I am planning on changing out my original 5 speed manual with another transmission. The one I have came out of Dodge Neon with the DOHC motor. I am going to switch the bell housings. I would like to know what I am getting myself into. Has anyone ever changed out transmissions a transmission on a 2gnt without a lift? Is it diffucult to line up the transmission with the clutch?

When I did mine my engine was outside the car, so the whole process just took some time because I was me by myself doing everything. If the tranny is in the car then it will be difficult to do without a lift or two step jack (I think its what they call it).

buy, borrow or steal an engine hoist, some floor jacks, jack stands and some 6x6 wood blocks. lift up the car and drop everything out the underside.

If you can get the axle-nut off, (if you go that route) the rest will be a breeze. Don't worry about it.

http://www.2gnt.com/index.php?d=3.55

Fix the front motor mount and bolt while you're at it.

Originally posted by dceclipsers
I am planning on changing out my original 5 speed manual with another transmission. The one I have came out of Dodge Neon with the DOHC motor. I am going to switch the bell housings. I would like to know what I am getting myself into.

A difficult, but possible task.

Has anyone ever changed out transmissions a transmission on a 2gnt without a lift?

Yes and I have the scars to prove it. Okay, not really, but it was tough trying to do this by jacking up the front of the car and dropping the trans out the bottom, without hurting anything or anyone. Putting it back was even more fun. See next question/answer.

Is it diffucult to line up the transmission with the clutch?

Yes. Trying to wrestle the trans back up into position was a pain with just a pair of cheap hydraulic jacks and a scissor jack. Seems you can never find a flat surface to jack on or you end up rotating the trans when you want it to go straight up. Once you get things fairly close, things actually slide together fairly easily. Next time, I will probably pull the hood and use an engine hoist. Good luck!

Um, heh heh, that's the way I do mine :shrug

I've done quite few (some would say many).

Put front of car on jackstands.

Use two hydraulic jacks (one for the tranny and one for the engine)

And go to town (takes me about an hour - soup to nuts).

Getting it back in by yourself is a bit of a balancing act. But if you have another set of hands, relatively simple.

Mine has a non modular clutch, so it takes a bit more to get here in.