1956 Removing automatic transmission without the engine

[ron56]

Some technical notes for removing the transmission without the engine on 1956. May also apply to the 1955 and 1957.

I recently replaced the front seal on my 1956 without pulling the engine. At the time it looked easier for me to try and pull the transmission leaving the engine in place. That way I didn't need any help removing the hood and I didn't need to borrow an engine hoist. I ran into a couple of problems and maybe someone else trying this can be helped. It's seems pretty straight forward from the online instruction except one does need to be careful not to let any of the assembly to pull back while removing the tail shaft. What can happen is the thrust washers on the sun gear shaft can fall out of place. If one was removing the trans to overhaul it then this wouldn't be a problem because you would have everything lined up as it should be and then attach a brace to hold the whole assembly in place. As instructed I attached a brace after I removed the tail shaft assembly, but by then it was too late. Of course this was not discovered until I went to install the tail shaft and found I couldn't rotate the driveshaft.

Another hint that might help someone who tries this project and doesn't have a transmission jack, but does have a floor jack. What I did was to bolt a board the size of the oil pan to the jack saddle pad. I used a adjustable strap to hold the back of the trans to the board. Without the strap the trans will want to tip off because of the weight of the bell housing and the convertor. Because I was working on the car only off the ground the height of the jack stands I needed to remove the convertor and the bell housing while under the car. To control the pitch of the trans to remove and replace it I used a scissor jack on top of three 1/2 inch pipes. That way I could support and control the bell housing end and with the floor jack control the main body of the trans. The pipes allowed the whole assembly to roll with the floor jack.

As it turned out my leaking problem was not the front seal but the square rubber seal at the front pump and trans body. It looks like maybe from day one this was a problem because the pump body had been machined out of square and didn't load the rubber seal as it should. I reworked the pump body and now no leaks.

I've attached a couple of pictures one showing the trans on the jack held in place by the adjustable strap and the other showing the scissor jack and the pipes.

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[biddle]

Title shortened from "Some technical notes for removing the trans without the engine on a 1956" to "1956 Removing the transmission without the engine"

Also, try not to use slang terms like "trans". This has an impact our search feature and prevents posts from being found when people are searching.

Thanks for posting the photos!

 

[knuckle47]

This puts a whole new meaning on “necessity is the mother of invention”

Did the jack assembly, as you have it shown, work in re-installing the transmission? Appears you have so little working space while the transmission is unattached but being lifted back into position

 

[ron56]

Yes, I used the same setup to reinstall the transmission. Having a transmission jack would have been the best way for this project but the scissor jack deal actually worked good. I might have been lucky but I was surprised how easily the trans lined up to the engine using the scissor jack to control the pitch of the trans. One hint is to install the linkage before the trans is all the way up into the tunnel because that is a tight fit. Instead of a cotter pin I used a hair pin and washer.

 

[Tom Davis]

Is there a way to replace shift linkage seals without removal of transmission? Transmission has been completly rebuilt and fluid leaking at the shift linkage.

 

[74 Harley]

It should be possible, it depends on how much room you have from the transmission to the floorpan.

 

[doug7740]

Is there a way to replace shift linkage seals without removal of transmission? Transmission has been completly rebuilt and fluid leaking at the shift linkage.

Tom,

The seal(s) can be replaced with the transmission in the T-Bird - BUT - the transmission must be rotated counter clock wise (aft looking forward) about 15 degrees for the shaft to clear the floor pan when removing it from the case. Drain the transmission fluid. Unbolt the transmission from the bell housing and at the rear mount. Jack the engine/transmission up a bit and remove the rubber rear mount from the cross member. Remove the shift & kick down rods from their levers and rotate the transmission counter clock wise as noted above. Do not move the transmission to the rear - it will remain centered in the bell housing while being rotated.

Remove the pan and proceed with disassembling necessary parts to remove the shift lever shaft and the throttle shaft that is inside it from the case. BE CAREFUL NOT TO LOSE THE SMALL SHIFT DETENT BALL AS IS IT SPRING LOADED !!! The reason I mentioned seal(s) above is that there is a throttle shaft seal inside the shift lever shaft that should be replaced at the same time as the case-to-shift lever seal. The only real tricky part in reassembly is getting the detent ball to stay in place while bolting the detent lever back on the shift lever. A small piece of steel tubing will help locate and retain the ball for reassembly. If you're doing this on the ground under the T-Bird I recommend spreading an old white sheet under the transmission to be able to locate the detent ball when you drop it and trust me you will.

Good luck,

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[ShelbyGTH]

I want to remove the auto transmission on our 57 , It looks like I have a front pump seal and shift linkage seal leaking pretty good. Can I take the tail shaft housing off and then have room to remove it for repair?

 

[dmsfrr]

The cross-menber that supports the transmission in a '57 is welded in place, not like the removable ones in a '55 or '56.
In theory it may be possible but your vocabulary will be very much NSFW and the bandages on your hands & fingers may get in the way.
Any debris under the car in the transmission area should be thoroughly removed before reassembly, so it doesn't get inside.

 

[ShelbyGTH]

I have to totally sand/ scrape the block and replace sending units, pan gasket etc. water pump or whatever is leaking. So I want to pull the engine and do it on an engine stand so it comes out nice. I thought I can leave the transmission in place and do the new seals underneath. Do you think there is room to remove the transmission without disconnecting the tail shaft if the engine is out?

 

[Tom Davis]

Tom,

The seal(s) can be replaced with the transmission in the T-Bird - BUT - the transmission must be rotated counter clock wise (aft looking forward) about 15 degrees for the shaft to clear the floor pan when removing it from the case. Drain the transmission fluid. Unbolt the transmission from the bell housing and at the rear mount. Jack the engine/transmission up a bit and remove the rubber rear mount from the cross member. Remove the shift & kick down rods from their levers and rotate the transmission counter clock wise as noted above. Do not move the transmission to the rear - it will remain centered in the bell housing while being rotated.

Remove the pan and proceed with disassembling necessary parts to remove the shift lever shaft and the throttle shaft that is inside it from the case. BE CAREFUL NOT TO LOSE THE SMALL SHIFT DETENT BALL AS IS IT SPRING LOADED !!! The reason I mentioned seal(s) above is that there is a throttle shaft seal inside the shift lever shaft that should be replaced at the same time as the case-to-shift lever seal. The only real tricky part in reassembly is getting the detent ball to stay in place while bolting the detent lever back on the shift lever. A small piece of steel tubing will help locate and retain the ball for reassembly. If you're doing this on the ground under the T-Bird I recommend spreading an old white sheet under the transmission to be able to locate the detent ball when you drop it and trust me you will.

Good luck,

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

Thanks Doug for your reply. I have found if I drive the car at least once a week the leakage from the shift lever stops. I assume that letting the car sit for extended periods of time the transmission fluid drains from upper transmission cavities to the pan which then leaks from the shift lever.

 

[dmsfrr]

I have to totally sand/ scrape the block and replace sending units, pan gasket etc. water pump or whatever is leaking. So I want to pull the engine and do it on an engine stand so it comes out nice. I thought I can leave the transmission in place and do the new seals underneath. Do you think there is room to remove the transmission without disconnecting the tail shaft if the engine is out?

It's a very common procedure to remove (and re-install) the engine and transmission together, esp if you need to work on both of them anyway.
Replacing parts/seals in the transmission will be Much easier if it isn't under the car.
Realigning the trans to the engine is easier when they're both out on the floor

Tom Davis
Thanks Doug for your reply. I have found if I drive the car at least once a week the leakage from the shift lever stops. I assume that letting the car sit for extended periods of time the transmission fluid drains from upper transmission cavities to the pan which then leaks from the shift lever.

It's true.
.

 

[doug7740]

If you are removing the engine so it can be mounted to an engine stand, it's easier to remove the engine and transmission together. It doesn't make sense to leave the transmission in the car, especially if you need to work on the transmission. Also while the engine and transmission are out of the car it would be a good time to detail and paint the engine bay.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[Oldhog]

If you are removing the engine so it can be mounted to an engine stand, it's easier to remove the engine and transmission together. It doesn't make sense to leave the transmission in the car, especially if you need to work on the transmission. Also while the engine and transmission are out of the car it would be a good time to detail and paint the engine bay.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

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Thanks so much for the advice. I just wasn't sure if there was room for the engine/trans to come out together first experience on these cars. It would certainly be easier than on my back to reseal the tranny.

 

[dmsfrr]

Thanks so much for the advice. I just wasn't sure if there was room for the engine/trans to come out together first experience on these cars. It would certainly be easier than on my back to reseal the tranny.

.
It's a tight fit since they are longer than the engine compartment. It's necessary to be able to tilt the engine 'nose up' with the transmission down, so drain the fluids before lifting.

 

[Oldhog]

.
It's a tight fit since they are longer than the engine compartment. It's necessary to be able to tilt the engine 'nose up' with the transmission down, so drain the fluids before lifting.

Will do! Better to drain and capture the fluid than to gas oils on the car and mop the floor!

 

[jack-in-sac]

Is there a way to replace shift linkage seals without removal of transmission? Transmission has been completly rebuilt and fluid leaking at the shift linkage.

The seals are mounted from the inside, that requires replacement to be mad from indie the case. Many have cursed this design.

 

[odannyboy]

The info I was looking for was, where to place the engine lift points, sort of figured exhaust bolts would be strong enough to hold the engine & manual 3 speed with overdrive. I might use 4 each Unistrut flat 1/4" thick framing fittings so I can adjust the angle, or chain and shackles or lifting chain shortening links. Looks like a lot of weight WOW.
One thing I don't know how it can be done is with the large x cross member on my 55 bird, how the transmission could be installed or removed separately. I even gave thought to lifting the body off the frame.

 

[doug7740]

The exhaust bolts are strong enough to hold the engine and transmission. When I removed the engine and transmission from my Thunderbird I wrapped the chains around the exhaust manifolds. Since I sand blasted and painted the exhaust manifolds, when I reinstalled the engine and transmission, I attached the chains to the block using only the exhaust manifold bolts.





I volunteer at the Crawford Auto Museum's Restoration/Preservation Facility and in my opinion it's much easier to just remove the engine and transmission from the car. The only time that you would want to lift the body off of the frame is to perform a complete body off restoration.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue