ft-lbs) torque.
Starter And Heat Shield Removal:
21. Install the starter heat shield. Tighten the heat shield attaching nuts to 11 N.m (96 in-lbs) torque.
22. Connect the wires to the starter motor before installation. Tighten the wire attaching nuts to 9 N.m (80 in-lbs) torque.
23. Install the starter motor. Tighten the starter motor bolts to 43 N.m (31 ft-lbs) torque. Be sure to connect the ground cable to the center starter bolt.
24. Before installing the driveshafts, verify that the transaxle output shaft 0-rings are in position on the shafts. The 0-rings must be seated in the recess at the case end of the shaft. Also check 0-ring condition. Replace the 0-rings if damaged.
25. Slide the driveshafts into place and install the roll pins with a pin punch.
26. Tilt the steering knuckles inward and into place in the struts.
27. Tap the upper steering knuckle-to-strut bolts into place and start the nuts on the bolts. Tighten the nuts to 200 N.m (148 ft-lbs) torque. The bolts are splined just under the bolt head. Do not turn the bolt head. Hold the bolt head with a wrench and tighten the nut to specified torque.
28. Install the front wheels and tighten the lug nuts to 85 N.m (62 ft-lbs) torque.
29. Install the engine timing sensor. Tighten the sensor bolts to 8 N.m (72 in-lbs) torque.
30. Connect the hoses to the transmission fluid cooler tubes. Secure the hose clamps and remove the clamp tool from the hoses.
31. Fill the differential section of the transaxle with the synthetic-type 75W-140 hypoid gear lubricant.
32. Route the transmission sensor wire harnesses up to the engine compartment.
33. Secure the transmission wire harnesses in the harness retaining clamps, tie straps and brackets.
34. Install the transaxle splash shield.
35. Lower the vehicle.
36. Fill the transmission section of the transaxle with Mobil Universal automatic transmission fluid.
37. Connect the transmission wire harness connectors to the TCU. Be sure the harnesses are clear of hot or rotating engine components.
38. Connect the battery.
39. Check and adjust the shift cable.