I'm about ready to pull my transmission and have been looking at the guides. I have a couple of questions:

1. Can the whole transmission/bell housing be removed as a unit? I am doing a heads/cam swap so everything is already off the block. I think I can get to all the bell housing bolts, but I'm not sure there is room to maneuver the transmission out with the bell housing attached. Has anyone done this?

2. The guides are kind of unclear on whether it's necessary to drain the transmission fluid before you drop the transmission. Is is best to drain it? I only have a few hundred miles on fresh synthetic fluid, so if it's not necessary, I'd rather not drain it.

Thanks

 

AFAIK you have to seperate them... it's easier that way as well, one more thing you don't have to fight with.

I personally would drain the tranny.. and even if you don't it'll most likely leak a whole bunch outta the tailshaft seeing you can't have the driveshaft in there when you remove it.

 

no you dont have to drain the tranny. leave the driveshaft attached to the tranny and you wont loose any fluid - in other words just take the four bolts off that hold the ds to the rear and then just let the driveshaft hang from the tranny.
as far as the bellhousing - remove the tranny first and then the bellhousing. -it is easier because the motor holds everything still for you while you break the bolts loose. oh yea and use a tranny jack.