Did you bang around on it with a rubber mallet?

VICTORY
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:cool:

About time.

This post goes along with the Way Out West track that's playing on last.fm right now way too well.

What was the problem?

ibjuice

It was just really really stuck on there for some reason. After about 30 min of messing around with the tranny jack I just took it out and tied a strap across the gap so it wouldn't fall on my face. Then in anger I bench pressed the tranny, banging it against the bottom of the car about 25 times.

Still it didn't come off but, I made enough of a small gap up top between the engine and tranny that I could fit a huge pry bar in it. I had just removed the 02 sensor from Austin's exhaust so I was in the zone and ready to do WORK. Then it became one of those home videos from Yosemite where a black bear begins to pry the door off of a dodge caravan to get at the half eaten bag of pecan sandies on the back seat. It was pretty epic due to the lightning storm in the background.

For anyone who wants to know, a dry 5MT is around 123 pounds.

What a fantastic description, I felt like I was there! Haha, you should be an author :lol:

:lol: Nice work.

UPDATE
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So basically second gear was toasted like I thought. I would probably have my transmission back and fixed today but there was a bit of a snafu with the parts that I had ordered. My transmission is an early 04 which means it was put out right before several synchro updates made mid year. So when I was ordering parts online I ordered the updated parts so they could be installed and bring my transmission current. Well it appears that my transmission was broken once before I bought the car and the updated multi-piece synchros and hub adapters were already installed.

The damage list included
3rd gear synchro having chunks broken out of it
2 gear and main shaft toasted
several bearings also toasted

The guy at A1 asked how long I have been driving around with it in this condition because I guess the wear shows that my transmission was damaged some time ago before 2nd gear recently exploded. So I ordered the remaining synchro, seals, nuts, c clips, and bearings that should all get here monday. Now I just need to call subarugenuineparts.com to see how bad I'm going to get raped on restocking fees if they decide to take the parts back at all.

At least there is some progress. Those gears look great! :lol: Good luck, I have heard nothing but great things about that site, I am sure they will work with you.

If you are buying the right stuff, hopefully they will be good to you. Let us know and add to the review in that forum. Clean those parts up and keep them on your desk as a reminder to be nice to the new stuff.

Are you putting LW Shockproof in when you put it back together?

I am going to frame it and hang it on the wall with a Fast and Furious quote.
You almost had me? You never had me - you never had your car.

I still have the 4 qts of oil that I had tried to sell ages ago so I think for the sake of my wallet I am just going to throw that in for now and see how it goes.

I am sticking the transmission back in today and for the life of me I can't remember where I connect that ground wire to the transmission. Anyone?

Bracket goes on the top bolt just to the left of the starter, and the ground cable bolts to the bracket with a 12mm bolt.

Ok. I know the one you are talking about. The ground wire that I am talking about is connected to the firewall on the passenger side of the pitch stop mount and then it should connect to the transmission somewhere.

It goes to one of the case half bolts on the driver's side of the tranny.

So, I was plugging everything in and I am a little confused by something. I started to plug in the 3 plugs on top of the transmission and I noticed that there are only 2. Leaving me with an extra plug. Could my transmission have come back to me with 1 less plug!?!?!?
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That looks like the lead to the other O2 sensor.

I like the way this part sounds... does that mean you're about to have a driveable car again?

That is exactly what it is. Thanks Kevin. I was about to lose it, thinking that I would have to take the transmission out again.

My car should be up and running tonight. How long is gasoline good for? The reason I ask is because the car has been sitting for a while.
EDIT: Holy Crap! My car has been down for 7 months!

I've had mine start on 1.5 year old gas. You'll be okay, just get it over to a gas station to top off with fresh 91 and try to stay out of the boost for the 1st tank if it was pretty full w/ old gas.

Congrats, Joel! It's good to know I have a friend who will fix my transmission for me when it breaks. :D