R&R My E350 Auto Trans in My Driveway? Advised?

[warmblood58]

Time to replace my e40d transmission - one quote called for 8 hours, really? My question is if I have the right trans floor jack, can I do this myself easy enough with a helper -just does not seem all that complicated - am I missing something? Has anyone pulled their auto trans lately? This is for a '94 E350 IDI Van -thanks guys!

 

[icanfixall]

I removed and installed my E4OD alone and what a problem that was. You need the truck off the ground about 30 inches to be sure you can roll the trans out and back in. Problem is most floor jacks only lift to 17 inches. When I was 28 inches up at the frame rail I tilted the trans under behind the rear of the drivers side tire. Then the jack barley got enough lift to match up to the engine. Just a note... Your engine needs to be supported too but not by the bottom of the oil pan. That will dent it and the suction from the oil pump is only about 1/8 inch from the pan. Block it up from the pan rails where the bolts are that connect it to the block. For ease of getting to the top bellhousing bolts the engine and trans can be lowered some. Maybe about 4 inches measured at the back of the trans. BTW that trans weighs around 350 lbs so there is no way you can drop it by hand or man handle it back up in place. Also don't try to take it off the trans jack while it under the truck or van. You just can't lift it back up on the jack plate. Drain all the fluid too or it will pour out the tail shaft when you remove the drive shaft... Been there too.... What a mess that made before I got the yoke back in the trans.....

 

[warmblood58]

I removed and installed my E4OD alone and what a problem that was. You need the truck off the ground about 30 inches to be sure you can roll the trans out and back in. Problem is most floor jacks only lift to 17 inches. When I was 28 inches up at the frame rail I tilted the trans under behind the rear of the drivers side tire. Then the jack barley got enough lift to match up to the engine. Just a note... Your engine needs to be supported too but not by the bottom of the oil pan. That will dent it and the suction from the oil pump is only about 1/8 inch from the pan. Block it up from the pan rails where the bolts are that connect it to the block. For ease of getting to the top bellhousing bolts the engine and trans can be lowered some. Maybe about 4 inches measured at the back of the trans. BTW that trans weighs around 350 lbs so there is no way you can drop it by hand or man handle it back up in place. Also don't try to take it off the trans jack while it under the truck or van. You just can't lift it back up on the jack plate. Drain all the fluid too or it will pour out the tail shaft when you remove the drive shaft... Been there too.... What a mess that made before I got the yoke back in the trans.....

Thank you, helpful advice! How many hours did it take and how long do you think a shop with a lift should take - 8 hours seemed a bit long!

 

[idi_econoline]

Well, Warmblood, the last time our fleet mechanic & I talked about labor for a dropping a trans on our E350s, he, too, used the magic 8 hour figure.

I think it was because of our drivers' tendency to chew ring gears. FWIW

 

[itsacrazyasian]

8 hours would be book time. With a good transmission jack, i can do them on a lift in about 4 hours start to finish.
Doing it on the ground? Can be done. In my younger days when i had a F350 dually, i bought a transmission jack adapter from harbor freight to attach to my floor jack. Put two ratcheting straps around the transmission and did it myself in the driveway. needed a 2nd floorjack to jack the side of the truck up high enough to get the trans out. Will i do it that way again? probably not. i work standing upright. playtime is horizontal.

 

[riotwarrior]

If you can afford to or manage to rent a proper transmission jack, then this job won't be too bad. 8 hours driveway...more like 10-12 I would do this without hesitation.

It is pretty basic actually, just large and cumbersome.

In a van it's likely a little more complicated than a PU. That's ok

Make sure you got all your jacks, yes JACKS, jack stands, drain pans, and tools, and then GO FOR IT.

My trans jack will lift to 24" max..so I'd have to deal with that somehow....so check your jack lift ability as Gary and others suggest.

.

 

[GenLightening]

The van has the doghouse, which will make it a little easier to get to all the bolts. You may be able to use ramps to get the front or rear high enough for the trans to come out, depends on the ramps and the tires you're running. Is your driveway level or sloped? If sloped, good luck. Like posted before, it's heavy!

 

[Wyreth]

I got to the point I could have the c6 out, then back into my 250 in six hours in my driveway.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Look here, nothing to it. OH YEAH. Slopeing driveway, forget it, flat driveway, maybe. Out/In/Rebuild time, four days. Then how you gonna hang it for rebuild? SEE BELOW "YOU SAID WHAT?"

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[warmblood58]

I got to the point I could have the c6 out, then back into my 250 in six hours in my driveway.

Feeling better already!

 

[idi_econoline]

Hey, Warmblood. I do have a 24" trans jack I'd gladly lend, but I'm like 50 miles away.

That height works fine on my van, but, then, I have a B&M deep pan under my E4OD. I put small lumber on the jack, not to gives me more reach, but I don't want to stress the casting. Spreads the load a bit.

 

[IDIDieselJohn]

It took me about half an hour to drop the C6 out of my motorhome with a regular floor jack.


I had it backed up on big ramps, I rolled my jack under it, with a block of 6x6 on it, and a sheet of plywood screwed on it, and the 6x6 was held to the jack was wire mesh, unbolted the tranny and TC, lowered on jack as low as it goes, then I couldn't roll it from underneath the camper, so I put an old pillow on the ground, and dropped the tranny on that, and slided it from the side by hand.



Easier said than done, but yea, half hour to drop it, and about 45min to put it back in when rebuilt.


But the C6 only weighs half of the E40D.....


Engine didn't even need support after removing the tranny! I did put a piece of 2x4 from the ground, to the back of the block to be sure though.

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[warmblood58]

Hey, Warmblood. I do have a 24" trans jack I'd gladly lend, but I'm like 50 miles away.

That height works fine on my van, but, then, I have a B&M deep pan under my E4OD. I put small lumber on the jack, not to gives me more reach, but I don't want to stress the casting. Spreads the load a bit.

Thanks for the offer - would you be interested in pulling it with me together and I would be happy to pay you for your time -nice level driveway!

 

[idi_econoline]

Sounds like fun, warmblood. Having complications with my van, though. (See "So Near but how far ThumpaThumpa thread..) PM me & we can talk timeframe.

 

[460mudsports]

Pulling a transmission in a van is cake, a truck is much harder. All the mid and upper bellhousing bolts are VERY easy to get to from inside the van with the doghouse off. The only difficulties are the mentioned lifting height of the jack versus the ground to frame clearance to get it out. I have an old mechanical transmission jack (lifts and tilts with screws, not hydraulics) and pulled the E4OD of my 95 F150 351w by myself on my flat driveway in about 2.5 to 3 hours. That is pull it in the driveway to the trans out. A van should take less time because of the easier access to the bellhousing bolts.

I had the one in my above mentioned F150 351w rebuilt last year and let the shop R&R it for me. I was there and helped get it put in and back out and in again when we heard but had not seen a crack in my flexplate. On a lift, it came out - replaced the flexplate - and back in in less than 2 hours.