FG MK1 - XR6 Turbo Automatic Transmission removal (ZFHP26)

[hjtrbo]

There's a gasket in each half moon, front / rear of sump.

[greasemonkey]

Thanks HJ for the confirmation.

 

So from what I can see and the ford manual, the RTV goes on the top half or in the groove of the sump? Ford workshop and my Haynes manual doesn't really have much info.

 

So here I've just run orange marker on the picture. Do I lay RTV away from the groove or in the groove? This is just a picture of an FG sump I found online. Don't know what mine actually looks like. My fear is using too much and it squeezes into the oil sump

[greasemonkey]

I couldn't find the answer of how to do the gasket RTV anywhere and checked a few videos. It definitely is done in the upper half section, where I have drawn the orange marker on the photo.

 

So I continued plotting along yesterday. Got the engine support beam connected. After going on FG Mechanical mods forum, a nice guy gave me some advice and said that you can use the intake and exhaust manifold as anchor points. This is mainly because the engine connection mounting points are diagonals and not in a straight line so you can balance the engine straight. 

 

Went underneath and undid the two rear bolts of the K-Frame to just where the nut is on. It lowered it a little but not enough. You really need to take the sway bar off and power steering rack out to get clearance, particularly when you are going to bolt it back up as well. It's not easy because the cross member is right in the middle of the oil sump so having the extra stuff in the way would make lining the job of the sump difficult.

You really need the trans out as well to get the room to maneuver  the oil sump out and in. So doing the oil sump is either a trans off, lower K-Frame job (and sway bar, steering rack removed) or it is an engine out job.

 

You have to release both the front K-Frame nuts and rear K-Frame nuts.

 

For the front two nuts that lock the K-Frame on at the front, you need a 24mm extra deep socket given the thread is a good 12 to 13cm long. None of the tool shops I went to local have it. THANK GOD FOR THE INTERNET.

[Puffwagon]

There's probably something in here for you

 

Falcon-2008-Engine-Service-Manual.pdf

[greasemonkey]

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.

 

[greasemonkey]

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.

[Puffwagon]

8 hours ago, greasemonkey said:

So the hardest part is cleaning all the original gasket material. This took hours.

I use a drill and a wire wheel, gets it done in around 5 to 10 minutes.

[greasemonkey]

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.

[Puffwagon]

A razor blade is good enough to clean the block, you use a wire wheel on the sump.

[greasemonkey]

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.