Dropping a Transmission

[valley996]

I know this may sound stupid but I am trying to save money and I don't have access to a lift? I need to replace my torque converter on my 99 996. Does anyone know if I can drop the transmission enough to do the replacement if the car is on JACK STANDS?

[greerj1]

You will need to get the bottom (undercarriage) of the car at least 2 ft off the ground. This is required to get the tranny down and out from under the car. I was up 30 inches to clear the tranny whilst it was on the tranny jack. I used 4 x 4 timbers 20 in long. Placed 2 in parallel, then 2 more on top at 90 deg and so on until the car was high enough. I toe nailed the timbers for stability. See attached .PDF. Each setup will support thousands of pounds and infinitely more stable than jack stands at the required height. Down side, took about an hour to get the car that high. Started at the front, raised the car, slid the 2 x 10 with the chocks under the wheels first, then the rear, put 2 x 10 and 1 level of timbers, back to the front, added 2 levels until completed. Has to be on a level surface. With the car that high, you can sit up underneath and work comfortably. You will also need a support for the engine, porsche sells a bar that bolts onto the drop link mounting points. I used a piece of unistrut and a couple of aluminum bars, worked fine.

Good luck

James Greer

GUNNAGE.pdf

[valley996]

I appreciate the advice. That sounds like a whole bunch of work.

[Dharn55]

I had my engine and trans out several times on jack stands, it can be done. I will have to take a look at them to see how high I had it. Also, because I took out both the engine and trans I rolled them out the back of the car rather than the side. There is a little more room going that direction. But yes you can do it.

[JFP in PA]

Yes, it can be done on jackstands. Usually, a pair of 4 or 6 ton stands positioned ahead of the rear tires (at the jacking points) will get the car more than high enough to do it. Use hockey pucks ontop of the jackstands to protect the underbody and you are in business...............

[Cloudsurfer]

This may actually be easier to just drop the engine engine and gearbox as a unit and then separate out of the car. I've only done this on a C4, where that is the only way to do it, but keep in mind, you need to pin the torque converter to the flexplate so that the torque converter remains with the engine, otherwise you'll have one hell of a mess as the converter pulls away from the engine. To do this, you need to pin the converter through an opening in the bellhousing, and then you have to access the 6 (if I remember) bolts through the starter opening, which obviously means removing the starter. I'm sure it's possible to do this with the lump in the car, but it may be easier to just drop the whole thing.

[JFP in PA]

To service the clutch or change out torque converters, you save a fair amount of time (and money) by just pulling the transmission. Does not matter if you are on a lift or jack stands, pulling the entire assembly is more involved and is usually not necessary unless there are complicating factors like all wheel drive units or a need to perform other work that becomes easier with the engine out……….

[Cloudsurfer]

To service the clutch or change out torque converters, you save a fair amount of time (and money) by just pulling the transmission. Does not matter if you are on a lift or jack stands, pulling the entire assembly is more involved and is usually not necessary unless there are complicating factors like all wheel drive units or a need to perform other work that becomes easier with the engine out……….

The only one I've done was a C4, so that was the only way of doing it.... just doesn't sound like much fun to split a Tip in the car....

[JFP in PA]

The Tip is not unlike most any other automatic, the torque converter has to be unbolted from the flex plate and secured prior to pulling the box out, otherwise it is pretty much the same deal.In reality, you do not have to move the Tip away from the engine as much as a manual box, as the alignment lip on the converter is much shorter than the input spline on a manual gear box.

Edited September 6, 2010 by JFP in PA

[PMc4S]

So let me get this straight...if I need to drop the Tip on my C4S (to inspect RMS/IMS and change AOS), with AWD I must absolutely drop it with the engine as well??

[seanmcr6]

Ditto....

To drop the tranny on my 6 speed, C4S....I have to drop the engine?

I thought I only had to undo 3 extra bolts at the front the separate the carban shaft...

[Loren]

Ditto....

To drop the tranny on my 6 speed, C4S....I have to drop the engine?

I thought I only had to undo 3 extra bolts at the front the separate the carban shaft...

No, only on Tips to get to the AOS.

[PMc4S]

Ditto....

To drop the tranny on my 6 speed, C4S....I have to drop the engine?

I thought I only had to undo 3 extra bolts at the front the separate the carban shaft...

No, only on Tips to get to the AOS.

From what I've read, the Tip needs to be dropped to gain access to the AOS, but what if I wasn't doing the AOS? My understanding from above is that I can only drop the tranny & engine together, regardless of the work being done, which is entirely due to awd?

And I can still access the AOS over the top from the rear of the engine if I do a partial engine drop and remove intake parts etc., correct? That should have no bearing on whether I have a Tip or not?

[ahkew27]

Yes, I did replace the AOS with out removing the trans. The intake on that side of the engine has to removed; I also had the muffler on that side off to check the plugs so that probably helped. In other words, take off everything thats in the way. It ani't easy and no doubt took longer than it should have,but it can be done.

[valley996]

I appreciate the advice. So the conclusion is that I can drop just the transmission on 1999 996 C2 with tiptronic to change the torque converter. Am I correct? Also, I have to do this on jack stands because I don't have access to a lift. Any advice on what to drop the transmission on (jack or dolly?)

Thanks

[JFP in PA]

You are going to need access to either a low lift transmission jack (rental or Harbor Freight), or a transmission jack adpator for a floor jack; that Tip is a lot heavier than it looks and you don't want to drop it...........

[valley996]

thanks