Remove & replace transmission?

Tiny
CLAYTONDM
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 FORD CONTOUR
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • MANUAL
  • 125,000 MILES
Is there a step by step guide for removing and replacing a 5 speed manual transmission in a 1998 Ford Contour?
Saturday, September 4th, 2010 AT 8:14 PM

1 Reply

Tiny
BLUELIGHTNIN6
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,542 POSTS
Disconnect the battery cables, negative cable first.
Remove the battery.
Secure the radiator and fan shroud to the radiator support using safety wire.
Loosen the front strut upper retaining nuts a total of five turns to allow room for the removal of the halfshafts. Do not remove the nuts.
Remove the Mass Air Flow sensor (MAF) and the air cleaner assembly. Remove the air cleaner lower bracket.
Install an engine support device and support the engine.
Disconnect the back-up lamp switch.
Remove the bolts securing the ground strap to the transaxle housing.
Remove the engine and transmission support insulator (mount).
Disconnect the hydraulic line and rubber grommet from the support insulator bracket.
Remove the rubber inspection cover from the transaxle clutch housing.
Remove the retaining clip and remove the hydraulic line fitting at the clutch slave cylinder.
Remove the upper transaxle to engine bolt.
Remove the two upper starter motor retaining bolts with the ground strap.
If equipped with the 2.0L engine, remove the exhaust manifold heat shield and the catalytic converter retaining nuts at the exhaust manifold.
Remove the wheel and tire assemblies.
Remove the accessory drive belt pulley cover.
Raise and safely support the vehicle.
If equipped with the 2.0L engine, remove the oil level dipstick. Remove the catalytic converter to engine bracket strap and the retaining bolts to the halfshaft bracket.
Remove the catalytic converter.
If equipped with the 2.5L engine, remove the water pump pulley shield. Remove the front Y-pipe nuts and the rear Y-pipe to catalytic converter nuts and remove the Y-pipe.
Disconnect the Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS).
Remove the speedometer cable.
Remove the nine screws securing the lower radiator air deflector and remove the deflector.
Push the shift rod forward and remove the shift rod pinch bolt.
Pull the shift rod back and remove it from the transaxle.
Remove the shift control stabilizer bar nut at the stud and remove the stabilizer bar.
Remove the shift control stabilizer bar and bracket from the right engine support insulator bracket.
Remove the underbody heat shield from under the shift control.
Reposition the shift rod and stabilizer bar to allow transaxle removal.
Remove the two screws securing the A/C accumulator to the sub-frame.
Remove the halfshafts and the intermediate shaft.
Remove the bolts and the right engine support insulator mounting nuts and remove the bracket from the transaxle.
Remove the left engine support insulator through-bolt.
Lower the vehicle.
Adjust the three bar engine support or equivalent, to relieve tension on the right front engine support bracket.
Remove the right front engine support bracket through-bolt.
Raise and safely support the vehicle.
Disconnect the steering column from the steering gear at the pinch bolt.
Remove the catalytic converter.
Disconnect the tie rod ends from the steering knuckles and discard the cotter pins.
Remove the lower control arm to ball joint pinch bolts and separate the lower control arms from the ball joints.
Separate the sway bar (stabilizer bar) links from the sway bar.
Remove the splash shield at the front of the sub-frame.
Remove the through-bolt from the left front engine support insulator and remove the right front engine support insulator and mounting bracket.
Disconnect the power steering oil cooler hoses at the right front of the sub-frame and drain the power steering fluid.
Remove the A/C accumulator retaining bracket screws from the sub-frame.
Remove the four bolts retaining the lower radiator supports to the sub-frame. Rotate the radiator supports forward.
Remove the two screws retaining the bumper cover braces to the left and right sides of the sub-frame. Rotate the bumper cover braces forward.
Position a suitable support device with wood blocks approximately 40 inches (1,016mm) in length secured to the lift under the sub-frame.
Remove the four sub-frame to body retaining bolts.
Allow the sub-frame to lower slightly and disconnect the power steering pressure and return hoses from the rack and pinion (steering gear).
Finish lowering the sub-frame and move aside.
Lower the vehicle.
Loosen the front mount retaining nuts five turns.
Place a floor jack and a block of wood under the transaxle and raise the transaxle enough to release the tension on the three bar engine support, or equivalent.
Back off on the three bar engine support adjustment to allow downward travel of the transaxle.
Slowly lower the transaxle until it reaches the limits of the front engine mount movement.
Adjust the three bar engine support or equivalent, to hold the transaxle in this position.
Remove the floor jack and wood block.
Raise the vehicle and safely support.
Position a suitable transmission jack to the transaxle and secure.
Remove the last starter motor retaining bolt and hang the starter off to the side using safety wire.
Remove the two bolts retaining the engine oil pan to the transaxle.
Remove the remaining bolts.
Separate the transaxle from the engine and carefully remove from the vehicle.
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Sunday, September 5th, 2010 AT 4:49 PM

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