So im doing a tranny swap tommorow because my tranny blew. My origanl tranny is a 700r4 and thats what im replacing it with because I have another one lying around with pretty low miles. I was wondering If anybody had any advice or things I should look out for as this is my first tranny swap any sites with diagrams or anything would help to.

 

Simple swap really (like anything is simple) - may be differences in trannys (pre-1987 had different internals than post 1987 - post 1987 had auxillary valving or something) - so may be a T/C lockup issue but someone else with more experience will have to chime in.

Get the car as high up as you can if a driveway swap - I used a 20 inch jack and still had to remove the front wheel to wiggle tranny out through the fender well.

Jacking the rear first (under the differential), removing the driveshaft bolts from rear end (but not removing D/S from tranny), then letting the rear down, and jacking front, get it on jackstands, then removing the D/S from tranny would allow you to catch tranny fluid in a pan at the tail end. Get some zip lock bags and rubber bands to put over the cooler lines to keep them from dripping in your face all day. The right sized Tylenol bottle with the top cut off makes a good tailshaft plug to keep it from dripping after the initial drain.

You may have to jack some on the motor (2x4 under oil pan, jack under 2x4) and remove the motor mount bolts to allow the motor/tranny combo to tilt downward some to get to those bolts in the top - but watch that distributor that it doesn't get crushed against firewall (remove cap and rotor for clearance). Also have plenty of extensions and swivels available to get those top bolts, and plenty of patience - it's a PITA to get them at all, let alone getting the grounding straps and wire holders back in place with them.

Good Luck!

 

hm well that kind of worries me lol. my tranny that is in there now is an 86, and the one that is going in is an 88, i gusse it should be intresting. Thanks.

 

Well, the 88 will be a better tranny as I understand it - stronger and more capable - but the specifics are beyond me, and you should seek info from someone more in the know.

Meantime - get the hard labor done anyways - if anything, you may have to swap pinouts on the elctric connector or something simple like that. Could be a speedo issue as well - but again something simple to fix after the initial swap.

 

well hopefully it is something like a speedo issue sense my speedo doesnt work right now as it is lol it starts of on 55 but yea im going to gather as much info in the morning before i start on it. thanks again.

 

88 oine is alot better i think youll be fine with the pseedo on an 88 they didnt start with VSS on most vehicles til about 92


but evne so gears canbe swapped into it if it is a VSS trans

to see what year the tranny is you look for the flat stamping pad spot along the vertical pan rail right above where the pan gasket is and clean it off and the very first digit it the last digit of the year of the tranny

if it starts with 8 then its an 88

if a 5 then its an 85


good luck

 

the bell housing bolts aren't that big of a deal. if you have ground straps being attatched by the bell housing bolts, then there is something wrong to begin with since the grounds should be bolted to the back of the head.

also, i have done several tranny swaps. the motor mounts will give enough to allow the tranny to lean back to get the bell housing bolts. don't loosen the motor mount bolts. i get plenty of space and i have poly motor mounts.

also, if you can get two sets of jack stands, put all four corners of the car up to begin with. it is a lot easier.

taking the distributor cap off should give you plenty of room there but you still need to check it.

also, a good tool for the bell housing bolts is a socket that has the swivel built in to it. use this and wrap a piece of duct tape around it to help keep it straight will make those bell bolts much easier(experience).