Transmission Removal...
 

Got a question for all you tranny people out there. I'm trying to pull out my ATX tranny to swap with an MTX in my 97 Escort. I got the axles out, which I might add were a bitch. Now when I pull the tranny out and try and drop it, it hangs on the A frame there. Anyone else have this problem? What did you do to get it out? I'm thinking I have to take off the flywheel bolts etc and that should do it, but I'm not sure. The tranny is just hanging there about 2 inches shy of clearance to drop *sighs*

Glad someone could be of service...lol Well I have the tranny out and the Manual tranny in. Now my problem is overcoming the neutral safety switch.

Anyone know where this wires? it's #1 on this diagram eheh
http://forum.escortsport.com/album_pic.php?pic_id=68

I would assume thaat if you jumped the 2 wires together, you would effectivly bypass it.

So how did you get the transmission out? I have to drop my k-member in order to drop my tranny. The only other alternative is disconnect the motor mounts and jack the motor so you can move it to a more workable angle to unwedge the tranny.

As far as wiring goes, have you tried asking around on other Escort boards? You can't be the first to try this. Someone on Focaljet swapped his ATX for an MTX-75. You can try searching around in the archived forums over there. Although the cars are entirely different, it may give you a few insights to overcome some issues.

The ATX was a bitch to get out. I hooked the engine to a cherry picker and hoisted it up some. Removed the axles, removed the drivers' side strut/brake assembly, removed the tranny mount bolts, unbolted the torque converter through the access hole, removed the lower crossmembers, then used a big prybar to pry it out.

There's only been 2 other people on the other boards that have successfully completed this swap and they did it with the help of others so they really don't know what hooked to what for the most part. The way one guy did it was he removed the gearposition switch on the ATX and turned it to the neutral position and hooked it back up to the PCM. I'm just trying to figure a way around that without having to replace the PCM with a MTX one.

Well I got the new tranny in and working. Now the shiter sits too far forward and hits the stereo. So for now i only have 2nd, 4th, and reverse lol. Tomorrow at school I'm going to heat up the shifter bar and bend it back some. Then shave off the motor mount bolt some that the shift linkage is rubbing on. Oh and install the pillar mount small tach. But man even 2nd and 4th you can feel the power at the wheels ALOT better than the ATX.

We found out the shifter problem. The shift bushings I got was for an older escort, not for the ZX2 that I took the assembly from. I got some new ones and it shifts smooth. It's still a little forward, but I got a stick end on it so the big knob don't hit the stereo every time I shift. Eventually I'll get a short shifter, but no money atm for that :)