Changing transmission seal ?

Have the engine out and decided to change the front tranny seal. My bell housing is split in two so waiting in the mail for that part. Question is how do I get to the seal? Do I need to pull off the front cover? Is there a gasket behind the cover? What are the bolts torqued to?

And yes that is a broken bolt (11 O'clock) which I have broken off ez out x2:bawl:

I popped mine out with a seal puller, one of the one's with the hook at each side on the end.

I installed the new seal by making a seal installer out of a short piece of PVC pipe of the same O.D. diameter as the seal, I glued a PVC cap on the pipe and drove the new seal in with the pipe and a hammer I kept the tool for future use, it worked that good!

12mm Diameter bolts to 42 ft-lbs
10mm Diameter bolts to 25 ft-lbs

To remove the converter shaft seal do as xjtrailrider said.

there is a pump seal if you remove the front pump, a large o-ring. This may be hard to find so unless it's leaking around the pump don't pull the pump.

Just to be safe in case you don't know: The torque converter must be seated completely into the transmission before the engine is mated. This is achieved by rotating and pushing the torque converter to the rear until it falls back 3 times. To be certain it is seated, place a straight edge across the bellhousing, the converter should not hit the straight edge.

Try a left hand drill bit on that bolt. Use a propane torch and heat the alloy around the bolt, then let it cool and try the drill.

Got the F'in bolt off!!!
Got plate off but the bolts were only one size??? So what would the torque be on those?

How much oil do you put into the torque converter and what kind?

I came across this seal (O ring) too..whats it called so I can tell the parts store what I need?


Thanks for the replies

XJ4MEPLZ said:

there is a pump seal if you remove the front pump, a large o-ring. This may be hard to find so unless it's leaking around the pump don't pull the pump.

Click to expand...

called a "front pump seal" and I definitely wouldn't have pulled the pump until I'd sourced a seal-- you may be stuck for a day or two for somewhere to order it. You might want to ask at a transmission shop for the supplier they buy from to get it quickly.

Uh oh.. you pulled the pump with the trans positioned horizontally? That's not good.

Um...why?

All the clutch assemblies inside drop through multiple sets of friction/ steel clutch plates. The pump is removed with the trans standing on end, or these heavy components no longer supported by the pump can drop out of proper spline engagement. If the clutches are no longer fully engaged and you bolt the pump back on and torque it down internal parts will be broken.

As you can see, removing the pump gained you nothing in terms of removing the converter seal. It has to be carefully pried out of its bore, if not done right the surface it sits in can be severely gouged.

Probably the quickest and easiest thing to do now that you've done this would be to remove the outside o-ring on the pump and carefully put it back in the trans. With the o-ring gone the pump should slip right back in the case. Make sure the pump sits flush against the front trans mating surface. If it stops short of seating all the way then indeed internal parts have come out of alignment and you'll need to remove the trans the rest of the way from the vehicle and re-stack the forward geartrain in the transmission.

Of course you don't want to leave the large pump o-ring out, removing it just allows for the check to be done without having to fight the resistance of the o-ring.

Moral of the story, don't do that.

nooooooooooooooooo!!!
WHat have I done...I was thinking the pump was inside behind that plate.
Thanks for the replies. Will check out the dealer and tranny places tomorrow for the seal. Probably will need to unbolt the whole tranny and bring to the shop... curious, if the pump doesnt sit flush, how far will it stick out? We talking couple millimeters or or hundreths of inch?

You should be able to tell pretty easily if everything's still ok in there. With the big o-ring off, slide the pump in as far as it'll go.. don't forget the phenolic washer which goes on the back of the pump, I didn't see it in your picture. Slide the pump in until it stops. Now shine a light down through the pump bolt holes, is there space between the gasket and the back of the pump? Alternately you can rock the pump side to side, does it seem to pivot off the middle (clutches not seated) or does it feel solidly in the hole? You could also smear a thin layer of grease around the back side of the pump, set it in there, push firmly with only hand pressure and pull it back out to see if the grease was squished out.

I should mention also whenever pulling the pump out, push in on the input shaft to keep everything as seated as it is now.

Anytime I ever pull a pump out I stand 'em up to at least 45 degrees to keep this from happening. I haven't had an AW4 apart, so it's possible nothing came dislodged- sometimes a front band will help hold it all together.

Will do tomorrow am. Will take lots of pics

Ok here it is...just wanted some verification before I bolt this baby in. Seems all is in order though..
Pic of tranny

Pic of pump

pic of pump on tranny

Pic of pump slightly off to show the pump bolt hole is right on the tranny surface


Tell me that last picture is priceless or else im hanging myself...

Does the pump rock on the front surface or is it on solid? There's usually about .010-.020" gap between the pump and the forward-most geartrain member.. so it should be solid on there.

solid, no play. only movement is the whole tranny.

So to remove it I push on the shaft as I pull out? I still need to put the oring on and then the bolts. What are the torque?

16 ft-lbs