[enkeivette]

Look at how itty bitty it is. I wish it had cheeks so that I could pinch them. I brought this home in the Vette today, cuz that's how I roll. It's surprisingly heavy though, 60lbs maybe? But... this transaxle will cease to be cute if I drop it on my face while I'm under the car.



Plan to drop the transmission tomorrow, depending on how smoothly it goes, I might get the new one in also. Feel free to stop by Sean or whoever if you want to check it out.

I'll be sure to post pics on this thread.

[enkeivette]

Also, this one is from a later year, so it has the better overdrive ratio and the lower (numerical) final drive ratio. Should cut a bunch of rpm off on the freeway.

[enkeivette]

Step 1, remove stuff! (Remove the brake caliper and the wheel.) The caliper needs to slide out from the bottom on the drivers side, from the top on the pass side.

Step 2, remove more stuff! (Unbolt the McPherson strut from the steering knuckle) Remove the axle nut (center of the rotor/ 32mm). You may need to loosen the sway bar to push the lower control arm down in order to remove the end of the axle from the knuckle.



Step 3, pry the axle from the case, stick the pry bar between the casing and the metal sleeve on the axle, do not pull the axle at the end, that may damage the CV joint.



Step 4, remove the most intelligently designed battery box in the entire world. It is held in by 9 bolts and yes, it has a ram air cooling duct... for the battery. Too bad Dodge didn't use this sort of engineering to design their transmissions and engines.



Step 5, remove the two mounts, the starter, the stupid bobble (trans shock), and the motor to trans brace.



Step 6, remove the shifter cable mount and the clutch cable. There's a plastic cover on the casing that will pop off and allow you access to the clutch cable. (No need to pull the clutch fork back on this trans)

Step 7, unbolt the trans and slide it off! Out with the old.





Step 8, in with the not as old.




Note: If this took you longer than 4 hours, and if you needed any sort of instruction manual... you're not as cool as me. This procedure will likely be similar for 2nd gen Neons and SOHC motors, seeing as how they use the same trans. Post Feb 2000 you'll have to deal with a hyd clutch.

While I'm in here I'm going to see if I can get those coil overs to work, and also I'm going to cut up the battery box getting rid of the cooling ducts so that I can do some sort of ram air setup for this motor. Also I'm going to replace that stupid bobble with something solid.

[enkeivette]

Also, I'll probably fill the trans mounts with urethane. If anyone cares to know how to do this let me know, and I'll post pics.

[SeanPlunk]

I'd be interested in seeing pics. I wish I could have come over, but work got in the way

[enkeivette]

Originally Posted by SeanPlunk

I'd be interested in seeing pics. I wish I could have come over, but work got in the way

You must have passed over the 3rd post.

[SeanPlunk]

Originally Posted by enkeivette

You must have passed over the 3rd post.

Que? I thought you were describing doing the job? Have you already done it?

[Vettezuki]

Originally Posted by SeanPlunk

Que? I thought you were describing doing the job? Have you already done it?

He's got lots of pics, but they're linked from a host that is probably blocked at your work, so you don't see them, only the explanations.

[SeanPlunk]

Originally Posted by Vettezuki

He's got lots of pics, but they're linked from a host that is probably blocked at your work, so you don't see them, only the explanations.

LOL, exactly. Sorry Enkei.

[enkeivette]

Neon works again. And now it's FOR SALE.

Although I've gotta say, I'm diggin this new transmission. It was from a later year and it has the higher final drive and the bigger overdrive. Haven't taken it on the highway yet, but it was around 2500rpm at 70mph. I used to cruise at 4Krpm at 80mph. So yeah... big difference. Curious to see how much the gas mileage will go up. Probably not much in the city, but it should be a surprising difference on the highway.