Help with top 2 tranny bolts on 325IS getrag 260

[mike87]

hello all, removing my first tranny ever with a buddy and got stuck on the top two bolts. i can't think of how to access them, yet people have removed the tranny without pulling the engine/whole assembly.

i'm having trouble with the top starter bolt and the top-most torx bolt. we dropped the rear transmission bracket and the assembly is resting on the crossmember. there are a lot of wires blocking the view in the engine bay.. should i remove the intake manifold and rubberhoses/wires?

at my disposal, i have a 3/8 u-joint, 24" 3/8 extension, two 6" 3/8 extensions, torx sockets, 3/8 to 1/2 converter, 1/2 breaker bar, 3/8 ratchet, and metric spanners/metric sockets


i think i have to hug the transmission to get the top-most torx bolt off, but what i'm really looking for is information on how to do the top starter motor bolt :(

any help would be appreciated. also, apologies if this was already posted somewhere on the forum, i already did a diligent search but couldn't find a lot of info. if someone could point me in the right direction, that'd also be great.

thanks!

[AndrewBird]

You have to get them from the backside (not the engine bay) and it is a major pain in the ass. Wobble extensions help. Best of luck!

[MR 325]

With the right tools, it's really easy. If you don't have the right universal joints, extensions, etc go buy them.

[SpecM]

I always can get the starter bolts from the engine bay side. Use a socket + extention on the 17mm nut running next to the block and a screwdriver wegded against the bellhousing to stop the bolt head from turning.

[Need4Speed1299]

You need like 3-4 feet of extension on 3/8 drive with one of these-


One of those you circled is a starter bolt. You need someone to hold a wrench on the nut on the other side of the bolt.

[DRTSRFR]

This is my contraption...

[b*saint]

Snappy sells Blue Point locking extention set. Get the long set.

[blocke]

It will also help if you lower the front subframe a bit, or jack up the font of the engine to tilt it down in back and give you more clearance. Depends if you are doing this on a lift, or on the ground, and if you have access to a tranny jack.

[mike87]

thanks for everyone's help in this thread:
i finally managed to get my tranny off. the top-most bolt was already loose :( so i just used my fingers and took it off. the top starter motor bolt was a B*TCH, but my tools and i got it off within a couple of hours.

new questions here:

http://r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?p=2156530

[hoveringuy]

Make sure your extensions are quality stuff. I've broken 3 so far, still haven't gotten that top bolt off!

The Torx is starting to round-off and if I can't get it tomorrow I'll need to lower the whole engine for that one damn bolt...

[riceh8r]

you can use an etorx wrench (craftsman combo) from the top to loosen the top two bolts, then use the extensions to complete. i broke several swivals, then got the impact wobble, but the wrench from the top was the lifesaver. of course my intake, head and starter were already off.