Automatic Transmission stuck on motor

[Sliduh]

My automatic s13 finally broke down on the road. I got it towed back home and I'm currently in the middle of my 5 speed swap. The bad news is I am working on it in the middle of the road due to my driveway being occupied. I got the driveshaft, center console, and starter out. I got the cross member off and removed all the bellhousing bolts. Currently I have my car lowered since it's on the street, but when I raise it up again, the rear of the transmission hangs down like it's off already, but the bellhousing side is still attached to the motor. It's not stuck on it, as I can see the torque converter and flywheel, but something is holding it back and that's what I'm stuck on. Do I need to jack the car up higher in order to remove it or something? I feel like since everything is unbolted it should slide right out. I also have a guess that the middle spline is bent or something causing all this, but I have kicked the tranny and everything but nothing seems to be working.

[Agamemnon]

Have you removed the tranny dust plate and removed the 4 bolts that attach the torque converter to the flywheel? If not you'll have to rotate the crank shaft to spin the flywheel to get all 4.

[Irresistible]

The biggest pain in the ass when removing/installing the trans is getting it in and out of the trans tunnel. You just have to twist it and tug on it in multiple directions till it finally comes out... I just changed my clutch, and everything was easy except for the fact that it kept hitting the trans tunnel on its way in and out...

[zerodameaon]

If you have all 4 bolts out of the torque converter and ALL of the bolts out of bellhousing to engine holes and you unbolt the engines mounts and tilt the motor back it will slide right out no twisting or turning required in the few cases I have had.

[Rayne]

After the you remove the torque converter bolts the transmission will come off. Be sure to unplug any sensors attached to the transmission.

[Sliduh]

That's weird because it would only make sense to pull out the tranny, THEN worry about the torque converter / flywheel etc.
But I'll try to see if I can unbolt the TC as of now and see if everything just fall off... lol.

[Sliduh]

See in the pic I posted, I was able to squeeze my hand in there and get this photo. That's the torque converter chillin, and the spline from the tranny still in it, that spline is the only thing still attached to the car.

[_kouki_monster_]

thats the same way i did mine and that spline shaft is very long. it sticks out of the bell housing a couple inches.

[ixfxi]

Originally Posted by Sliduh

The bad news is I am working on it in the middle of the road due to my driveway being occupied.

dude you're working on the STREET?

the horror

[yetijeff]

Usually u would unbolt the four tourque converter bolts and leave the it on the input shaft. It makes it very very hard to remove if u leave the torque converter bolted to the flex plate because the input shaft is so long. So instead of the tranny just having to pop off the dowel pins It has to slide out of the tq as well. Like everyone is saying there's not to much wiggle room under there. Garunteed if u undo the four tq bolts it'll drop right out. I feel your a/t pains lol I just had to man handle the tranny out of my vert this weekend. I'm fuckin hurtin lol. But I'm having the opposite problem I can't get the heavy bitch back in lol

[Sliduh]

Gotcha, so I'll try to unbolt the torque converter and see if that sucker can pop off.
And I feel you, it's basically a one man job for me right now.

[Sliduh]

Originally Posted by ixfxi

dude you're working on the STREET?

the horror

tell me about me.

[Juantwo3]

just push the tranny back in remove the T/C bolts get a pry bar and push the T/C as far into the tranny as it will go the with that same pry bar wwedge it between the motor and tranny and have somthing supporting the tranny so you dont kill your self and take it out its not hard at all. if its your first time doing somthing like this have some one help you to avoid and accident.