Replacing a 4L60E on a 03 Yukun need help with last bolts

[drspeed2]

Hi All,

I am replacing (actually removing, rebuilding and then re-installing) my 4L60E tranny on a 2003 Yukon (4X4, SLT, 165K miles, 5.3 L).

It's almost out, all I have left to remove are the bolts between the housing and the engine. My problem is with the 2 or 3 bolts on the top side of the tranny. Can anybody advise on the best way to get to these bolts?

On my old Safari there was an easy access to the engine from inside the care, not sure if I can reach the engine bay from the inside on the Yukon, I would hate to take the whole dash out just to find out that it was no use. Any advise would be great. I basically have the transmission jack under the tranny/transfer case, and the ratchet on the bolts of the cross member.

Thanks

 

[billhilly21]

The best way is to get yourself a 2ft long extension and a swivel and hook the swivel to the end of the extension put your socket on the end of the swivel and slide it up above the tranny to them bolts. Or you can take the other route and climb up on top of the engine, and slide your ratchet and your socket down from behind the engine that way. It's a tight fit but you can get to them that way to.

 

[drspeed2]

Thanks Billhilly21,

Someone suggested a very simalar technic on another board, so I guess I'll be getting a long extension tomorrow.

I'll post a few pics once I have the tranny out and as I take it apart.

 

[billhilly21]

welcome and thats the way i always take the stubborn bolts out of trannys when im working on them in the shop. So good luck>

 

[drspeed2]

Hi billhilly21, I got a lot more tips on another forum, but sine you gave me good advise I wanted to post a followup here as well.

At the end I used a 20" and a 15" extension with a ball joint and a deep socket to get to the bolt I ran it back towards the driver side, this turned out to be rather easy.

The hardest bolt was the middle one on the passenger side, I had to use the same setup, the reason was a set of 2 rigid lines going to the back (brake or gas lines).

For the other hard to reach bolts I came in from the wheel wells using an articulated retched head monkey wrench (best set of tools I got in a while).

Now that all the bolts are out I just need to pull the tranny out. Here are some pictures of the setup I had to do to lift the car high enough to be able to work;
https://plus.google.com/photos/10866...88270973233809

Next post will be about taking the tranny out of the there, I am waiting for a friend to come over and give me hand, I figured it will be safer and easier if I am not alone trying to get it out of there.

I'll try to take some picture for anyone else attempting this for the first time.

 

[drspeed2]

Hi All,

So after a few weeks of not working on the truck, due to actual work, I am back in the shop.

All bolts are off, flywheel bolts removed, cross-member is out, and the tranny is on the tranny jack.

Problem: the tranny seems "stuck" to the engine, I am not sure how to pry them apart. I see a round hole where I could insert a tool, but is this safe? Where should hit with the hammer? Any guidance will be welcome!

thanks

 

[clkelley]

You should not have to hit it with a hammer, try adjusting the tranny jack so that you improve the angle of the tranny a bit, if the angle of the tranny and engine aren't just right the input shaft and torque converter may be in a bind causing it to be "stuck". Once the alignment is just right it should come right out.