trying to remove crossover pipe to do clutch

[Seacoast]

I'm replacing the clutch on my '04 5VZ-FE and to get at the engine-transmission bolts you apparently have to remove the crossover pipe. Fine, I got all the nuts off (and removed the front cat) and the pipe is loose, but won't come out from behind the engine.

When I remove the crossmember and start to lower the jack supporting the trans, will there then be enough room to get the pipe out?
If not, what's the trick to getting it out of the way?

I'm also wondering: the manual says to support the engine on a jack while removing the trans. Is the idea here to keep the engine from tilting forward or from tilting back? Because it's still on the motormounts so the whole thing isn't going straight down.

[PismoJoe]

Ah, you're reading the FSM.

The crossover pipe does not need to be removed. Don't know why the FSM says to.

I don't support the motor with a jack, its only tilted briefly while pulling/stabbing the trans.

[Seacoast]

I admit it, I'm a geek, I read instructions.

[PismoJoe]

Originally Posted by Seacoast

I admit it, I'm a geek, I read instructions.

Haha no harm done, maybe a little time wasted, but now you know

[RickerRicker19]

Originally Posted by Seacoast

I admit it, I'm a geek, I read instructions.

There are guys that do that???

Actually I wish I had done a little bit of reading before going after the clutch on my 3rz (yeah I know it's easy but it was my first clutch ever)

[slow_key]

ok what are these instructions you speak of?

[gregers05]

yeah dont need to remove the pipe. although it will still get in the way. it takes a bit of "fanagling" to get the bell housing past the flange on the exhaust. Thats probably the hardest part of doing the clutch, is getting it past that exhaust flange. giant pita.

[ShowStop]

Originally Posted by gregers05

yeah dont need to remove the pipe. although it will still get in the way. it takes a bit of "fanagling" to get the bell housing past the flange on the exhaust. Thats probably the hardest part of doing the clutch, is getting it past that exhaust flange. giant pita.

I've never really had an issue with the stock pipes. Aftermarket TRD pipes on the other hand make for a real PITA.

[theredhorseman]

I never had an issue with the pipes on mine either.

[gregers05]

Originally Posted by ShowStop

I've never really had an issue with the stock pipes. Aftermarket TRD pipes on the other hand make for a real PITA.

Originally Posted by theredhorseman

I never had an issue with the pipes on mine either.

hmmm. i dont have the TRD pipes or anything just plain stock.

my problem is the exhaust pipe flange hitting one of the bolt hole tabs on the bell housing. I have to have transmission angle and twist perfect for it to clear. its pretty frustrating.

[MarioMX17]

Without question, it's frustrating. It's possible though. I removed my transmission without removing the exhaust as well.

[BertMcGert]

It can be done. You can also leave the crossmember in while doing so, i jack it up, take the mount off the trans and crossmember, it takes a little bit of wrangling around to get the trans to clear the pipe, but it can be done, then you can rest the trans on top of the crossmember after you push it back from the engine and have enough room to change the clutch, remember to secure the trans with a couple of ratchet straps so it doesnt fall on you.

[Seacoast]

Yeah, I was thinking about leaving the crossmember in but I don't know if that will work with my jack. Maybe if I set the jack farther forward on the trans.

I'll be separating the engine/trans tonight if it doesn't rain and I'm still debating removing the transfer case... but how the hell do you reach the top two bolts to do that?

[BertMcGert]

a 3 foot extension and a wobbly socket, i go from behind the transfer case, you can use a shorter extension, but its a bit less ergonomic, especially if you are laying on your back, for the top to engine to trans bolts that is, as far as removing the transfer case, ive done 4 tacoma clutches in the last few years and never worried about it, the last one i did in my garage, i just used a good floor jack to support the trans a bit. A tranny jack definetly helps matters, if you have one take the crossmember out and and use it drop the tranny all the way out.

The best way to do it is on a lift with a tranny jack, but thats for the lucky few of us with access to such things.

I was a mechanic for a few years untill i found a job that paid way more to do way less.

[BertMcGert]

And if im not mistaken, i believe i had to twist the roll the trans assembly to the right to get it to clear, its been almost a year though, im actually going to do one for a friend of mine when i get home in a 5 or 6 days

[Seacoast]

Originally Posted by BertMcGert

a 3 foot extension and a wobbly socket, i go from behind the transfer case...

I was a mechanic for a few years untill i found a job that paid way more to do way less.

Already got the top engine-trans bolts from above, I meant the transfer case-transmission bolts. Ok, for the passenger side one I can get it with a long extension, but the drivers side? No. Just no.

I did somehow get a socket to stop camming off it by hammering on the end of the extensions, and then got the bolt loose, but there's a boss on the case right behind it such that no combination of sockets, wobblers or universal joints is going to fit as the bolt screws out. I'm going to an access notch in the floor board so I can get a box end in there from above.

I'm an engineer who makes custom equipment for the defense and public service industries where downtime is expensive and can cost lives. When something is supposed to be field-serviceable, if you can't get normal tools in there fairly easily, we put in an access panel or make some other parts removable.

I also have a job that pays more to do less, at least physically... damned if I know why I keep doing this.

[Crawler677]

Originally Posted by Seacoast

Already got the top engine-trans bolts from above, I meant the transfer case-transmission bolts. Ok, for the passenger side one I can get it with a long extension, but the drivers side? No. Just no.

I did somehow get a socket to stop camming off it by hammering on the end of the extensions, and then got the bolt loose, but there's a boss on the case right behind it such that no combination of sockets, wobblers or universal joints is going to fit as the bolt screws out. I'm going to an access notch in the floor board so I can get a box end in there from above.

I'm an engineer who makes custom equipment for the defense and public service industries where downtime is expensive and can cost lives. When something is supposed to be field-serviceable, if you can't get normal tools in there fairly easily, we put in an access panel or make some other parts removable.

I also have a job that pays more to do less, at least physically... damned if I know why I keep doing this.

A wise man once said, if you're not sure what you are doing, hide the hammer. Then I said, this probably goes for the hacksaw just as well.

[theredhorseman]

Aaah, now I see.

I do it the hard way and take down the tcase and transmission as one unit.

[BertMcGert]

When i was younger I used to have someone else take the last two bellhousing bolts out and just bench press the damn thing out, alas my shoulders dont like that anymore.

[BertMcGert]

Already got the top engine-trans bolts from above, I meant the transfer case-transmission bolts. Ok, for the passenger side one I can get it with a long extension, but the drivers side? No. Just no.


Ok i thought you meant the bellhousing bolts, if it was me, what i would do, and this is easy to say without actually looking at it in front of me, I would bolt the bellhousing back up with at least 4 bolts, take the trans crossmember out, and tilt the engine and trans assembly back as far as it would tilt without damaging anything in the engine bay, if the motor mounts prevent it from tilting back as far as you would like a good floor jack and a piece of 2x4 (spreads the load evenly so as not to dent the pan) on the oilpan will help persuade it to tilt a little farther, this should give you the needed amount of space ontop of the assembly to access the last bolt or two, if you put a couple of the lower bolts back in you could leave it intact while you take the top bolts out, untill you can set the whole assembly back on a level plane, that way the tcase doesnt fall on your head ( fairly good thing), ive had to do this on other vehicles, never a tacoma though, not sure if it will work but it is an idea if your dead set on pulling them seperately

[BertMcGert]

Originally Posted by Seacoast

I admit it, I'm a geek, I read instructions.

There is no reason at all to read destructions, saves you more time for later.

[Seacoast]

My access slot idea worked fine, got the transfer case off this morning, but now I can't get the trans loose. I've got all 6 bolts out, plus the starter and the sheet metal cover. Depending on the height I have the trans jacked up tp I can sometimes --just barely-- wiggle it enough to see and feel motion at the split, but not enough to slip even a blade between them. I'm moving the whole engine back and forth more than anything.

I'm not really expecting any particular advice here, I know I may just have to keep wiggling and pounding and prying (and trying this at various jack heights) all night.

[theredhorseman]

Sometimes they like to hang up on the pilot bearing a bit. You've just got to triple check that everything is disconnected from the transmission and then put a bit more grunt into it.

[Crawler677]

I just want to say...








It should come right out...

[Seacoast]

Well, it still hasn't budged.

So I've got a strap around the trans, a come-along, and a strap under the rear end to the hitch. This better work.... sure hope there isn't something I'm overlooking...

[theredhorseman]

Did the engine roll forward a bit, causing the pilot bearing to bind on the input shaft? I'd try sticking a jack under the oil pan with a block of wood as a cushion (or use a cherry picker if you have one), and see if tilting the engine back a bit helps.

[Seacoast]

No, I had a bottle jack and a block of wood under the front of the oil pan, just touching it not lifting it, and it's still at the same height.

As it is now, the whole thing is probably tipped slightly forward. with the come-along pulling from underneath the transmission, and no weight on the jack, the rear of the trans is slightly higher than normal.

(I'm glad I just removed the mount and left the crossmember in, it provides a handy height reference.)

I have a fair amount of tension applied with the come-along, but it only seems to be stretching the straps and motor mounts. I can wiggle it at all now, but I'm continuing to pry anywhere I can and pound on various spots with a little one-hand sledge to no avail.

[PismoJoe]

I bet the dowels are rusted and stuck, you need to get in there with a prybar and just keep working it loose.

Of course, sure you got all the bolts out, and triple checked that.

I have seen a pilot bearing actually get stuck on the input shaft, but you still will be able to get more movement out of it than you are describing.

[Seacoast]

Finally some progress! After a great deal of while it was under tension I've got at least 1/4" gap on both sides now, and wiggling it feels normal.

[ShowStop]

This is the reason I don't disconnect the exhaust. When the engine moves/rotates freely, it makes it way more of a pain to remove and install the trans. I want the engine to stay in place so I can angle and maneuver the transmission the way I want.