I'm in the middle of this right now on an '08, and I'm hung up on the transaxle removal. Everything is unbolted, but the rear mount of the transaxle is causing me much grief. I removed the thru-bolt that attaches the yolk to the cast piece bolted to the subframe, but i can't pull the transaxle far enough towards the front of the car to where that yolk will clear the cast piece. Is there a method for removing the transaxle without removing the subframe, or do I just have to bite the bullet?

 

I hope I understood you correctly, here was my solution. We needed two people for this.

Have your helper/friend/whoever lie lengthwise under the car with his/her feet toward the front, and use his/her legs (feet against the oil pan) to push everything toward the front. Might have to use the arms to brace oneself when extending the legs. It's heavy, so it helps to get someone with good leg strength.

And don't get your fingers crushed! Good communication between the two of you is key here.

 

Damn, up to this point I've been doing it all by myself, but I really appreciate the reply. So it is possible to push the engine far enough forward for that yolk to clear the cast mount. Do you think its possible for me to have the wife push on the oil pan while I try to remove the trans, or do I need someone who can leg-press 500 lbs, as an example?

 

You're welcome. When my friend and I did this, we had to figure everything out for ourselves. If I can make the whole process easier for you, I'll gladly do so.

I don't know how much one needs to leg-press to be capable of this job, but if your wife is relatively fit, she might be able to do it. It doesn't take a muscleman, but I wouldn't count on a 12-year-old either.

Sending you a PM now.

 

Please be extremely careful when you do this, and do this at your own risk.

This is no place for your assistant's pride. If he/she feels fatigue setting in, he/she needs to give you a very generous heads-up so you can clear your hands/fingers so they don't get crushed in there.

 

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I hope to replace my clutch soon and would like some DIY info/FSM scans.

Best of luck