Hello,

I'm currently dissasembling a ST215 3sgte engine I bought a year ago. Right now I'm separating the auto AWD tranny from the block but it's not comming apart. I already unbolted and removed all the screws attaching the transmission housing to the engine block but it's simply not separating.
Are there any components inside the transmission that I should unbolt or should the tranny come apart as a sigle unit?

I can post some pictures if required. Thnkz in advance for all the help!

Unbolt the torque converter from the flex plate.

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Make sure to slide the torque converter all the way back into the transmission away from the flexplate, its very easy to bend the torque converter or the input shafts when you seperate the engine from the tranny

*EDIT*
I just reread your post, put a couple of bolts back into the engine/transmission BEFORE you seperate the torque converter from the flexplate. You may have already damaged the torque converter, transmission input shafts, flexplate and or crankshaft. None of these components is designed to handle the lateral force applied by the transmission dangling off the engine by the driveline.
So once again carefully reinstall a couple of bolts holding the transmission to the engine block and tighten them, THEN remove the bolts holding the flexplate to the torque converter. Next slide the torque converter as far away from the flex plate as possible and finally remove the bolts holding the block/tranny together and seperate the two. Keep your fingers crossed you didnt screw anything up

This post has been edited by Special_Edy: Apr 11, 2012 - 8:29 PM

Oh my... ok... fingers crossed. I'll put back some screws and remove it that way tomorrow... I'll post pics. Hope it's all good.

Hello Guys,

I was just able to remove the tranny from the engine block and luckily nothing was damaged. The "guide studs" held everything in place so nothing was forced. Thanks for the suggestions!

To let you know more about me... I´m not a mechanical guy. I´m into electronics and this project is something I´m doing to learn more about engines. I already build and tested a megasquirt ecu to use in my car but engine-wise I´m not really sure how to proceed.

My engine was bought with a damaged turbo due to a car crash and I wanted to know what would you suggest me to check/change before installing the engine in my car.
If this was your engine, what are the next steps?

I hope I can create a nice thread here about what I learn to help newbies (like me) get into these great engines!

First, I'd pull all 4 spark plugs and spray a little WD-40 into each cylinder. Do this just because the engine has been sitting for a while with at least 2 cylinders exposed to atmospheric changes(at least one intake and exhaust valves). Next I'd spin the engine over by hand a few rotations to make sure everything is nice and free(not siezed up that is). Use a 19mm or 3/4" socket on the crankshaft pulley to turn it, clockwise is the industry standard for engines to operate(except for hondas).
Next I would attempt a compression check, which is going to be damn near impossible without a starter, but you should be able to get an idea with a big enough breaker bar on that crank pulley bolt of you have enough room to spin it.
An alternative test which you may have better luck with is a cylinder leak down test. The compression tester for loan at autozone(others may be similar) has a quick disconnect on it just like air compressor tools. Using a small flathead screwdriver or needlenose pliers, take the schrader valve out of the end that screws into your spark plug hole. This valve is the same as one on a car tire and only lets air flow one way. Now connect your compression tester hose to one cylinder at a time, with the cylinder being tested at top dead center on the compression stroke(put a long stick(1-2 ft) in the spark plug tube so its sitting on the piston and spin the engine till the stick is at the highest point, realize that there are two top dead centers for each cylinder, one with valves open and one with the spark plug firing. You want the latter one for this test, all valves shut so this may take two trys). Now connect the hose to an air compressor. Watch how quickly air escapes and for any cylinder leaking air faster than the other listen to where the air is coming out. If a valve is leaking, air will exit the intake or exhaust manifold, a head gasket leak will send air into the coolant system or a neighboring cylinder and a piston ring leak will send air out the oil disptick tube or filler cap.

With the engine out of the vehicle I would suggest changing the timing belt and water pump because they are MUCH easier to change with the engine out of the vehicle and water pumps go bad when they sit for a while without coolant( the bearing will start to leak).
Another thing to look at would be to make sure that when the turbo crapped out on the PO it didnt send debris into the intake. If it looks like the turbo came apart catastrophically, then hunt for this shrapnel in the throttlebody, intake and intercooler. If the impellers on the turbo are intact, then dont worry about it.

One last thing is that I would check the valve clearances with feeler gauges to make sure they are within specification. To do this you need to remove the valve cover and check the distance between the lifter and camshaft as described in the manual. You check half of them at TDC compression stroke for cylinder 1, then rotate the crankshaft one turn and check the remaining lifters.

Hope this helps, let us know how it goez