How to (Continued):

Next, disconnect the plugs to the VSS and backup sensor. That's pretty easy as it's just some plastic clips.

Then unbolt the clutch slave cylinder and pull it out gently. *DO NOT PRESS THE CLUTCH PEDAL AGAIN UNTIL THE TRANNY HAS BEEN FULLY INSTALLED BACK ON THE CAR WITH THE CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER BACK ON!* If you do, it will pop out and you'll have to bleed it, etc - no fun! I take great care not to bend the clutch slave hard lines, and I move it up and out of the way of the tranny - over near the passenger side headlight housing area..... zip tie it there if needed.

Now unbolt the ground to chassis on the tranny housing.

Next we're going to undo the cotter pins and 17mm castle nuts on the lower ball joints. Now I like to use a pickle fork and put it next to/ inboard of (NOT ON) the lower ball joint. I leave the handle of it projecting out towards the front of the car. Then I put my breaker bar (3" long steel pipe) over then handle and stand on it... it'll make a loud POP and the lca drops from the lower ball joint. =) Do both sides the same way. Then lift the Hubs up and out of their place on the lca balljoint area and wiggle them out. It helps to have a buddy or bunjee cords to pull them outwards a bit. DO NOT separate the joints of the axle accidentally! While there is some room there, use a big flathead screwdriver or prybar and GENTLY pop the axle out of the tranny. BE CAREFUL NOT TO DAMAGE THE SEALS ON THE TRANSMISSION TO AXLE AREA!

*NOTE: on the driver's side, you will need to undo the three 17mm bolts holding the intermediate shaft to the motor. Then use the prybar method to separate the intermediate shaft from the tranny. Once removed from the tranny, you can let these hang and bunjee them out of the way. I wrap them with a shop towel to avoid any dust/ dirt getting on them.

Next, is just a series of bolts. I'm going by memory right now, but it's still pretty fresh in my mind: remove the two 14mm holding the starter on (one short, and one long). Then pull the starter out and up. You should zip tie it or bunjee cord it up and out of the way. Next is three more 17mm bolts on the top and front of the tranny towards the passenger side. I basically break each bolt 1/2 a turn, then go to the next one. Once they're all broken loose, I work my way around removing them. Now is the underside. There is a series of 17mm holding the underside of the tranny from the engine side and through the tranny to block support as well. There are also some 12mm holding this brace, and another 17mm higher up on the firewall side, near the two 19mm bolts going through the big rear motor mount T brace and into the tranny. Remove all of these and set them aside in order.

Now it's just the tranny mount that's left to undo. I break each of the 19mm 1/2 a turn and then put a floor jack under the tranny with a block of wood to cushion it. Then I finish undoing the tranny mount bolt first, then the two nuts.

Once this is done, it's time to drop the tranny. It's hard to explain, but you lower the floor jack a bit and the motor and tranny combo will try to tilt a bit. Make sure the tranny is clearing the mount bracket and the starter as you lower it. You may need to make some minute adjustments here... Now you are going to "wiggle" the tranny off the motor. This can be difficult sometimes, and is easiest with two people. You are basically trying to separate the tranny by pulling it towards the passenger side of the car, but lowering it enough to clear the frame rail in the engine bay. Just wiggle up/ down, left/ right - all the while pulling it towards the passenger side. Some trannies wiggle right off, and some take serious effort. Mine was very hard to do this time - but that is because the splines of the clutch were wrecked and holding onto the input shaft on the tranny.

Once you see the case start to split from the motor, you can have a buddy put his hand through the tranny case and hold onto the starter hole. Keep wiggling and it'll slide off a bit more and try to drop suddenly. Be prepared with the floor jack and wood. I like to leave a big flat sheet of plywood on the floor so the case doesn't drop accidentally and crack on the concrete. Now slowly lower the floor jack and then gently rock the tranny off the floor jack. It'll now sit on the floor and you can slide it out from under the car. =)

You are almost halfway there now! =)