after installing the oil cooler, it was time to start working on the transmission.
removed the rear bumper and exhaust.
removed the diagonal plate and support bars.
disconnected sway bar and axles and set aside.
disconnected the clutch slave cylinder and electric plug for reverse switch
lowered the car, and removed top bolt of transmission.
i had some problem to fit a large brake bar to release this bolt.
i manage to take it out, but i'm sure i'm going to have an issue to fit my torque wrench, when time comes to assemble the transmission.
will appreciate any suggestion of how to do it.
when the bolt was out, i noticed someone marked it with the number 4.
so the transmission was removed in the past, but i'm not sure for what purpose.
the previous owner (that is also my boss now) told me that the transmission was never removed while he owned the car. he bought the car with 55K miles and sold it to me 5 years later with 74K. he never did anything to the car except oil change every 5k, and one set of tires.
i guess the transmission was removed during the first ownership (i'm the third owner) but since i don't have any records, i cannot tell what was done.
when the top bolt is out, i mounted the engine bar.
i also covered the intake inlets with Nitrile Gloves to prevent little frogs from jumping in (from some reason they like to hang out in my garage).
raised the car back, and removed the rest of the transmission bolts.
mounted the bolts on a cardboard (courtesy of Wayne ) made by my wife.
at this point i was ready to call it a day.
this is a picture of my "shop" before closing
