btw 3 point, I'm also doing the differential swap as well...

Good questions and I dont think Im qualified to answer. lol. Yea, the trans was lowered with a jack. We had to pry at it a little bit to actually break it from the motor. Its not THAT heavy, though...just helps keeping it steady. The RMS is in the last pic. Its actually sits in a little grove. I guess you could pry it out but Ive been heavily advised against doing that. If I actually did end up replacing it, I would be able to be more specific. See above and talk to the dudes that gave me advise...they are all really knowladgable and have done this job a bunch of times.

If you go to VQ35de.com and follow the links for the fsm, in the EM (engine mechanical) section go to the section on oil pan upper, and follow my plinks in a previous post, it will give you a good rundown w/pic's.

You guys are , using jacks for a 5mt, lolz I have to use a jack myself for autos, and the 1st time I did a 5-speed max I used a jack, and it's actually much slower and harder when you use a jack and trying to get it at the perfect anglen and engage the splines. Now I just tilt in up and wedge myself under it so it's on the lowest part of my stomach and than use my hips and arms and than my knee's and arms to lift it into place, it's akward at first trying to manuever it but once you finally get it up high it's really easy to get it onto the dowels and engage the splines

to answer the question about the splines and putting it in gear--The splines are on the end of the input shaft, where it goes into the clutch, and if you push in or pull out on the part of the trans that the shifter linkage hooks up to it will put it in gear and make it much easier to engage those splines, some cars or sometimes you pretty much have to and if you don't you'll NEVER get it, and then on some cars where it's really being difficult if you not only put it in gear but also have an assistant turn the engine over slowly with a socket on the crank pulley it makes it slip right in like it's nobody's buissness.

I agree that using the jack is more awkward. I put the tranny on the jack, bring it up to within 1/2 inch of necessary height, then I go from top and pull it up the rest of the way, making it very easy to maneuver. I never had a problem w/the splines lining up... didn't even know it was a concern.

The only time I ever had trouble was the 1st time, I tried to do everything w/o removing the crossmember bar and leaving the passenger axle in. My friend went under on a creeper and benched the thing out and back in. Aligning the passenger axle was the toughest part.

I'm hoping I'm not due for a clutch change anytime soon, but if I am, I'm going w/phantom lsd.

Jae