Dropping a 78 Automatic

[left handed kennedy]

Hey everyone,
If you haven't read the bus on fire topic in Troubleshooting (now in Type 2-adm), I'm the person with the 78 Westy that had an engine fire. Well to update what is going on, I got the Megasquirt FI system in with alot of help from a guy that has been running the system for four years. The engine is running great. Also made some modification to the air intake and such, but that is for another day.

So, to my question. After I got the engine running, I was driving home and the automatic trans gave up on me. (My wife now calls the bus "the money pit") I didn't want to tear into it to try to figure out what voodoo had gone wrong on the inside, so I ordered a rebuilt one. Do I have to drop the engine to replace the trans, or can I just drop the trans?

I appreciate the input

John

[spiffy]

Probably gonna have to pull the engine as I don't think you can get the front of the tranny to clear the beam while still pulling it out straight.

[left handed kennedy]

Thanks,
I was afraid of that.

[vwlover77]

Follow the engine/transmission removal procedure at ratwell.com. It makes it seem easy!

[IFBwax]

It's actually not as bad as it seems... just LABEL everything (as in even the bolts which to go where in plastic baggies), take lots of pictures.. especially at the starter and coil... good chance to clean the engine compartment, swap fuel hoses and vapor lines, and if you really get industrious, change out your fuel filler hoses behind the firewall. How's your gas gauge work? Good time to put in a new sender if yours doesn't work right. I spent about a month just cleaning old bolts and parts and making things shine. It was kind of fun. Your wife can help you bag/label parts as you take them out. Kind of like surgery on M*A*S*H. Oh yeah, and POR-15 the battery trays.

[left handed kennedy]

This will be the fourth time I've dropped the engine in the last month. Oh well. It's a learning experience.
BTW, is there anything special I have to do when hooking up the new automatic trans?

[Amskeptic]

This will be the fourth time I've dropped the engine in the last month. Oh well. It's a learning experience.
BTW, is there anything special I have to do when hooking up the new automatic trans?

Be nice to the torque converter and input shaft/seals. "Bleed" the system before attempting to drive away, with a full dipstick reading, select all gears in succession so that you get positive engagement. If you have a rebuilt unit, change the ATF + filter within 500 miles and try to get the torque converter drained out as well. Do the differential oil as well. This for longevity. The classic response from the transmission folks might be, "don't woiwy abouddit" but getting rid of the break-in crud is gooood.
Colin

[left handed kennedy]

Colin,
You never cease to amaze me. Doing all you do and keeping up with everyone on this site.

Thanks for the info. Going to be a long weekend.

John

[left handed kennedy]

Well, after going round and round with various trans places trying to find a 78 auto that was rebuilt, I called the friendly neighborhood Aamco. I believe that I got really lucky because the first shop I called had two aircooled heads running the shop and where excited (huh?) about working on a bus. Two days later and about the same price that it would have cost me to buy a trans, I was off and running! They replaced all the steels, friction plates, valves, pump,planetary gear, seals and torque converter. Lenore is running great now that the Megasquirt system is installed, new heads, Mallory ignition system and trans.

[vwlover77]

I love any Bus with an automatic! Happy cruising!