This car.... Unscrewing pretty much anything from the bottom of my '01 P71 borders on #$!@ing impossible. Seriously I'm almost at the point where I would call up AAMCO and just ask how much they would want to remove the rest of this transmission.

So here is where I am: I got two torque converter nuts off, but the other two were pretty badly rounded before I even started! Did a previous mechanic put stripped nuts back on the flywheel when he changed the starter or something?! Seriously. I haven't been able to get those two round nuts off the TC.

My exhaust is rusted fast and has been soaking in PB Blaster all winter long. I mean, sitting all winter long, and I've sprayed penetrant on it regularly all winter long. Still, nothing will move and I can't seem to make enough space to get tools in just to break it!

So since the exhaust is still attached I can't reach the bolts on the driver side to get the trans off. I thought I'd just remove an O2 sensor so maybe I could fit a tool up there and even it won't budge a nanometer.

The starter side... Should I even begin to describe my pain with that? The exhaust is just as rusted together on that side and it is tight when everything is out of the way!

Am I going to have to cut through these exhaust pipes and pull the motor to get all of this out? Should I just stick a piece of dynamite in the tailpipe and call the time of death? How did Locke's father get to the island? I need answers!

long woble extension and impact gun. Try not to break the studs in the manifold.

try vice grips on the converter bolts. Other than that not real sure.

Soak them with liquid wrench. check the best pentrating oil thread as it shows which ones are the best and there is actually a mix of trans fluid and something else that is the best to use.

Trans fluid and Acetone.

It can be a chore to swap transmissions in these cars.

The TC nuts: If they are rounded off, I use an air chisel to spin them off (NOT CUT, SPIN!).

For the exhaust: You will need an oxy/acetaline torch to heat the exhaust nuts cherry red. Then spin off with a deep socket on an impact with 24" or so of extensions.

you could use a dremel with a fiberglass cutoff disc to cut the nuts off too. flexplate part #'s are avaliable here if you happen to damage yours in the process:

http://www.p71interceptor.com/starter/7007blockplates

don't forget that there is a flexplate inspection cover on the driver's side rear of our engine blocks. pull out the plastic plug and you will have much better access to the t/c nuts than with going through the lower bellhousing cover hole.

here's a picture of one our engine blocks. (the yellow lines depict where the motor mount would normally be connected).

http://www.p71interceptor.com/enginemounts/pictures/PICT7098.jpg

i've composed a webpage on how to replace the starter motor in our cars:

http://www.p71interceptor.com/starter/removereinstall

those exhaust manifold->cat converter flange nuts are indeed rather challenging to get off. often, you'll want to install new studs in the manifold while you're in there too.

p.s. that black fiberglass insulation in between the exhaust system and the floorpan can catch fire if it get's too hot. so keep a fire extinguisher nearby when you're using the acetylene "blue wrench".

http://www.p71interceptor.com/starter/removereinstall/PICT6079.JPG

Get a 3/4 inch breaker bar and some extensions. The nut is going to move or the stud wil break. Use some heat on the nut if you have some.

I soaked the studs for a week without driving it, then heated them up and hit em with the impact gun. The nuts came off but they took most of the strud threads with them. I had to take it to a shop to get the studs replaced. Good luck.

Thanks for the tips. Let's see what kind of damage I can do today

are the 2003's any better when it comes to taking the trans out, didn't mean to jack the thread...

The 03+ is harder due to the cross member being a VERY TIGHT fit.

Well I do have an update. I got out one more bolt.
One.

The lower starter bolt.

That's it.

I still can't get the exhaust off. I still can't get the torque converter nuts off. I still don't have enough room to reach most of the trans bolts and the ones I can reach I don't have the room to turn.

High, high levels of frustration. High, high levels.

Lots of good info here. I have a torch in case my exhaust bolts are stubborn, I also have a 1/2 drive 3ft long breaker bar with extentions. I have yet to come across anything that didn't come loose or break under the sheer force of tq