Help! Im about to pull out my tranny!
 

Hey..So I just bought a 1969 camaro and it has a TH400 in it..I bought a 5 speed setup I plan on putting in..So I was hesitating on having someone doing it for me but kinda short on money so im gonna give it a try. I have the car all jacked up so far and looked everything over. I have the cooler lines running to the radiator. Do I disconnect one of those lines to drain the transmission? I dont see any drain plugs..please I need some help! thanks

You won't be able to drain the trans from the lines at the radiator. That will only drain a small amount. In order to avoid a mess drop the pan to drain it. If you don't want to do that make sure you have a spare driveshaft yolk in the tailshaft of the trans or you will have a potentially healthy spill.

You really don't have to drain it. Fluid will run out of the lines when you disconnect them. I use caps on them. Leave the yoke in the tranny so fluid doesnt run out. I usually stretch a bunjy cord around it so it doesnt fall out while taking the tranny out. If you want to drain it, remove all the bolts on the pan except a few on one side. Slowly loosen the remaining bolts without removing them all the way. The pan will start to slowly drop at an angle and the fluid will pour out on the low side. Once u get most of the fluid out, remove the pan. U have help getting that 400 out? ;) If not, try a piece of wood on the jack & a ratchet strap around the tranny. As you can tell, I work by myself a lot....
Scott

Do I need to loosen my engine mounts? its a BB and its prety tight againt my firewall..If I do need to loosen the engine mount do I losen the bolts from mount to engine or the bolts from the mount to car. Its a solid metal mount. As you cold see this is my first time pulling a tranny out. But im not afraid to get dirty..thanks

I havent worked on BB f body, but I had had luck with small block removing the trans crossmember & lowering the trans a little to gain some room to access bellhousing bolts. Usually long extension and possibly a swivel for the top bolts, done from the bottom. I have also been able to get to the top bell bolts from the top side on some cars. Take some pics as your pulling it out!
Scott

Minimally, take the distributor cap off and you may need to pull the distributor to lower it enough. I can tell you're going to have alot of questions:D pictures always help.

Great point on the distrib. I failed to mention that. I'm so bent on these LSX motors I forget about distributors... :rolleyes:

I was able to get the top bellhousing bolts from up top..I have it just about all unbolted but going to wait until tommorow for another jack for the transmission. So far everything is unbolting pretty easy but im sure the headers are going to be a jigsaw puzzle going back in :yes: stay tuned...
http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/2711/img3995c.jpg

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/240/img3996og.jpg

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/9755/img3986w.jpg

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Don't forget the three bolts that hold the converter to the flywheel.

You'll have to be able to spin the motor over to gain access. You can do that easily with a LARGE screwdriver on the flywheel teeth. Or the proper way - with a half inch breaker bar and socket on the crankshaft bolt. Pull all your plugs first to make it spin easier.

Snap-on also has a interesting flywheel turner tool:
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/OBJECTS/17200/17171.JPG
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....&group_ID=1619

Sometimes nice if the crankshaft bolt isn't easy to get a socket on, or you need to rotate it under the car and don't have a friend handy to help.

One of my favorite tools in my box. Use it all the time!

Got it out! wasnt that bad..It would of been easier with a extra set of hands though..im gonna wait for my 5 speed kit patientley for 2 weeks now..and if anyone needs a TH400 complete let me know..it only has 97 miles since installed...

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/8791/img4014c.jpg

Nice job, let's see some pics of the car that you picked up.

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/4638/camaro1o.jpg

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/3809/camaro2j.jpg

TKO Swap
 

Hey Lutsy, i just did the TKO / TH400 swap myself. I found that the higher you can get the car the easier to perform the install.
Quick tip... leave the clutch/pressure plate off for mock assembly which you will (should) do to measure, measure (yes measure twice) to mark where your shifter hole will go.

Once the mark was made, I used a new factory lower boot and stock 69 Camaro boot retaining ring to trace the actual location of the hole.
I wanted the car to look as if it came from the factory as a 4 speed.

One more thing... I was able to save on a driveshaft by purchasing a new Spicer Yoke and a used Dynotech driveshaft on ebay. My drive shaft was 46" center of u-joint to center of u-joint. Total cost with new 1350 U-joints was under $125. Good luck!
Marco

Here's the first ride..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN76Z...youtube_gdata_