Well, after doing mine, I have to say you Guys are set-up and know all the tricks to make it go smoothly.
I have 6 hours of beating on the crossmember to get it out and then back in.
After trying everything with sockets and wrenches I wound up having to torch the exhaust out so there was another 3 hours.
Struggling every which way to Sunday with jacks and blocks on just getting the trans/lines/electrical/shafts/ out was probably another 5 hours.
At least 3 hours on the phone, reading the service manual, on the computer sourcing a low-mile replacement, having to go pick it up, etc.
Another 3 hours cleaning parts, purging my cooler lines, building and welding on a drain plug.
And
then , put it all back together.
Hell, this turned into a month long project picking away at it in my spare time. Four-wheel drive too, I might add. Good thing I could walk away from it several times, because I would have wound up burning it to the ground.
Of course, the shop I mentioned above knows what they are doing, but I still don't think they were that far out of line in price.
If I spent 30 hours on it well that's $3000.00 at $100 an hour. They asked for three days so I'm sure that would be 20 hours to in, out, re-build and test.
I mean, did I do something wrong? Is it just supposed to fall out of there and go back in in an afternoon?
Side question: do the torque converter bolts need to be loc-tited?