greasemonkey

I figured I'd take as many photos as I can for those wanting to do it for the first time. Just so its as easy and straight forward as possible.

So the transmission is all back in. This time, it went in very smooth once I got the transmission bolted on. The difficult part is getting it onto the jack. I saw a video of just using wooden blocks. Somehow on my first go, I actually did this, using many small wooden blocks stacked near each other to raise the trans. However it's a poor way of doing it. Had to figure out a better solution. I realised that I had little to no spread of force and tension across the bottom of the transmission with small blocks and my jack. So I made a wooden bracket at the back and front of the transmission using some M10 bolts from wood I had lying around the garage. It worked really well. One thing to note is you need to make the bracket at the back long enough that when you stick the transmission jack under, the supports aren't blocking the path of the jack to go under the trans pan. The photos may explain this a bit better. https://imgur.com/dGBzcyY To get the height I needed, I used some big pieces of thick wood. Originally they were going to be used as car raising blocks but they've come handy for many things. You can see the support at output shaft end. Just used two existing holes to bolt it up. Used the lower mounting holes on the bellhousing for the front piece as well. You get the idea. My original piece was too narrow and I made it longer by 15cm on each side. Front of car looking back https://imgur.com/undefined THEN JUST A MATTER OF GETTING IT HIGH ENOUGH AND THEN PUTTING A WOODEN BLOCK UNDER THE PAN TO JACK IT UP. ONCE THE TRANS IS SUPPORTED BY THE JACK, MOVE THE BLOCKS AWAY. You may need to have one hand around the trans to balance it a little occassionally but it should be good if you have at least most of the support covering the back 2/3 of the transmission. This time I used some threaded rod as a guide for the two M10 holes on each side of the bell housing to help line the transmission out. Once I had all the bolts in, I puts the transmission in and it slotted straight away. TIP WITH THE TORQUE CONVERTER: As posted in this thread before by Puff, make sure the nose of the torque converter sits inside the bellhousing. I pushed the converter on and it clicked on what I thought was 3 times but it was twice as the nose was still outside. If this happens, continue spinning the transmission clockwise whilst putting some pressure as you push (doesn't have to be excessive). Eventually after 6 or 7 rotations it will just slot in again and move further back and be seated. You'll definitely know when this happens and the nose of the converter will be inside the bell housing

Thanks mate. Yep, perhaps so. The only way to check was to take the transmission oil pump apart as you said. Thanks for those ZF brochures! I found one video that detailed actually taking the oil pump apart. I just wouldn't use a screwdriver to separate the pump gears. Probably better to use a small punch that's long enough. The screwdriver took a little thread off each hole. You don't have to mark your pump gears either. They have dots for markings. Just take a photo and replicate this when you put it back together. Now waiting to see if I can get the 56mm bolt I burred and extracted. Alltranz don't have any. If it is super expensive from ZF, I'll by a stainless steel round end bolt from bunnings and cut it to size. Alltranz charge $43 for the mechatronics connector plug housing (black plastic circle on right side of transmission). Mine was still in good condition so I'll just put it back in. Sonnex sell a kit as well for the transmission bridge seal adaptor and 4 mechatronic cylinder seals. $66.

Okay, well the trans oil pump is off and gears are separated. We're fortunate as falcon owners that this gearbox was put in other cars (particularly BMWs) as there are a lot of videos in tearing them down. Some guys do full rebuilds and its actually interesting to see all the clutch packs involved. Would be fun but yet again, could be an expensive mistake. Luckily the oil pump is first off the rank in disassembly. So I had a look at my gears and tabs. I can't see any scoring, indentations or scratches on the gears or or shaft. The tabs are perfect, not a mark or indentation. They are hard pressed metal so I am surprised people bugger this up. Maybe if it isn't line up and you turn on the car it would rip in. Maybe I had them aligned but my flex plate was stuffed. I don't know. I'll paste a few pictures. These are of the shaft

I couldn't find anything with a measurement or increment in the workshop manuals for how far the ZF converter has to be back behind the bellhousing. I've been looking at a few videos relating to this as well. There is a rule that the americans use for 4L60 and 4L80 gearboxes (LS General Motor cars) with how far the torque converter should be inside the bell housing. So I got the oil pump gears assembly out. I'm guessing I undo each of the bolts (see picture below). I had a look and both tabs are in good condition. What else am I looking for once I take the bolts off? This is where I'm up to

I'm taking the oil pump out of the trans. Is it possible easily to visually inspect the oil pump once out and removed from the gearbox? When I removed the trans, the torque converter came out with the box and was on the 3rd spline. When I pulled the torque converter off, I had to get it off the same way as when I first pulled off the gearbox. That was going from the furthers notch spline, to the first. The torque converter also was spinning by hand with normal resistance. Thanks for the ZF material you posted earlier. It is making the process much easier (along with Gary Ferarro - transmission youtube star). I'll post pictures up when its out.

I thought about that. If the gears were in good condition then it wouldn't be an issue I guess. You'd have to buy the N/A box most likely which could cost more than the price of a new oil pump for the ZF26 trans. I got the gearbox off today. You get quicker after your first time. Still take more time putting it back together again. When I got the gearbox off, the converter was still in on 3rd notch. I could rotate it by hand with resistance easily. I took the trans out and took a photo On the oil pump, I still have the two black tabs which slot onto the torque converter shaft. They aren't broken off. Should I be checking the inside of the torque converter shaft as well as the oil pump???? I read on internet land you can damage the torque converter but I can't see any damage. The engine turns over fine so definitely things weren't aligned properly somehow. Also need to work out how I can create something that will give mechanical advantage to lift up a 100kg gearbox. Otherwise I'll be taking it apart on the garage floor. I can fit under their okay as I'm not a big person but its not the greatest obviously.

I asked this question and someone told me this is a possibility. I can get the pump gears and oil pump housing for the ZF for around $650. I asked the shop if they carry this often and he said not really because they usually never break. So at least I know I can get one. This video explains a tear down well on a ZF. Not the 26 but ZF19. I would only touch the oil pump and remove if I can do it with hand tools and put it back in without damaging anything else. Is it as straight forward as this (up to the oil pump removal).

OKAY. RAN INTO A PROBLEM (auto mechanics, who would have thought). So the last two weeks I've made really good progress. I managed to put the trans back and bolt it to the engine. I now am up to bolting the torque converter to the flexplate/driveplate. So I get my socket bar and rotate clockwise but nothing happens. The engine is locked. It will not rotate. What have I done? Do I need to take the transmission off again? Is the torque converter stuck? The torque converter was pushed onto the input shaft. I rotated it before installing the trans, just to see it would rotate. Frustrating as hell! Any help would get me out of this hole I think. Thanks guys. Sorry to hear Puff about your engine also. How my flex plate and torque converter sit currently

I wasn't sure if the wire wheel would be too harsh on the surfaces with the drill but if I need to do it again, I'll try it on the sump. Yeah, I used a scraper tool for the block and finished it off with scotch brite. Sump I used both but took a bit more time obviously. I'm pretty happy with the results.

Some parts are to hard to access under the car and I couldn't fit the drill and wire wheel holding it up extended in the air. Definitely helps speeds up the process. How did you find the wire brush. Did it scratch the surface of the block a lot or just enough to clean? I thought the scotchbrite would scratch a lot but it was great surprisingly.

Okay, so after waiting for my 200mm long 24mm socket on Monday (took over a week), I lowered the K-Frame a lot on the front and took both the nuts off the rear so I could bend it slightly further. This is the only way to get out the sump just due to its sheer size. You also have to take off the sway bar and power steering and transmission, you just can't get the room to do it well otherwise under a car with jack stands. Even then its a pain. So the hardest part is cleaning all the original gasket material. This took hours. You'd think it's a 5 min job but with a scourer and gasket scraper, its a boring exercise. Just have to be super patient. For extra practise I had to do it twice. First time, cleaned up the sump and block to be pristine, jacked up my sump and then what do you know, the transmission cable is wedged in between the sump and the block. Take the sump off just after I've spent 5 mins putting RTV around. Clean it all off, Clean the block again and redo. The new RTV once you take it off quickly is easier but you still have to use a scourer. Oh yeah, grab a 3 pack and it will make your job of cleaning the block and sump much easier after you have removed all the RTV. Pan cleaned: Then with RTV I realised after I installed the pan that at the front left, I probably should have done a little more but hopefully it won't leak there. If you are doing this job, you need to make guide bolts. I got these at bunnings (Sump/Pan bolts are M6 thread x standard pitch) and just chopped off the head with a cutting disc in a vice. Did 16 in about 10 minutes. I'll take some more photos once I've tightened up the bolts tomorrow night.

I'll get a new o-ring then. Hopefully they don't require any sealant after installed (it doesn't leak). Thanks Puff and Keith for the information.

Hi guys Still plotting along with my repairs at the moment. Progress is when ever I have the time. Stuff with cars takes longer than you allow it too! One thing is that I noticed the metal pipe outlet at the thermostat is leaking. What is the best fix for this? See the picture (circled part) as a reference. Anyway I've researched and there is an o-ring that sits in this bugger however there is no mention to use RTV sealant. I pulled some off that was old and that is why it's leaking (clever me) Any help appreciated as always.

I've been referencing from this but the detail in where the RTV is put on is not shown, at least in pictures and the description is pretty basic. To line the oil sump out, I'm purchased a set of used oil pan bolts for $30 from ebay which includes the two long ones. I'm going to chop the head off and use them as inserts and my 4 long bolts and that should act as a guide. If you are wondering how to place your support beam, this is how I did it anyway.