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. Remove air induction system.





3. Disconnect negative battery cable from battery.
4. Disconnect positive battery cable from battery
5. Remove hold-down retaining nut and screw, and lift off battery hold-down retainer.
6. Lift the battery of vehicle, and place in a safe location.





7. Remove battery tray bolts and tray.

IMPORTANT: One bolt is located in the fender well.





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





10. Disconnect all electrical connectors from transaxle.
a. Back-up light switch.
b. Vehicle speed sensor.
c. Two ground terminals from top two clutch housing bolts.
11. Remove vent tube retaining clip.





12. Remove top two clutch housing-to-engine bolts. (Automatic shown, manual similar.)





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

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

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





16. Remove shifter cables from shift arms and from clutch housing. Use care not to damage cable boot.





17. Rotate clutch slave cylinder 1/4 turn counterclockwise while pushing into clutch housing. Remove cylinder from housing.

IMPORTANT: Prior to removing the slave cylinder from the clutch housing, make sure that the clutch hydraulic system has sufficient fluid. Refer to the "Clutch Hydraulic Fluid Check."

18. Remove two clutch hydraulic dampener to clutch housing fasteners. Wire the actuator cylinder and the dampener to the upper radiator hose.

NOTICE: Removal of the hydraulic damper with a power tool prior to removal of the actuator could result in breaking off the hydraulic line.





19. Wire the radiator to the upper radiator support to hold the radiator in place when cradle is removed.





20. Install engine support bar assembly SA910SE.

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.





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.

21. Raise vehicle and drain transaxle fluid.





22. Remove front road wheels.
23. Remove left and right front inner fender splash shields.





24. For coupes, remove left and right lower fascia to cradle brace.





25. Remove front engine splash shield from vehicle.





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





27. Remove transaxle mount-to-cradle fastener.





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





29. Remove front exhaust pipe-to-catalytic converter fasteners.





30. Remove exhaust pipe support bracket-to-exhaust pipe fasteners.
31. Remove front exhaust pipe from vehicle.





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





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





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





36. Remove dust cover to clutch housing bolts and remove dust cover.





37. Remove cotter pin from lower ball joints and discard. Loosen nut and back off until top of nut is even with top of threads.
38. 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.

39. Separate ball joint from lower control arm using tool SA9132S and remove nut.
40. 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.

41. Separate left side axle from transaxle using a large screwdriver or appropriate pry bar.
42. Remove axle only part way and install axle seal protector SA91112T 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.
43. Separate right side axle from intermediate shaft.
44. Remove intake bracket to intermediate shaft support bolt, and remove support bracket.
45. Remove two intermediate shaft to engine block bolts.
46. Carefully slide intermediate shaft out of transaxle.





47. 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.





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





49. Support transaxle securely with jack.
50. Remove two bottom clutch housing to engine bolts, and install guide bolt into bottom rear clutch housing bolt hole.
51. Separate transaxle from engine and lower transaxle.