I have been looking for a thread that says how to remove the transmission from my 03 H2. No dice. I am just going to get under it and start wrenching. I'll take some pics and maybe this will help somebody else. I am sure I take off the grate, maybe the big H2 under plate, and all the bolts from the bell housing to engine and the torque converter. I am wondering/hoping that I don't have to do anything with the shift linkage inside the cab.

I've watched like 20 hours of tranny videos so I feel ready to rebuild the transmission myself. I threw three transmissions in my Tahoe and never bothered to learn myself on it. I am kicking myself now after seeing how damned easy it is to pull apart, inspect, and rebuild. The Monster transmission I was going to throw in it was $1900 plus core. I am pretty sure I can rebuild it for like $1000 or less, including a shift kit and other more robust parts. No special tools required. I am going to have to build a few tools, but really a snap. I'll post pics tonight, but I only have like 6 hours to work on it and no help, so... we'll see! Cheers, d'Art

 

Best of luck! Keep us posted!

 

From what I've read about the 4L65, if it's trashed, & that's if, upgrade to 4L80 if possible. It's a lot stronger & lasts longer.

 

no need to build a 4l80... you can make the 4l65e plenty strong

 

Here's what I did. BLUF: I was not able to remove the transmission because I need a length of extension to get the 13mm nut and 15mm stud at the top of the bell housing. Also, I was getting sloppy (eight hours on). photobucket link at the bottom of this entry.

Disconnect the battery.
First remove the skid plate. 9 - 15mm bolts.
Now you have access to a front cross member for a good jacking point. Jack stands are a must, I'm sure you all know.
Next remove the grate, 3 - 15mm bolts.
I loosened the front drive shaft 4 - 11 mm bolts, and hung it to the side with a coat hanger. It did not seem to want to come out of the transfer case, and I was concerned if it did, a bunch of fluid might come out with it. Regardless, I think it's probably like a CV joint and probably comes out with a good smack with a crow bar.
Remove the transfer case shield 3 - 15mm bolts.
Remove the left down pipe 3 - 14mmnuts/bolts at the shorty headers, and 2 15mm nuts on the sleeve that connects to the Y-pipe going into the single flowmaster (YMMV).
Remove both left O2 sensor connectors.
Remove the rear drive shaft 4 - 11mm bolts (square brackets on the rear, rounded brackets on the front). Rear drive shaft came right out of the t-case, minimal oil came out.
Remove the shift linkage, 1 - 15mm nut, and hold the shaft with a 7/16 open end wrench. I kind of screwed this up and broke the plastic connector with four tines on it that says 'Dura' You have to pry the linkage off the gear shaft, but don't mess up the neutral safety switch because it's expensive.
Remove the neutral safety switch. You have to file the shaft because supposedly it mushrooms when tightened. Slip the switch off the shaft and leave the electrical connectors hooked up (leave it on the truck).
Remove all the loops that are holding on the wiring looms and the three steel lines at the top of the underside of the vehicle.
Remove the two electrical connectors on the transfer case.
Remove the starter 2 - 13mm bolts and position it away.
Remove the starter/bellhousing plastic cover 1 - 10 mm bolt.
Remove the 3 - 15mm torque converter bolts. I used a 22?mm (I forget) socket and breaker bar on the crank bolt to rotate and then hold the flex plate tight while loosening the torque converter bolts that are accessible from the vacated starter hole.
Remove the bell housing studs 7 - 15mm studs. I took off all except the top (because I couldn't reach it) and the bottom two.
Remove the shield on the right side of the transmission 2 - 10mm bolts, the front one had a washer between the shield and the transmission, the rear had no washer. This might not be stock since I had upgraded servos installed and that shield was probably removed before.
Remove the transmission lines. Pull back the plastic covers and remove the 2 E clips I used a 12V electrical tester that has the really fine point and poked it in there on one side and got one leg out and then just pulled the rest of the way.
Remove the main electrical connector to the transmission (squeeze).
Remove the dipstick (pry up) after removing the 13mm nut on the 15mm stud on the right side of the bell housing.
Loosen the 4 - 21mm cross member bolts and nuts. Remove one on each side.
Now, jack up/support the transfer case and transmission as a whole unit.
Remove the bottom 2 bell housing bolts and the last two cross member bolts.
The front of the combined assembly is going to have to come down first to allow the tail of the transfer case to clear the torsion bar cross member. I'll probably need two jacks.

I won't get it out til next weekend due to work. Any advice is welcome. Cheers, d'Art

dartdeanda's Library | Photobucket

 

Quick update. I finally ordered my super rebuild kit so i figured i better get the tranny out. It is hung up on the guide on on the passenger side. I thought i could lower it with the cross member in place but no. I reset the jack where the cross member bolted to the tranny after i removed the cross member. I can't get the damn thing out. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

*Guide pin

 

Been awhile and w/o pics of the hangup I'm just shooting blind, but any time I've dropped trannies it was always important to get the vehicle up high enough, on stands or ramps, so that the tailstock of the tranny could be lowered enough the get the clearance needed at the firewall to get the thing out. And I just failed English Comp 101 due to a run-on sentence...

Any time I got hung up it was because I couldn't drop the rear of the tranny low enough to keep the top of the bell housing from hitting the firewall. If I did have clearance it was because I still had weight on the input shaft keeping the tranny from sliding out from the motor. I usually ended up with two jacks: one under the tranny and one on the rear of the motor to keep it from dropping too much.

Good thread.

 

Thank you flyday58. I did get it out. The transfer case puts a torsional load on the tranny/t-case ensemble. I had to put a jack stand under the lowest portion of the t-case. Then the tranny feel forward into the flex plate. I also had to brace the motor. It took me about eight hours to lower that mother and get it out with a floor jack, a bottle jack, four jack stands and a bunch of wood. This is *after* taking out all the bolts and disconnecting all the connectors. I am wondering how I'm going to lift it up. I figure i can make a nice frame and identify the Centre of gravity for placement of the jack, but i am pretty sure it's going to have to go in as a complete assembly which means I'll have to put in the tail of the t-case first and then find the right spot to lift up and align the assembly. I'll post pics tomorrow. ..

 

Glad you got it out. If I still lived in Tally Town I'd come give you a hand. Or at least sit and watch!

Richard