The Alligator Wins

Finally the weekend is here.  My goal this weekend was to remove the transmission and possibly pull the engine out of the engine compartment.   Initially I supported the engine with my chain hoist, and then lowered it back down onto the engine mounts.  Knowing that it was secure, I then began the removal of the nine E12/E14 Torx bolts that held the housing to the motor.  The trick for me was to understand that the starter is held onto the engine with two nuts that share the same Torx bolts that holds the transmission to the engine.  Thus, you can turn the nuts from underneath the car all you want, but without a backing wrench holding the nut in the engine compartment, the Torx nut will never come out.  I should have removed the starter before going under the car.

                    Picture shows top right aspect of engine where starter was finally removed.

The job would not have been possible without a 20” extension on my 3/8 socket wrench.   I was also concerned that the transmission might suddenly disengage and fall to the floor, so I adjusted the crossbar on the pallet rack so that it was about an inch below the transmission. I then raised my floor jack under the tail of the transmission with the wheels aligned parallel to the car so that I could pull on the transmission and have the wheels travel along with the movement.   It was like wrestling with an alligator, with me on my back with my feet pushing against the car frame.   It would not come off!! I tried raising and lowering both the engine and the transmission to support the weight and adjust the angle between the engine and the transmission.  I inserted a screwdriver(s) to pry it loose, and although there was eventually about an inch clearance separating the transmission from the engine, it would not come off!!  I assumed that the splines of the transmission were binding and I needed to have the correct orientation to slide the transmission out.  I started working at 9:00 pm and finally threw in the towel at 4:30 am!!   The alligator won tonight.