Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Transaxle Trans removal procedure

I've tried searching, but kept coming up with no matches for everything I could think of. What is involved with removing the MTX75 from a Zetec car? Does the engine/trans have to come down as an assembly, or can the transmission be pulled with the engine in place? If I where to drop the entire engine/trans/subframe, how difficult is it do? There's one in a U-Pull-It yard that I'm considering attempting to get, but I want to know what I'm getting into before doing so. Any help would be appreciated...

Order a Ford Service CD from me. It will tell you everything.

It's a 10+ hour job!
Supposedly alot like pulling one off a Duratec.
Maybe 1-2 hours less time.

screw the ford service CD. it's less of a pain to pull everything out from the top than to drop the subframe.

disconnect coolant lines, disconnect all electrical, remove the a/c compressor from the block, remove the ypipe, disconnect the engine mounts, and pull it all out.

the ford service cd tells you how to take everything out of the top.

I bought it and i love it.

you sure on that?
both my ford cd's (99 and 2000) give instructions on attacking it from the bottom.

Factory manual is "out the bottom".

i never looked at a zetec, but for a duratec the cd has you drop the subframe, while using a special brace to hold the engine from falling out, and take the tranny out from underneath

Buckshot stated awhile back that he did his through the top. Even though it was a Duratec, it should not matter. Basically, he pulled the engine, leaving the tranny in place then removed the tranny. He stated at a time of about three hours IIRC, but that is with plenty of experience. You will not be able to pull them both out at the sametime!

The CD does state that the tranny should be removed from the bottom by way of supporting the engine with a brace, unbolt all mounts and connections relavent to what you are removing, drop the subframe and while supporting the tranny with a transmission jack you lower the tranny out of the engine bay.

If you just look under the hood long enough, you will be able to see how both methods would work.

And not trying to sound like a salesmen or anything, that Service CD can give a whole lot more insight into jobs like this, rather just instructions. Get the CD, look over the procedure then go look at the car. I am sure will could find some steps that you would do differently. It's only a few bucks, so what would it hurt?

Not that it has a lot to do with the contour, but, I had an old Tempo (for ten years 189K mi and two clutches) that I had pulled the tranny 3 times and the motor once. The shop manual says to take it out from the bottom, when the dealer replaced the motor under warrantee thatâ??s what they did. However when I pulled the motor and/or tranny I did it from the top. I think the service manual assumes you have a lift so they work from the bottom. Working from the bottom prevents the engine/tranny from swinging into fenders and AC condensers (I think thatâ??s another dealer consideration.

I see no reason the Duratec and tranny canâ??t come out from the top, but you need a good hoist (donâ??t use a come-along on a tree).

jeff