I've got all the bolts off, and got it about an inch away from the engine, but I can't get it to move any further

 

Put a jack under it, give it a small ammount of pressure and wiggle, that generally does the trick.
Make sure the mounts are out of the way and it isnt hitting anything/etc. Really just shake it loose :-/

 

BTW how much does the manual tranny weigh?

 

yea watch out for the old transmission-in-the-face

 

Enough to flatten fingers... I use an ordinary strap beltwith a ratchet, belt around tranny. Its attached to a 2x4 which runs across engine bay (tightly fit inside bay).

Next tighten belt, and after tranny is off engine, just ratchet tranny down.

 

While on the topic, if doing an automatic to 5 speed swap would it be easier to pull the whole engine out and put the new tranny on that way, or would it be better to drop it out the bottom?

 

the whole transmission weighs about 110 - 120 lbs, and can be support on your chest. Forgot the the website, but I have read about it somewhere, will post the link when I find it.

 

I opt lowering it controllably down, car lifted 10"?. If hood is off and u have a lifter, why not taking it up? And muscle men like disgruntled can do it with left hand [not for me]...

Installing: the box has to be perfectly alingned to slide in. Thereby I find it better to hang the tranny free at this stage, than wobbling on a jack. Some have more muscle and dont need that.

 

I have easy access to an engine hoist. But at the same time i can get my car ten inches off the ground too, i just dont know which way to go with it... Also its really no trouble for me to get some muscle, i have many friends who want to help in my swap. I just dont know which way to go with it

 

Its not fair: this is gonna be too easy for u. Throw a dime. No dime might be a problem.

 

I think releasing it from bottom works the best since you will avoid hitting wire looms, hoses, and the such at the top of the engine bay. Plus, more than one guy can be staring at the different angles while you're working and tell you what you might miss and such.

 

It probably wont be easy because i still have to find a transmission. Thats going to be the hardest part of all i bet.

 

going out of the bottom of the car will be the easiest way...but dont try to lower it with your hands...use a jack or hoist or something...by lowering it with your body your just asking for something to happen...better to be safe then sorry

 

That shouldnt be a problem either, i have one of those massive floor jacks like you would see in a real automotive garage. They had them at Costco for like 90 dollars and it works great.

 

I've dropped it out the bottom of the car twice now, I don't see any reason to try and hoist it through the top, in fact I think it would be much more of a hassle trying to go through the top because of more obstructions. I'd just jack the car up, take off all of the bolts and mounts, get underneath the tranny to catch it and have a friend help you from the topside.

 

Thanks, I think I'll try this

 

yes out the bottom is the best way and it dosnt way 110 pounds prolly only half that if that i couldnt see how you would get it out the top just jack that car up real high get all brackets off the tranny and disconnected from engine and put a jack under and wiggle her out and make sure to support the engine with a scissor type jack under the oil pan

 

yep, support the engine with the crappy jack that came with teh car and use a good wheeled jack to support teh tranny as you pull it away from the engine, and lower it carefully.

I'm not exactly musclebound and I can lift the tranny a foot or two off the ground no problem. No way I could do that with the auto though, it's a boat anchor.

 

so im looking at about 100 pounds...I was thinking it was going to be like 200 but 100 is easily manageable. Have to wait till after rocky point though. Anyone here going?

 

Did you remove both of the axles? also there are bolts all around, Maybe you missed one. My engine was just replaced and I was there for the whole thing. I don't care what it weighs you don't want that falling on top of you. Do you have a jack for the trans?