Failed manual transmission - 2000 SL2

[PCF]

I think the manual transmission is shot on my daughter's SL2. Fortunately, it failed in the driveway.

The car won't move and it makes a clicking noise that increases in frequency from 1st through 5th gear. It is also leaking transmission fluid.

The car has about 160,000 miles on it and has always run perfect. The fluid level has been fine for years.

I have yet to get underneath and find out what is going on.

Any ideas here on what might be the problem? At this point, I think I'm going to have to pull the engine/transmission and replace the tranny. I thought about getting a salvage engine while I'm at it as well.

[Squareback]

Sounds likea blown diff pin to me. No need to pull the engine, the transmission will come out right through the driver's side wheel well. Get a new tranny, replace it, and drive on. No need to go replacing an engine that still runs, unless you just like to spend money.

[BarnOwl]

Originally Posted by Squareback

Sounds likea blown diff pin to me. No need to pull the engine, the transmission will come out right through the driver's side wheel well. Get a new tranny, replace it, and drive on. No need to go replacing an engine that still runs, unless you just like to spend money.

What ^^^ he said!!! Squareback talked me through my first automatic transmission swap. Thanks again man!!! Since then I've swapped a 5 speed as well using his methods and ssicarman's trick of pulling the passenger side half axle from the tranny leaving the drive axle in place. Once you've done it, it's really not that hard. It just sounds scary.

You can get a 5-speed tranny for $50 at a pull-a-part.

[PCF]

It seems the Saturn manual transmission isn't so common for this car anymore. A local yard wants $400 for one! Similar prices exist on E-Bay.

Any recommendations for a U-pull it yard in NW Indiana/Chicago area?

[PCF]

Can one of you folks point me to the link for manual transmission removal procedure? I have not been able to find it with the search tools

[mgordon1100]

Here's a clutch replacement how-to. When you get down to resting the trans in place, just take it the step further and pull it out.

http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/sho...t=transmission

[BarnOwl]

Here's a link to my somewhat embarrassing auto tranny swap thread. It's not that much different.

[PCF]

I was able to pick up a 2002 SL2 manual transmission today, I have most of the work done to remove the old one. I should be able to completely remove the old one tonight. The procedures posted on the forum have been a great resource! Thanks to all for sharing the knowledge.

I ordered an LUK clutch kit today on E-Bay, it should arrive early next week.

Should I replace the driveshaft seals while I have the transmission out?

I am going to have to replace the oil pan while I am at it. It is very rusted and leaking motor oil. This must be a common issue, Autozone has the pan in stock!

[MikeNW]

I did a clutch replace on my SL last spring, looked at the driveshaft seals, decided not to mess with them as they weren't leaking.
Yours might be OK, I don't know, I understand your thinking, you already have the trans out... I was worried that I wouldn't get them in right, and they would leak, let sleeping dogs lie. Same for my rear main oil seal, it leaks a little but I left it alone.

There is a trick to the oil pan, certain years are hard to get out due to interference.

Yes the Luk kit is the ticket.

[Squareback]

Originally Posted by MikeNW

There is a trick to the oil pan, certain years are hard to get out due to interference.

With the transmission already removed, there is nothing there to interfere with the oil pan. I'd suspend the engine from the top and knock it out while the tranny is out of the way.

[BarnOwl]

Originally Posted by PCF

Should I replace the driveshaft seals while I have the transmission out?

I always do. They are a booger to replace when the tranny is out. I'd hate to do it with it in.

[PCF]

I discovered tonight that the passenger drive shaft was broken, so I have stopped the work on getting the transmission out and will replace the shaft.

But the oil pan is another matter altogether.

I'll look around on suggestions on how to get it out. The two bolts under the flywheel clearance are a real bugger, not sure how I am going to get them back in.

I ended up removing the passenger side engine mount around the crankshaft pully, there is still not enough room to remove the oil pan.

Do I need to drop the passenger side sub frame to get the oil pan out?

[BarnOwl]

I'm assuming you mean drive axle. You probably don't need a transmission then. That drive axle alone will account for your symptoms. There have been a couple posts where this happened. It's not common by any means but, it's getting more common. Can't help you on the pan. The only times I've had one out, it was with the engine attached.

[madpogue]

When this thread started, I originally figured it to be a broken drive shaft or CV joint. But that doesn't explain the leaking tranny fluid.

[PCF]

Yes, I do mean drive axle, passenger side between the intermediate shaft and the hub.

The transmission fluid was not leaking, in fact it looked perfect and was full.

What I thought was tran fluid was in fact engine oil that was leaking from a hole in the rusted oil pan. That's why I am now trying to remove the oil pan and replace it.

Fortunately, I am able to return the transmission that I picked up to the yard. There must be a lot of demand for these now. I'll hang on to the seals in case I need them someday.

[PCF]

Here's what the problem was

[madpogue]

Sorry for the 20/20 hindsight, but if you hadn't mentioned the leaking tranny fluid, that would've been the first place we would've told you to look. Those passenger-side shafts, esp. the ones with the balancing weight, are known to twist into two right about there.

Well, you may as well leverage the tranny removal and install a new clutch kit....

[PCF]

We never did pull the transmission, what I thought was transmission fluid turned out to be engine oil, see my other post on the oil pan trick for a 2000 SL2 with a manual transmission. The oil pan was so rusted it developed a hole in it.

Once I saw the broken drive shaft, we stopped the trans work and replaced the shaft.

Finished up last night with new hydraulics for the clutch, drives like new now. No more leaks, either!

The new LUK clutch kit is supposed to arrive today, I'll keep it on the shelf along with the transmission output shaft seals. The car has 180,000 miles on the original clutch, so it is only a matter of time before that goes.