Thanks for clearing that up, Mark. I had asked a good while back, and obviously, I didn't remember it that well, but I thought there was something on the V10 that made it more desirable other than the TC.

So it's probably best to get that thought out of my head and stay with like to like.

 

I might be late to the party but I figured I’d offer anyway. I live in Bedford, about 30 minutes from most of Dallas. This project is deeper than I’ve ever been but I learn quick. I have some tools and some common sense and I’m a few years younger and dumber.
If you need another set of hands and a jack and lots of sarcasm let me know.
edit: the boss just reminded me I’m driving all day tomorrow (Sunday) but I will be back and free Monday.

 

WOOHOO! Woke up to sunny skies and warmer temps. The mud had started to dry up yesterday and made lots of progress today. Looked like a sign from above to me, and it was.

Buncha work, but I got the trans out, with the TC, and into my truck. Turns out my wishful thinking came true. Once I pulled the trans back a few inches, all the TC nuts were right there. Needed to buy a straight 14 - all mine were offset. I could get them on the nut, but the flywheel pushed them off as I turned. $35 later (grrr, store only had sets, no 14mm by themselves), it was easy simple to get each one.

These Eseries are a royal PITA, but I couldn't have got those nuts on an Fseries, and the top bell housing bolts were easy too because of the dog house. Shaft turns by hand, so I didn't mess it up while I was working on the TC. Well, I say I didn't, it turned when I got it our, but after loading it on a two-wheel dolly, and rolling it on my wheel chair lift. I tried to stand the dolly up while I climbed in to jack up the lift, and the dolly didn't stand up. But, it balanced there. Wasn't til I got up in the truck that I saw the shaft had slipped down and the dolly was propped up on it. I don't think it messed it up. It was fairly balanced and never slammed down. Will have to check it again tomorrow.

I did take off the up pipe and moved the oil tubes (filter is underneath) because one of the nuts was acting tough and I wanted more leverage; but, I needed those off anyway to salvage the turbo. Someone else might not have to do that.

Getting the trans off the jack and both of them out from under the truck was the hard work. Never did figure out how the hold-down chains worked on the jack. Ended up using a strap. Then, once it was off the engine, I put one strap on the trans from the front and a second on the jack from the back, and just cranked them apart.

The exhaust manifold and pipes were full of coolant - I expect this engine needed gaskets, if not a whole lot more. Coolant was even up to the turbo connection - would that mean my turbo is rusted up too?

I can't return the trans jack until Monday, so I'm staying here a couple more nights. Probably work on that turbo tomorrow, and then the engine harness.

Dang, everything is filthy muddy. My bus, all my sleeping blankets, my clothes, gravelly mud on everything. I've been buying food at the grocery because I'm too filthy to go inside anywhere and my bus is too big to fit in drive-thrus. The guy in the deli is giving me the side eye - probably doesn't get many customers come in 4 days in a row.

 

Way to go Bonehead! This adventure was too dark for too long. Glad you pulled it off( pun intended). I can now stop worrying about how we were going to figure out exactly where you were to get rescue there to get you out from under that bus.

 

LOL, there was a point where I freaked today. cranking the jack backwards and the tranny forward, it came back a little faster than I thought, and I got wedged against the differential. But, I was able to push it away and crawled out quickly. Thx.

 

No doubt that Mark K. is the Master of our trans, and he's certainly saved me more than once for which I'm very grateful; but, I'm thinking he hasn't worked on Eseries. Said I couldn't get to the upper bell housing bolts through the doghouse or the TC nuts, and both were easy peezy on this Eseries. We all keep learning, although I'm so far behind most of y'all that I'll never catch up. Just glad it worked out and I don't have to buy a TC.

 

Good for you. I still wouldn't ponder doing this.

 

LOL, nope, just cause I got it out didn't change my mind either. Not a job one would do without a lift. But, it was an adventure, lol. A guy and his wife happened by when I needed help standing the trans up on my dolly - I was just too weak at that point. I could tell from the look on her face that I was a scary sight. Covered in mud, caked in my hair, smelled like trans fluid, but at that point I had a smile on my face. I'm sure she thought I was a crazy fool.

Quoth the raven, "nevermore."

 

I've never worked as a mechanic. Most of you have done more wrenching than I have.

I said you can't get the TC nuts through the doghouse. I'm glad I was wrong on that. I never said you can't get to the bellhousing bolts. They are right there when you open the doghouse.

I've owned four E-Series vans. I have also worked on them, but I have never pulled a trans out of one.

 

Oops, my mistake. We were talking about going through the hood, not the doghouse. That's when I wasn't understanding F350. You da best!

 

Ok, pulled the other alternator, the turbo (rusted stuck), the catalytic converter, all the sensors, the hose with the plastic Y coming out the degas, most of the belt pullys and tensioners, the AC compressor, and the IPR and ICP. Still have to get the fan clutch and the engine harness.

I've got all the harness off except one last connector, and I don't know WTH it is. The wire comes off the main bundle and disappears down and behind the fuel lines and thermostat housing. If I pull it, I can see a little of it in convolute moving through a gap below the thermostat, but where it goes after that, IDK. I took off a bunch of the belt pulleys and still can't see the end of it. I'm assuming it is either the cam or crank sensor. Crawled underneath, above, behind, flashlights, and can't see it anywhere. Had to take the AC off to get the other connector (cam or crank) out. Tried getting the vacuum pump and power steering pump to find it, but both are a PITA and the PS will leak fluid everywhere, so I gave up for the day.

As much of a pain as that harness is, I dread doing this all again to swap it in the other bus. Literally nothing left on the engine above the intake, so I'd have to do all this again on my shuttle to swap it in. And, I cut a bunch of hoses and wires rather than remove/move them. Won't have that luxury on the bus. That is a lot of work - again, the Eseries is a pain, I gotta think its lots easier on a Fseries.

I needed to rent fan clutch tools, so I quit for the day. Unless someone can tell me where that connector is, I may just cut the pigtail off the harness. There's enough excess above that I could splice it to the existing pigtail.

Dang, there's 3 or 4 good tires, but I can only take 2 at most - need 4 on it to tow it away. Not even sure I want to do that, breaking these lug nuts by hand is hard on a good truck, and these have been sitting here for 3 years, look all rusty. I'd have to lower the truck to the ground, break them on 3 wheels (24 lugs), then jack it up again to take them off.

Anyone have an idea whether this catalytic converter will swap over to my F450? Recall that the thieves cut that one out. If not, i'll sell it. Probably get enough to buy an aftermarket one.

 

Cam sensor. Easier with the PS pump off.

 

Dang, figured as much. Thx.

 

OK, got the harness and fan off today. Went ahead and pulled the vacuum and PS pumps to get the cam sensor. That's it for the engine I think. There's still 4 PS injectors, but don't feel like pulling that motor mount.

I'll wait to get the door until I'm ready to tow the carcass off. I'd like to swap dashes as well, my current one is cracked and missing one AC vent. Is it feasible to swap over any of the power units - electric windows, locks and mirrors? From reading, it sounds like a lot of the hard part is getting the harness out from behind the dash, but if I take the dash out anyway, maybe I'm halfway there? Also, since I'd only be upgrading the DS (shuttle doesn't have PS door), maybe it's easier still.

 

take out the plugs and remove the starter