Transmission Replacement

Transmission Replacement (5.3L Engine w/RPO HP2)
^ Tools Required
- J 21366 Converter Holding Strap

Caution: To reduce the risk of severe shock and burns, always treat the 3-phase cable and connectors as if voltage is present and as if the surface of all parts of the cable is hot.

Caution: To reduce the risk of severe shock and burns, always disconnect the 42 volt (42V) energy storage box (ESB) before doing any work to the ESB system. To disconnect the ESB, turn the engine off and turn OFF the service disconnect switch, which is located on the passenger side of the ESB.

Removal Procedure





1. Disconnect the energy storage box (ESB).
2. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
3. Remove the intake manifold.
4. Remove the 3-phase cable bracket cover bolt (1).





5. Remove the starter/generator control module (SGCM) cover bolts and cover.
6. Remove the 3-phase cable nuts.
7. Remove the 3-phase cable from the SGCM studs.





8. From under the hood, remove the transmission fill tube bolt. Reposition the fill tube.
9. Drain the cooling system and engine block.





10. Raise and suitably support the vehicle. Refer to Lifting and Jacking the Vehicle.
11. Drain the transmission fluid.
12. Remove the transfer case, if equipped.
13. Remove the rear propeller shaft, if vehicle is a 2-wheel drive (2WD).





14. If vehicle is a 2WD, support the engine with a suitable adjustable jack.

Important: If the vehicle is a 2WD, it is necessary to remove the crossbar, in order to remove the transmission.

15. If vehicle is a 2WD, remove the crossbar bolts and bar.





16. Support the transmission with a transmission jack.
17. Remove the transmission mount nuts.





18. Remove the transmission support bolts and nuts.
19. Raise the transmission slightly and remove the transmission support.
20. Remove the catalytic converter.
21. Lower the transmission slightly, in order to gain access to the top of the transmission.





22. Remove the transmission heat shield bolts and shield.





23. Remove the connector position assurance (CPA) retainer.
24. Disconnect the park/neutral position (PNP) switch electrical connector (2).





25. Disconnect the transmission harness 20-way connector (1) from the internal harness pass-through connector. Depress both tabs on the connector and pull straight up; do not pry the connector.
26. If vehicle is a 2WD, disconnect the vehicle speed sensor (VSS) (2).





27. Remove the bolt that secures the fuel line bracket to the left side of the transmission.
28. Reposition the harness out of the way.





29. Disconnect the range selector cable end (2) from the transmission range selector lever ball stud (1).





30. Remove the transmission range selector cable bracket bolts (1).
31. Reposition the selector cable bracket (2) and cable out of the way.





32. Remove the driver side exhaust heat shield nuts (2).
33. Remove the driver side exhaust heat shield (1).





34. Remove the thermal bypass hose bolt.

Important: Ensure that the O-ring seal is removed with the hose.

35. Reposition the thermal bypass hose clamp.
36. Remove the thermal bypass hose from the fitting.





37. Remove the coolant inlet pipe to stator bolt (4).
38. Reposition the inlet pipe (3) out of the way.





39. Remove the driver side closeout cover bolt and cover.





40. Remove the passenger side closeout cover bolt and cover.





41. Remove the engine shield bolts and shield, if necessary.





42. Remove the torque converter bolts.

Important: It is highly recommended to use a 3/8 inch, 6 point shallow thin wall socket and a wobble extension to loosen the torque converter bolts and a 8 mm ball end hex key to remove the bolts in order to prevent possibly stripping the bolts.






43. Disconnect the transmission oil cooler lines from the transmission.
44. Plug the transmission oil cooler lines and fittings.





45. Lower the transmission, in order to access the 3-phase cable cover.
46. Remove the 3-phase cable cover nuts (3).
47. Remove the 3-phase cable nuts (4).
48. Remove the 3-phase cable from the stator studs.
49. Position the 3-phase cable up and out of the way, in order to access the fill tube bolt.





50. Remove the fuel line bracket nut and bracket from the upper left bellhousing stud.
51. Remove the transmission vent hose bracket nut and bracket from the top bellhousing stud.
52. Remove the vent hose from the transmission.





53. Remove the transmission studs (1) and bolts (2) to the engine.





54. Remove the transmission nuts to the engine.
55. Pull the transmission straight back in order to disengage the torque converter.
56. Once the transmission is pulled back far enough, install J 21366 onto the bell housing in order to retain the torque converter.
57. Once the transmission is far enough back, remove the driver side stator stud.
58. Remove the transmission from the vehicle while simultaneously removing the fluid level indicator tube.
59. Flush the transmission oil cooler and cooling lines if necessary.

Installation Procedure





1. Install the transmission to the vehicle while simultaneously installing the fluid level indicator tube.

2. Once the transmission is half way installed, install the driver side stator stud.
^ Tighten the stud to 16 Nm (12 ft. lbs.).

Notice: Refer to Fastener Notice in Service Precautions.

3. Once the transmission is half way installed, remove J 21366 from the bellhousing.
4. Slide the transmission forward in order to engage the torque converter.
5. Install the transmission nuts to the engine.
^ Tighten the nuts to 12 Nm (106 inch lbs.).





6. Install the transmission studs (1) and bolts (2) to the engine.
^ Tighten the bolts and studs to 50 Nm (37 ft. lbs.).





7. Install the vent hose to the transmission.
8. Install the transmission vent hose bracket and nut to the top bellhousing stud.
^ Tighten the nut to 12 Nm (106 inch lbs.).
9. Install the fuel line bracket and nut to the upper left bellhousing stud.
^ Tighten the nut to 12 Nm (106 inch lbs.).





10. Position the 3-phase cable to the stator studs.
11. Install the 3-phase cable nuts (4).
1. Tighten the nuts a first pass to 14 Nm (10 ft. lbs.).
2. Tighten the nuts a final pass to 14 Nm (10 ft. lbs.).

12. Install the 3-phase cable cover and nuts (3).
^ Tighten the nuts to 9 Nm (80 inch lbs.).

Important: The 3-phase cable cover studs may have a tendency to spread apart when the nuts are torqued. Once they have spread apart, they may not align with the holes in the cover. The studs can be realigned by squeezing them together at the tips. Each stud has a hex on the tip end where a tool cane be place without damaging the threads.

13. Raise the transmission to a level position.





14. Remove the torque converter access plug.
15. Rotate the torque converter in order to align the converter bolt holes with the flexplate holes.





16. Install the torque converter bolts.
^ Tighten the bolts to 60 Nm (44 ft. lbs.).

Important: It is highly recommended to use a 8 mm ball end hex key to install and hand tighten the torque converter bolts, then a 3/8 inch, 6 point shallow thin wall socket and a wobble extension to torque the torque converter bolts in order to prevent possibly stripping the bolts.






17. Install the torque converter access plug.





18. Install the engine shield and bolts, if necessary.
^ Tighten the bolt to 20 Nm (15 ft. lbs.).





19. Install the passenger side closeout cover and bolt.
^ Tighten the bolt to 12 Nm (106 inch lbs.).





20. Install the driver side closeout cover and bolt.
^ Tighten the bolt to 12 Nm (106 inch lbs.).





21. Position the inlet pipe (3) to the stator.
22. Install the coolant inlet pipe to stator bolt (4).
^ Tighten the bolt to 9 Nm (80 inch lbs.).





23. Install the thermal bypass hose to the fitting.
24. Position the thermal bypass hose clamp.

Important: Ensure that there is a O-ring seal on the bypass hose end that attaches to the transmission.

25. Install the thermal bypass hose bolt.
^ Tighten the bolt to 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.).





26. Install the driver side exhaust heat shield (1).
27. Install the driver side exhaust heat shield nuts (2).
^ Tighten the nuts to 9 Nm (80 inch lbs.).





28. Position the selector cable bracket (2) and cable.
29. Install the transmission range selector cable bracket bolts (1).
^ Tighten the bolts to 25 Nm (18 ft. lbs.).





30. Connect the range selector cable end (2) to the transmission range selector lever ball stud (1).





31. Position the harness to the transmission.
32. Install the bolt that secures the fuel line bracket to the left side of the transmission.
^ Tighten the bolt to 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.).





33. If vehicle is a 2WD, connect the VSS (2).
34. Connect the transmission harness 20-way connector (1) to the internal harness pass-through connector.





35. Connect the PNP switch electrical connector (2).
36. Install the CPA retainer.





37. Install the transmission heat shield and bolts.
^ Tighten the bolts to 17 Nm (13 ft. lbs.).





38. Raise the transmission slightly.
39. Install the catalytic converter.
40. Install the transmission support.
41. Install the transmission support bolts and nuts.
^ Tighten the bolts to 70 Nm (50 ft. lbs.).
42. Lower the transmission onto the support.





43. Install the transmission mount nuts.
^ Tighten the nuts to 40 Nm (29 ft. lbs.).
44. Remove the support from the transmission.





45. If vehicle is a 2WD, remove the support from the engine.
46. If vehicle is a 2WD, install the crossbar bolts and bar.
^ Tighten the bolts to 100 Nm (74 ft. lbs.).
47. If vehicle is a 2WD, install the rear propeller shaft.





48. Remove the plugs from the transmission oil cooler lines and fittings.
49. Connect the transmission oil cooler lines to the transmission.





50. Install the transfer case, if equipped.





51. From under the hood, Position the fill tube. install the fill tube bolt.
^ Tighten the bolt to 18 Nm (13 ft. lbs.).





52. Install the 3-phase cable to the SGCM studs.
53. Install the 3-phase cable nuts.
^ Tighten the nuts to 15 Nm (11 ft. lbs.).
54. Install the SGCM cover and bolts.
^ Tighten the bolts to 9 Nm (80 inch lbs.).





55. Install the 3-phase cable bracket cover bolt (1).
^ Tighten the bolt to 9 Nm (80 inch lbs.).
56. Install the intake manifold.
57. Connect the negative battery cable.
58. Refill the cooling system and engine block.
59. Connect the ESB.
60. Fill the transmission to the correct capacity using DEXRON(r) III transmission fluid.