Has any one ever had to replace the differential in their manual transmission car and did it by splitting the case while it was still in the car? If so how? I've noticed that if I can pull this off I can have 3 mounts still holding the engine and bellhousing in the car and won't have to rely on other means of holding the engine up. Also this will eleminate the need to remove the rear mount bolts and the front mount bolts. I think it may be possible to just leave the passenger side axle in place and completely remove the drivers. I'll be replacing the CV joints on the drivers axle anyway due to excessive wear from lack of lube due to torn boots. With the RH Axle still in place I believe this will help hold the differential inside the car so I can drop the main assembly out of the car as a smaller piece requiring less parts removal to get it out including the lower crossmember. Then to assemble I could place the diff onto the axle and push it into it's bearing cup on the bellhousing and maybe require a small piece of wire or twine to hold it level through the speed sensor hole then place the main transmission body back on. Any one do this? Is it even worth trying? And is there anything else that may fall out by doing so? LET ME KNOW ASAP I have until this weekend to get it fixed. My SPEEDO gear is off and I have another diff to just drop into it.

No it's not worth trying. You should just pull your transmission and then open the case and replace whatever you need to. You would run into an enourmous amount of problems trying what you suggested.

Agreed. I would even venture to say that not only is this a bad idea, it's more work than just pulling the trans to begin with, but perhaps also patently impossible.

I can't even imagine trying to line everything up horizontally! :P
It's hard enough vertically.
-=B-=

The reason I ask is I'll be doing the work myself and will not have any help what-so-ever. So with my limited lifting ability and being alone I'd hate to have to tist and pull the entire tranny out. Oh by the way I may have a good case for sale in the near future if it's of any ones need.

NEW QUESTION Is there any way to get the plastic speedo ring back into place with out pulling the tranny? I'm sure it hasn't broke yet but I'm not sure if it can be snapped back into place through the sensor hole.

Just pull the trans. Its really not that hard to do. I have done it now 3 times, all by myself. This last time, the trans was out on the ground in 1.5 hours. You will need to have the front end on jack stands, and 2 other hydrolic jacks. You need one to support the weight of the motor. Use a piece of wood under the oil pan, and then put that jack under it. Then, use another jack under the tranny, and once everything is loose and bolts are out, slowly lower the trans to the ground. Has worked every time for me. Now, putting the trans back up to the motor is the PITA part. I tried to do this myself using the jack, but could only get it like 5" from getting to the block. I finally had someone help me out. I was at the fender of the car lifting at the top, towards the rear motor mount, and the guy on the floor was pushing up at the front motor mount, then i lined up the trans to the block, then got one good bolt in. Thats it. The trans is fukin heavy, so have someone farily strong at the bottom. Now i have an engine hoist that i am going to use from now on, just hook that up to each side of the trans and lift it into place..Now a one man job!

aww it not that heavy.. i did mine on a hoist without a trans jack (it was holding up my motor) try lifting that bad boy over your head :thumbsup

Travis you're twice Matt's size!!!! :P

>Travis you're twice Matt's size!!!! :P

aww.. so what.. its a good workout for those arms and shoulders

haha yeah man i'm 5' 7", and 155 lbs :o It wasnt fun trying to use a piece of wood and a floor jack, and other things laying around the garage to lift up the trans, then support it, then lift, then support...bla bla bal...finally after about an hour or so of that, got a friend to help out..went right in of course.. To me, that thing is pretty damn heavy..actually more awkward and heavy :)

>Just pull the trans. Its really not that hard to do. I have
>done it now 3 times, all by myself. This last time, the trans
>was out on the ground in 1.5 hours. You will need to have the
>front end on jack stands, and 2 other hydrolic jacks. You need
>one to support the weight of the motor. Use a piece of wood
>under the oil pan, and then put that jack under it. Then, use
>another jack under the tranny, and once everything is loose
>and bolts are out, slowly lower the trans to the ground. Has
>worked every time for me. Now, putting the trans back up to
>the motor is the PITA part. I tried to do this myself using
>the jack, but could only get it like 5" from getting to the
>block. I finally had someone help me out. I was at the fender
>of the car lifting at the top, towards the rear motor mount,
>and the guy on the floor was pushing up at the front motor
>mount, then i lined up the trans to the block, then got one
>good bolt in. Thats it. The trans is fukin heavy, so have
>someone farily strong at the bottom. Now i have an engine
>hoist that i am going to use from now on, just hook that up to
>each side of the trans and lift it into place..Now a one man
>job!


I've changed mine twice the same way you have. I was woundering if it would be possibly and easer to pull the trans out the top with the motor?