Transaxle Removal

CAUTION: MAKE SURE VEHICLE IS PROPERLY SUPPORTED AND SQUARELY POSITIONED ON HOIST. TO HELP AVOID PERSONAL INJURY WHEN A VEHICLE IS ON A HOIST, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE VEHICLE ON THE OPPOSITE END FROM WHICH COMPONENTS ARE BEING REMOVED.

1. Position vehicle on hoist.
2. Disconnect negative battery terminal.





3. Remove air induction system.
4. Remove air filter box.





5. Remove transaxle strut-to-midrail bracket fastener.
6. Loosen transaxle strut-to-transaxle bracket fastener and flip transaxle strut out of the way.





7. Disconnect negative battery cable from battery.
8. Disconnect positive battery cable from battery.
9. Remove hold-down retaining nut and screw, and lift off battery hold-down retainer.
10. Lift the battery out of vehicle, and place in a safe location.





11. Remove battery tray.

IMPORTANT: One bolt is located in the fender well.





12. Disconnect the following items:
a. Actuator connector
b. Vehicle speed and turbine shaft speed sensors
c. Transaxle fluid temperature sensor
d. Selector switch connectors
e. Two ground terminals from top two converter housing bolts
f. Ground wire from park/neutral and position switch.





13. Remove top two converter housing-to-engine bolts.





IMPORTANT: Note which spark plug wire is removed from which coil towers. The spark plug wires must be connected to the correct coil towers.

14. Disconnect spark plug wires from coil towers.
15. Disconnect electrical connectors at the electronic ignition module.
16. Remove bolts from electronic ignition module and remove.

IMPORTANT: Discard electronic ignition control module bolts and replace with new bolts upon installation.





17. Wire radiator to upper radiator support to hold the radiator in place as cradle is removed.
18. Install engine support bar assembly SA9105E.





IMPORTANT: The two cross bars on the engine support have two settings, one for the SOHC and one for the DOHC engine. The setting locations are marked on the bars as shown.





a. Place engine support bar in vehicle as shown. Place the support bar feet on the outer edge of the shock tower.





b. Connect bar hooks to engine support brackets.
c. Position stabilizer foot on engine block to the right of the engine oil dipstick.
d. Adjust hooks and stabilizer to remove looseness.





19. Raise vehicle and drain transaxle fluid.





20. Remove the front road wheels.





21. Remove right and left splash shields.





22. Remove front engine splash shield from vehicle. For coupes, remove left and right lower fascia braces.





23. Remove engine strut cradle bracket-to-cradle fasteners.





24. Remove transaxle mount-to-cradle fastener.





25. Remove front exhaust pipe-to-manifold fasteners.





26. Remove front exhaust pipe-to-catalytic converter fasteners.
27. Remove exhaust pipe support bracket-to-exhaust pipe fasteners.
28. Remove front exhaust pipe from vehicle.





29. Remove steering gear to cradle fasteners. (Power steering gear shown, manual steering gear similar.)
30. Support steering gear with safety wire.





31. Remove brake line bracket push pin at rear of cradle.





32. Remove engine to transaxle stiffening bracket bolts and remove bracket.





33. Remove dust cover to converter housing bolts and remove dust cover.
34. Remove torque converter-to-flywheel bolts.





35. Remove cotter pin from lower ball joints and discard. Loosen nut and back off until top of nut is even with top of threads. (Right side shown, left side opposite.)
36. Repeat for opposite side.





NOTICE: On ABS equipped vehicles, the outer CV joint has a speed sensor ring. Using the incorrect tool or procedure to separate the control arm from the knuckle can damage the ring, resulting in a loss of ABS operation.

NOTICE: Do not attempt to separate the joint using a wedge type tool because the seal may be damaged.

37. Separate ball joint from lower control arm using tool SA9132S and remove nut. (Left side shown, right side opposite.)
38. Repeat for opposite side.

IMPORTANT: It will be necessary to pull down on lower control arm to remove castle nut.





NOTICE: Do not allow screwdriver to contact axle seal or damage to the seal may occur.

39. Separate left side axle from transaxle using a large screwdriver or appropriate pry bar.
40. Remove axle only part way and install axle seal protector SA91112I: Use seal protector that was previously used or open up protector at split line and install around axle and into seal. This will protect the seal from being cut by the shaft spline.
41. Separate right side axle from intermediate shaft.
42. Remove intake bracket to intermediate shaft support bolt.
43. Remove two intermediate shaft to engine block bolts.
44. Carefully slide intermediate shaft out of transaxle.





45. Use the powertrain support dolly and two 4 in. x 4 in. x 36 in. pieces of lumber to support the cradle on the dolly.





IMPORTANT: To remove cooler lines from the transaxle squeeze plastic tabs at transaxle connector and pull the line out of connector. The plastic retainer remains on the line.

46. Disconnect transaxle cooler lines from transaxle. Use a piece of 3/8 in. rubber hose to connect the two cooler lines together. This will prevent oil from dripping and dirt from entering the line.

IMPORTANT: Prepare for a lot of fluid leakage from transaxle cooler line fittings once the lines are disconnected.





47. Remove the four cradle-to-body bolts. Carefully lower the cradle from the vehicle with the powertrain support dolly.





48. Support transaxle securely with jack.
49. Remove two bottom torque converter housing to engine bolts.
50. Separate transaxle from engine and lower transaxle.





51. Lower transaxle enough to reach transaxle shifter cable. Disconnect shifter cable from transaxle.
52. Remove shifter cable from converter housing by squeezing release tabs.
53. Lower transaxle from vehicle.