FG MK1 - XR6 Turbo Automatic Transmission removal (ZFHP26)

[Puffwagon]

Yep it comes apart. With enough googling you'll work it out.

 

Here's a pic of a torque converter installed all the way. I took it out the trans and installed it again, it took quite a few tries to get it in right. If the converter spigot isn't inside the bell housing, it ain't past the inner pump gear. I can say with 99% certainty (internet diagnosing aside) yours was not all the way in.

 

[greasemonkey]

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

[greasemonkey]

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the gear set:

[Puffwagon]

Looks like you got lucky, most of the time the tabs break off. Back together, make sure stuff is lined up and you'll be sweet.

 

Good job on the disassembly, most folks wouldn't be able to.

[greasemonkey]

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.

[Puffwagon]

1 hour ago, greasemonkey said:

get the 56mm bolt I burred and extracted.

 

Which one? I will more than likely have something lying around that you can have.

[xr6tForMe]

I am very impressed with the way you are getting stuck into new, complex jobs and getting through them.

Well done!

[greasemonkey]

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.

 

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

 

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

 

On 11/11/2024 at 7:02 PM, Puffwagon said:

Which one? I will more than likely have something lying around that you can have.

It's okay, thanks for offering.

I found out the threads are M6 and I made a bolt to size with a hacksaw and washer (both stainless steel).

The torx bit screws I'm not a fan. I did a further two on the install. The metal is very soft. They should have gone to hex heads. I understand they did this to limit the head depth but it's annoying.

[xr6tForMe]

Lots of good information in this thread.

Thanks all for the contributions.

I suspect I will be making use of this at some time in the future as well.

[greasemonkey]

On 20/11/2024 at 9:50 AM, xr6tForMe said:

Lots of good information in this thread.

Thanks all for the contributions.

I suspect I will be making use of this at some time in the future as well.

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.