Hi everybody,

I have an opportunity to buy an 85 fiero for pretty cheap. The owner broke the transmission doing a burnout and it's now awaiting a new one. The repair shop is taking their sweet time so I think I may be able to lowball him and fix it myself.

My question for you fiero people is, do you think it would be possible to replace the tranny myself. I'm a bit of a backyard mechanic but I lack major tools. The car is a v6 with a 4 speed. The owner has bought a new transmission from a wrecker, so it's simply a matter of swapping it out. Is this a job that would require that I remove the engine? The car isn't realy in nice enough shape that I would want to spend a whole lot on shop time, so I'd really like to do it myself.

Thanks,

-Dave

If you have to ask, I wouldn't do it if I were you ......

drop the cradle
you may need to rent a hoist
and/or borrow stuff like jacks and stands
but it is way eazyer to do with the cradle out
no real hard to R&R a trans but plan on a new clutch and PP too
as burnouts will kill one quickly

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Question wonder and be wierd
are you kind?

This may be of some help
http://www.thefierofactory.com/qaeasyremoval.php

I think the tools you're gonna need are as follows;

17mm socket - cradle bolts
18mm socket - strut bolts
15mm socket - trans bolts
14mm socket - (may be)
13mm socket - starter bolts - slave cylinder bolts
12mm socket - strut tower bolts (these might be 13mm)
Lug nut wrench
Jack, and jack stand
Needle nose pliers - shift cable clips
pry bar - pry the axle out of the trans
Patience

remove the shift cables, starter, and slave cylinder, Remove the rear left wheel, remove the strut.Remove both left cradle bolts, and loosen the right ones. 'Tilt' the cradle, Loosen the trans, pull it towards the left side of the car, while prying on the right axle by the trans, pop it out. Wiggle jiggle and all that jazz, and work the trans out. Bust your knuckles, cuss a bit, drink a beer and stare at the car wondering why you're doing this. Put it all back together.

I pulled the 4-speed out of my 84 SE and replaced it with a 5-speed. The removal and install process are pretty much the same so you might want to take a look:

https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/065759.html

Feel free to ask questions. It is not a hard job.

I will suggest that while you are at it replace the clutch and throw out bearing. Torque to proper tolerances, use thread locker on the pressure plate bolts, TAPE THE CLUTCH ARM BACK WHILE MATING THE TRANNY TO THE ENGINE!!!!!!!!!! Be careful not to crush the axle seals or you will be leaking tranny fluid all over the roadway right up until your tranny burns itself up and seizes.

[This message has been edited by Toddster (edited 07-18-2007).]

So dropping the cradle is something that could be done with jackstands? How high do you have to lift the rear end of the car?

This is good. I think this may be something I can accomplish by the end of summer. I believe the current owner has purchased a new clutch and pressure plate, so that will be going in too. I'm going to call the guy tomorrow and see if he'll sell me the car in its current state. He owns a towing company so I dont think moving it will be a problem.

You can but it will be a lot easier and safer to use a hoist/cherry picker. You need to get that puppy pretty high to move the engine out under the wheel arches. Look at how high the highest part of the engine is now (the top of the plenum). That has to pass below the wheel wells/lower frame rail so you've got to lift the car about about that much, maybe a little less because the engine will be on a dolly at that point.

These might give you some idea (although this was a DOHC but it's pretty close):

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Dave

www.ltlfrari.com