'88 Transmission Removal
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
From: Godfrey Illinois
Greetings...I opened my mouth too soon in telling some one I'd pull the engine/tranny out of his '88. Now I want to pull them out together and I see the I beam that runs along the car. I took the exhaust off and disconnected all electrical. Here's the question: I started turning the two bolts that are on the I beam on the tranny. It seems like they are spinning due to a nut on it. Now is this the case? If so, how do I go about getting to the other side? Remove console? All help is appreciated!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 900
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
To remove the torque arm or the I beam as you put it, you have to remove the exhaust which you have already done. It's a tight fit but you have to put a wrench on the top side of the torque arm to prevent the nut from spinning as you loosen the bolt from below. If you get the car up on a lift and use an air impact gun, the job will be so much easier. If you don't own a set of shorty wrenches to hold the nut on the top side of the torque arm, you may want to consider cutting an older wrench down to size once you've found the correct size wrench.
Good luck on the job, Ty
Good luck on the job, Ty
Pro
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 602
Likes: 0
From: Aliso Viejo CA
Oh its a fun thing...just did it a couple weeks ago. Read here:
http://www.corvetteforum.cc/ubb/Foru...ML/008760.html
http://www.corvetteforum.cc/ubb/Foru...ML/008760.html
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 927
Likes: 0
From: Saginaw TX
Yup, it's a pain, am in the process of removing just the tranny. Beam is loose, but still trying to remove. I read Warlocks post and will try to move tranny left, but it didn't really seem like it wanted to move. I just put the 18 mm wrench on the nut and was able to turn the whole thing and the wrench rested against the tailshaft housing of the tranny and held while I broke the thing loose. Wasn't really too bad, but beam and everything within 3ft on mine is covered in about an inch of nasty grimy greasy oily mess. 
That's step 2 of my current job, cleaning up the mess others made. Good Luck
That's step 2 of my current job, cleaning up the mess others made. Good Luck
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 7,331
Likes: 518
From: Admit Nothing, Deny Everything, Make Counter Accusations.
Remove air cleaner & dist cap. Remove drive shaft & then allow the transmission to hang as low as possible. This should give you enough play in between the transmission and the beam to allow you to shove a big pry bar in between the two. While holding the beam off the trans with the pry bar raise the trans. The beam should come off. This is how the beam comes off the C4 4+3 and I have to assume to same will work with the 700R4.
See here:
http://www.rbartick.com/vetwork/clutch.html
--rb--
[This message has been edited by rbartick (edited 07-24-2001).]
See here:
http://www.rbartick.com/vetwork/clutch.html
--rb--
[This message has been edited by rbartick (edited 07-24-2001).]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 7,331
Likes: 518
From: Admit Nothing, Deny Everything, Make Counter Accusations.
>I'm also impressed with
>the camera...Digital?
The clutch pictures were taken with a Nikon CoolPix 800. I resized the pictures for Web display using PaintShop Pro. The CP800 does a pretty good job with quick snapshots and web stuff.
For serious pictures I use a Nikon F100 film camera with a Nikon SB-28 flash. I have more Nikon lenses than my wife knows about :-)
Here is a good picture of my 85 shot with the Nikon F100, Nikon 50mm F1.4D lens, Kodak E100VS Pro slide film, scanned on an HP slide scanner. The scan was 3200x2200, but I resized it and compressed it heavily for Web display. The original scan looks worlds better than this Web version.
http://www.rbartick.com/vetwork/pics/r134a_3.jpg
--rb--
[This message has been edited by rbartick (edited 07-24-2001).]
>the camera...Digital?
The clutch pictures were taken with a Nikon CoolPix 800. I resized the pictures for Web display using PaintShop Pro. The CP800 does a pretty good job with quick snapshots and web stuff.
For serious pictures I use a Nikon F100 film camera with a Nikon SB-28 flash. I have more Nikon lenses than my wife knows about :-)
Here is a good picture of my 85 shot with the Nikon F100, Nikon 50mm F1.4D lens, Kodak E100VS Pro slide film, scanned on an HP slide scanner. The scan was 3200x2200, but I resized it and compressed it heavily for Web display. The original scan looks worlds better than this Web version.
http://www.rbartick.com/vetwork/pics/r134a_3.jpg
--rb--
[This message has been edited by rbartick (edited 07-24-2001).]
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 7,331
Likes: 518
From: Admit Nothing, Deny Everything, Make Counter Accusations.
Your focusing distance is based upon the design of your lens. Two of my Nikon 35mm lenses can focus razor sharp down to about 5 inches. The CP800 digicam has a "Macro" mode that can focus down to about 5 inches as well. This is starting to go off topic. Send me a private email if you need more info.
--rb--
--rb--
Pro
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 595
Likes: 9
I think I did my 88 4+3 rear nuts with a 7/8 stubby wrench(?), even though I'm sure it was metric. That beam doesn't come out easy, I think I wound up unbolting the trans and starting it out or turning it to get the thing to move, there just isn't enough room... I notched the back of mine to make it easier to get back up and just in case I have to do the job again. I know a transmission guy who claims to have done a bunch of them and SWEARS that the thing will fall right out and clunk you in the head if you get it just right... but I did hoola-hoops with the thing and no knots on my noggen... I think GM built the car around the beam to tell you the truth...
Good Luck!
Good Luck!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 927
Likes: 0
From: Saginaw TX
I finally got the beam out of mine the other day. I was able to put a short piece of 2x4 between tunnel and tranny and got just enough movement to get the beam out. Got it cleaned up and, yes I know is hidden under the car, but that nice big piece of aluminum would look bitchin' all polished up. 
Pro
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 686
Likes: 0
From: Crystal Lake, IL USA
I know a transmission guy who claims to have done a bunch of them and SWEARS that the thing will fall right out and clunk you in the head if you get it just right
It was WAY easier the second time I did it. There's a multiple step sequence to it - pry this way, THEN push that way, THEN slide forward, THEN pry the other way, etc. Kind of like one of those Oriental puzzles... At the very end it *did* just miss my head, though.
It was WAY easier the second time I did it. There's a multiple step sequence to it - pry this way, THEN push that way, THEN slide forward, THEN pry the other way, etc. Kind of like one of those Oriental puzzles... At the very end it *did* just miss my head, though.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 6,252
Likes: 2
From: Silicon Valley Kalifornia
I've done this too may times and everytime I remove that C beam it frustrates me very much! Anyway, AFTER, when you are ready too install the beam don't forget to apply silicone sealant between the mating surfaces of the tranny and beam; beam and differential. Road salt, among other things will corrode the aluminum.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 14,130
Likes: 7
Cruise-In II Veteran
Im so glad I bought the support beam brackets..after I first took off the bolts and top nuts, which was a PITA to do, the support beam brackets now enabled me to install the lower bolts and not need a wrench anymore on top.
The new factory sized nuts are inside a welded box SS bracket that mounts on top of the beam and if I should need to remove again, only need to drop the lower bolts as they are with no fighting a wrench to keep it up there...theres barely enogh room as it is.
I cant imagine putting the SOB's back on there while holding the nuts on top..
It was bad enough to get them off.
Do-able but a PITA on your back on a garage floor with the car on jack stands.
Good Luck and hope you get everything back together easily.
