I have 2 possibly bad transmissions for my car, but I don't even want to deal with them until I know the engine runs...so can I just drop the tranny and try and start it or do I have to have the transmission atatched. Right now it partially atatched...I need to put on the crossmember and a transmission mount. I tried starting it the way it was and it cranked but wouldn't turn over.

 

I would think you could drop just the transmission, you'd need the bell housing still intact so the starter can have a place to sit to start her up. But im not %100 sure.

 

Depends. If it's an automatic, you need the tranny bolted up and in, so that the starter has a place to mount.

If a stick, all you need is the bellhousing, but I really wouldn't want to spin over the engine with nothing to hold the clutch plate centered!

 

maybe mine is just weird, but my starter bolts to my block and i ran mine with just a flexplate once. sure had some awesome throttle response

- 89 firebird 2.8 -

 

Bolts to the block? I'm pretty sure it's got 2 bolts going into the bellhousing... hey, I could be wrong

 

my starter is only bolted to the block also.

 

my 3.4 has starter to block. stronger that way.

 

the starter bolts to the block not the trans. think about it how do that start the motor when they put the motor on a motor dyno? they don't bolt the trans on when they do that

 

heres another vote for block bolts

 

Maybe the autos bolt to the block? Dunno, I have a 91 manual and it goes on to the bellhousing.

 

You sure it goes "on" the bellhousing and not "into"? It should be bolted to the block... won't hurt anything as long as there's no small animals under there near the ring gear. And definately don't let anyone go near the underside of the car when you start it up!

If the car has sat for a lonnnng time the fuel could've gone bad...

 

take a closer look


i can go outside right now and look at my 91 3.1 and T5 and see that its bolted to the block

 

Not saying your wrong, but yes my does go through the bellhousing, i suppose I never bothered to look at where the bolts actually sit on, i'll take your words for it. No point in arguing with people who know a lot more about third gens than me .

 

(laughs) Just wait 'til that starter breaks; you'll never forget where it bolts to after you change it. After all these years of working on my car, it's funny how many things I can get to without having to actually "see" what I'm doing...

 

so I'm bolting up the torque converter to the flywheel, and there are a coupe different types of bolts to choose from... the Chiltons manual doesnt tell me what kind of bolt to use, but in the drawn picture, they look shorter...
is it this one?

 

that's the one (actually three)

 

don't forget the thread locker