If I'm going to remove the transmission from my car myself, can this be done in my driveway? How high am I going to have to raise the car to get the tranny out from under it. I'm assuming it's going to be very difficult without the use of a lift to get enough clearance to work on, not to mention actually getting it out from under the vehicle.

 

It can be removed in the driveway but it's a pretty big job & certain special tools are required. The back of the engine has to be supported by the special Jaguar engine brackets & support beam.

The front of the vehicle has to be raised enough to allow enough space to work underneath disconnecting everything & also to remove the transmission & slide it out once unbolted from the engine.

A transmission jack is advised to be placed under the transmission to take the weight of it while the rear of the engine has to be supported by the special Jaguar tools mentioned above.

The removal process involves removing the vehicle engine support beam from underneath the car, so you have to have the transmission jack to hold the transmission & also the special Jaguar tools to support the rear of the engine from the top, under the bonnet.

Once the propshaft is disconnected, the transmission is removed by taking off the lower engine support beam underneath the car, and then gradually lowering the engine & transmission assembly using both the transmission jack & the special Jaguar engine support bracket at the top rear of the engine bay.

Once lowered enough, the torque converter flex plate can be unbolted from the flywheel & the transmission can be separated from the engine-although the torque converter must not be detached from the transmission during removal.

Then there's all the little things to disconnect-plugs & leads-also the catalysts & downpipes etc.

The job can be done in the driveway, but you'd need to raise the front of the vehicle enough to give you space to work & slide the unbolted transmission out from under the car. You'd need a transmission support jack & the special Jaguar engine support brackets & beam which will sit at the top rear of the engine bay

Other than that, it's not especially complicated-just a lot of work to remove everything that's in the way.

There is 1 warning though-the gearbox output shaft is connected to the propshaft by a flexible coupling. There are 3 bolts on the gearbox output shaft side & 3 bolts on the propshaft side.

Jaguar state in no uncertain terms that you must NOT remove the 3 bolts connecting the propshaft to the flexible coupling-you must ONLY remove the 3 bolts connecting the gearbox output shaft to the flexible coupling.

In other words, the flexible coupling must be left on the propshaft & not on the gearbox output shaft. These rubber 'doughnut' joints expand if all the bolts are removed & may not go back together again-when new they are supplied with a strong metal band around the circumference to allow installation, and then once bolted up to the vehicle then the metal band is removed. If you remove the metal band first then you'll never be able to connect it to the car as it will expand & the bolt holes won't align

 

Before removing the bolts from the jurid coupling (doughnut), put a large hoseclamp on it and tighten. I used to do this when removing the transaxle from my formula ford.

 

I appreciate the input guys. I'm feeling a little better about the job.....if I can find the time. Should be interesting.

 

Piece of cake- just takes time.

You can use a second jack to support the engine- the biggest hurdle for me was getting the exhaust out, as it takes some finagling.

 

Yeah...I'm thinking the second jack would be the way to go. Looked up the special tools required. If you buy them you aren't saving anything by doing it yourself. Other than some peace of mind, that is. This will be my first attempt at transmission work, but I'm sure I can pull it off.