DIY Converter Swap

[4everRS]

Ok, it's really not a DIY thread, but I have a few pics. Pat made the journey up north this weekend and we swapped my TC out for an ACE rebuilt. It is quite a project and not for the faint of heart. Started the work Friday night at about 8pm and started packing up tools at about noon today (Sunday).

There was a time yesterday when we almost gave up. The god-damned bell-housing bolt behind the passenger side turbo was really frustrating.








We were able to use a friends shop, and Pat is invaluable for this. Obviously, there are guys out there (tozo) that do this all the time, but we hadn't done it before and I don't think we'd do it again. All seems to be running fine except for some slight surging under load. I think the TCU and ECU are still adapting and seems to be getting smoother the more I drive it.

[MaxRS6]

Wowza- You guys have balls of steel...

My engine/tranny is out at the moment with the turbos replacement project. However; I chose the "someone else do it" method..

Congrats on taking it on and gettin r done!

[4everRS]

Thanks Mad Max. More Pics.

Cradle out,


Flex Plate,


Bastard bolt location. It the one with the sleeve sticking out. Doesn't look tough from this angle!

[bilko1]

Nice job, i thought the turbo had to be removed to get to the bastard bolt.

[hahnmgh63]

So the question is....have you driven the car and can you tell a difference? I'm getting ready to install my TC & Tranny in over the next month (leaving in two weeks for two weeks) and hope to have it all done by early August. I've removed the SAI system and the Aux radiators. Can't wait to get it back on the road.

[V8weight]

Nice job, i thought the turbo had to be removed to get to the bastard bolt.

Moved aside more or less.

[bilko1]

Moved aside more or less.

Hey Pat, fancy a trip to the UK to show us how it's done everyone over here stills drops the whole lot.

[V8weight]

Hey Pat, fancy a trip to the UK to show us how it's done everyone over here stills drops the whole lot.

In retrospect, dropping the engine/ transmission as a module would probably be the quickest way to go. There's no turning back by the time the cradle is laying on the floor and there's one bolt left in the bell housing....

[4everRS]

In retrospect, dropping the engine/ transmission as a module would probably be the quickest way to go. There's no turning back by the time the cradle is laying on the floor and there's one bolt left in the bell housing....

I'm already having horrific flashbacks. I have an appointment with a shrink tomorrow.

[4everRS]

So the question is....have you driven the car and can you tell a difference? I'm getting ready to install my TC & Tranny in over the next month (leaving in two weeks for two weeks) and hope to have it all done by early August. I've removed the SAI system and the Aux radiators. Can't wait to get it back on the road.

Well, I can't really give you a good answer right now. I haven't driven the car enough to get the TCU and ECU to play nice. There is still a little bit of line pressure variation, and slip-grabbing of gears upon changes. I was initially pretty nervous about this, but I brought it over to a local transmission guy late this morning to get his opinion, and have him drive it. He said that it is going to take a couple hundred miles for the TCU to adapt, and the odd shifting is very normal right after installing a new TC and having the battery disconnected for an extended period.

[V8weight]

I'm already having horrific flashbacks. I have an appointment with a shrink tomorrow.

Hahaha...I was a new level of exhausted last night..the last thing I remember was the storm sirens going off...woke up this morning and there were trees down everywhere. I never batted an eye.

[4everRS]

Hahaha...I was a new level of exhausted last night..the last thing I remember was the storm sirens going off...woke up this morning and there were trees down everywhere. I never batted an eye.

Yikes, must have been the storm that went through here.

[ttboost]

Congrats. Welcome to the club....I opted to remove the whole engine/trans combo for my TC job. After doing it once (actually twice), I would never consider doing it any other way. The ONLY down side is that you have to drain more fluids...it's a pain, but WAY more room to work...and more opportunities to replace stuff...I don't recall mine having any learning time though? Ran great out of the gate?

[4everRS]

I hadn't realized that you did this job yourself Mike. No learning time huh? I assume you had your battery disconnected for the job? The more I've been driving it, it seems to be getting better.

How many quarts of ATF did yours take?

Congrats. Welcome to the club....I opted to remove the whole engine/trans combo for my TC job. After doing it once (actually twice), I would never consider doing it any other way. The ONLY down side is that you have to drain more fluids...it's a pain, but WAY more room to work...and more opportunities to replace stuff...I don't recall mine having any learning time though? Ran great out of the gate?

[hahnmgh63]

I would think about rechecking your fluid level after the T.C. replacement. Who knows if it takes some times to get all of the air out of the system if you had the tranny & TC out of the car.

[ttboost]

I hadn't realized that you did this job yourself Mike. No learning time huh? I assume you had your battery disconnected for the job? The more I've been driving it, it seems to be getting better.

How many quarts of ATF did yours take?

I think between 3-5 qts? Total pain to do. I pulled the whole motor, and yes disconnected the battery...When put it back in, I went to start it and POOF...wisp of smoke. I forgot to connect the ground wire from the chassis to the block (by the starter). That little OOPs blew a hole in my turbo coolant line...SOOOOO everything back out..fixed it and put it all back in...Been running mint since....

I would think about rechecking your fluid level after the T.C. replacement. Who knows if it takes some times to get all of the air out of the system if you had the tranny & TC out of the car.

Haven't checked it since....We couldn't push anymore n and if it's not leaking...it's still in there...

[4everRS]

I would think about rechecking your fluid level after the T.C. replacement. Who knows if it takes some times to get all of the air out of the system if you had the tranny & TC out of the car.

Thanks Mark, think I will do that. I also pm'ed tozo and he said that I am probably 1.5 quarts low.

Mike, you were able to get 3-5 quarts in the converter before install? Any idea on how much the whole system took?

Can anyone verify the capacity? 13 quarts?

[ttboost]

Thanks Mark, think I will do that. I also pm'ed tozo and he said that I am probably 1.5 quarts low.

Mike, you were able to get 3-5 quarts in the converter before install? Any idea on how much the whole system took?

Can anyone verify the capacity? 13 quarts?

I was lazy when I did this one. I did NOT put any fluid in the TC when I put it in. My guy said as long as I don't drive it, it won't hurt it. After we got it all together, got it running, we jacked it up on the lift, unscrewed the cover and started pumping fluid in. I want to say we put about 5qts in, maybe 6, probably not 4...don't really recall. If it's running and you can't put any more in, you're done. I don't think you can be low after that..unless you leak somewhere...