Access Top Transmission Bolts With Intake Removed?

[heinzboehmer]

I'm planning on doing my clutch this weekend. I've also bought new intake side boot clamps (11617830306) because I forgot to buy some when I installed my CSL airbox. Since I need to remove the airbox anyway, I was wondering if it's possible to access all the top transmission bolts with it off.

From what I remember when I changed my starter, there wasn't too much space, so I'm assuming only the starter bolts are accessible. Anyone know if you can get to all four top bolts this way?

[ATB88]

Last time I did it I wondered the same, and it seemed totally impossible. If it were possible I think the difficulty of it would be far greater than getting at them from behind the trans.

[heinzboehmer]

Last time I did it I wondered the same, and it seemed totally impossible. If it were possible I think the difficulty of it would be far greater than getting at them from behind the trans.

Yeah that's what I expected. Thanks for confirming.

[heinzboehmer]

Actually, would it be beneficial at all to remove the starter bolts from the front? Or would it be a waste of time to remove the intake?

[FBloggs]

I have removed the starter bolts from the top, but you need a lot of leverage to break loose the two bolts at 12 and 2 . I usually drop the tail of the transmission with floor jack support, to access the latter top bolts. I use several long wobbly extensions(3/8'') drive with a 1/2" drive breaker bar/ long handled ratchet with a 1/2" to 3/8" converter to the wobbly extensions.
I torque the lower starter bolt from under the car.. I also sand that locating nipple on the starter to make sure it won't snag and cause the starter mount askew...can cause cross threading of the mounting bolts.There are sites on line that sell the torx reversible ratchet drive spanners. It helps to have a good selection of alternative hand tools.

[Maxima SE]

I did the starter job a few weeks ago and went through a bunch of different tools and failed miserably as there is little space back there to fit a socket or a ratchet properly. I finally had success with this set from home depot. I believe I used the 10 mm which is short and hard to get leverage on but it did the job. The best part about this wrench is the fact that the low profile allows you to slip it onto the torx head, it doesn't strip it and you can angle the wrench head. I highly recommend you spray the bolts with penetrating fluid and let it sit for a couple hours. I also removed the heater hose (drained radiator and block first)... to give me more room to work back there but it isn't 100% necessary.

As for trans mount, I only recall one being accessible and it was hard to remove it from the top.

[Ob917]

No you can't get all the top transmission bolts from the top. You can get the starter bolts with a angled wrench but it's way easier to just use a very long extension from the rear. Lossen your engine mounts and just tilt the engine. Using a jack on the front of the engine to push the front up tipping the engine backwards gives you lots of room.

[heinzboehmer]

All right thanks for the info. When I swapped out my starter, I was able to remove the bolts from the front by breaking them loose with an e torx socket on a flex head ratchet and then unthreading them all the way with a box wrench. However, it sounds like removing the intake is completely unnecessary.

How hard is it to get the starter aligned from under the car when reinstalling the transmission? Seems like there's nothing to hold it in place once the transmission is removed. I'll have my intake off anyway but I'm curious as to how you would do it without access from the front.

[ethan]

All right thanks for the info. When I swapped out my starter, I was able to remove the bolts from the front by breaking them loose with an e torx socket on a flex head ratchet and then unthreading them all the way with a box wrench. However, it sounds like removing the intake is completely unnecessary.

How hard is it to get the starter aligned from under the car when reinstalling the transmission? Seems like there's nothing to hold it in place once the transmission is removed. I'll have my intake off anyway but I'm curious as to how you would do it without access from the front.

I've done a clutch job without removing the airbox at all. You can reach a hand up from behind the driver's front control arm and wiggle the starter around a bit to get the bolts started. Run them in from underneath with long extensions (all the way down by the shifter.) See the note above from FBloggs about the locating dowel - they're finicky and like to corrode to one or both of the starter and the bellhousing.

[Ob917]

It takes maybe 10 minutes to remove the air box. It also binds with the fire wall if you tilt the engine back.

[mrgizmo04]

I get a much better angle tilting the engine back with straight extensions if the airbox is off. Doing wobble extensions and ujoints is a pain.

[heinzboehmer]

It takes maybe 10 minutes to remove the air box. It also binds with the fire wall if you tilt the engine back.

I get a much better angle tilting the engine back with straight extensions if the airbox is off. Doing wobble extensions and ujoints is a pain.

Good to know. Airbox will be off anyway to replace the clamps so I'll just tilt the engine back and access all the bolts from under the car.

[FBloggs]

If you file the locating/centering nub on the starter, it will give you more confidence to pull the starter into position as you tighten the mounting bolts evenly.It is literally a press fit. If that nub has a burr or pinch on it it'll give you a bunch of aggro mating up the starter.
pull the intake. Otherwise tilting the engine is inadequate.