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Do I need to drain the transmission to take engine and transmission out?

1K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  dumbestone 
#1 · (Edited)
I'm having a lot of trouble with the drain and fill plugs on the transmission. Is it safe to remove the engine + transmission without draining it or will everything come leaking out? I've been spraying them with PB blaster but I'm pretty sure they've never been removed because they had like white paste around the threads. I might just get a 5 speed.
 
#2 ·
Someone else can correct me if I am wrong, but I believe it is to your benefit to drain. The oil from the motor will come leaking out the back. The slightest tip and the fluid seems to spill. Check the lower right of the photo I have included. That is a motor+trans pull where they didn't drain it. Be careful pulling the bolts, you don't want to break the bolts. Thats a pain. Tranny oil leaks as well.

 
#3 ·
The plugs can be a real pain. Nissan sealed them with super-duper sealant. Heat works to soften it up. A heat gun or a torch. No need to get red hot, you just need to make it very warm. Also, get a tool that fits the hole tightly. Don't strip it out or you'll be very sorry. It seems like it's a 1/2" drive size, but it's actually not. You might make a 1/2" drive work, with heat, but if it starts to slip, stop.
 
#5 ·
Is this a square hole with a taper to the sides as it goes inward or a true square hole?
In either case I would anally clean up the inside of the hole with a Dremel to eliminate any high spots that might keep the "socket" or square drive from going in as far as possible to get the most "grip".

Buying or making a special "socket" might also help, i.e.
http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/tools/ts204.htm
 
#7 ·
It's a 1/2" square drive hole to remove it.
The magic number for heat is 300F and the sealant breaks down.

Replace the sealant with Loctite PST 567, in clean dry threads. Turn the plug in FINGER TIGHT, THEN NO MORE THAN 180 DEGREES (1/2 a turn) more and let the sealant cure.

It will not leak.
You will easily be able to remove it later to check the fluid level.
 
#10 ·
Even if you drain the transmission first, it tends to leak **** from both ends as you remove it. I recommend that you go to the concrete department at home depot and buy a big black plastic concrete mixing pan. These are a high-sided pan that is big enough to drop the entire transmission into and sturdy enough to drag around on the garage floor with the transmission still inside.
 
#11 ·
I don't think I'll be able to drain the transmission before removing the engine. I ended up rounding one of the square holes, probably because my cheapy 1/2 breaker bar has rounded corners. (Lesson learned).

If I tape and plastic bag the rear of the transmission will be good enough to prevent it from leaking? I could also try to let it drain a bit after I raise the engine slightly.

I might end up giving the transmission away as the "notches"/"gates" for each gear feel very worn/soft compared another Z I tried where you can tell each gate feels more defined.
 
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