Video of Fiesta transmission removal

[jwtimmons]

Hi

New poster long time lurker.

Just bought a cheap 2011 Fiesta for my daughter to pass her test on and drive for a year or two.

Has the dreaded dps6 AT with much grinding and crunching of gears.

Have run a full relearn using Forscan. From the marbles in a tin can sounds I either have a carrier bearing gone or a bearing on the odd gears shaft or something very bad mechanically in the transmission. Possibly an bad inner CV joint on the drivers side too. Stethoscope from the top hasn't narrowed it down beyond not coming from the clutch side of the transmission and getting under the car while running in drive on jack stands isn't my idea of fun.

Computer reports 12 and 13mm clutch material remaining, no TCM codes, a quick check of the actuators and forks shows no issues, can wind the forks in and they spring back out by themselves, swapping actuators no change. No oil leaks. Cannot see any labels saying the seals were done but it's tight in there so don't take that as gospel. In reverse no juddering or failure to engage. In drive can of marbles accompanied by the odd grinding of gears when it tries to change gear.

So found a second hand transmission, but searching online I only see Focus transmission removal videos and the Fiesta is way more cramped. Just wondering if anyone knows of a Fiesta based video? Or anyone here dropped and replaced the transmission can give me some pointers or gotchas? planning to drop the transmission, evaluate which clutches and forks and throw bearings are best and replace seals as a matter of course.

Thanks in advance

John

 

[jwtimmons]

Oh and putting a new drivers side cv axle in if needed.

 

[jwtimmons]

I'll answer my own question

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_Xevf6dHDQ
and

Note in the Fiesta accessing the 6 bolts from clutch pack to flywheel through starter is a pain and refitting very difficult, much easier to drain engine oil and drop oil pan and now you can easily see 2 of the bolts at anytime

Removing clutch without "proper" tool
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5bzzQPwSG0&t=0s

Removing and refitting with the right tools

Using forscan to recalibrate
https://forscan.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1672

Gotchas during install (well worth a read)
https://static.oemdtc.com/GSB/G0000028.pdf

Some useful info like how to unlock the electrical connectors (page 3), measure clutch wear (page 14), verify clutch is properly locked if resetting etc
https://f01.justanswer.com/dcraig1000/c192fb6a-55c3-4e4f-9051-116338e84c2c_eee1.pdf

Non motorcraft oil if you can't get to a dealer
Spec is FORD WSS-M2C200-D2
Motul 109464 MULTI DCTF 1L US seems to be in most napa and parts places and meets the spec and then some
https://www.motul.com/ae/en-US/products/multi-dctf

or


Castrol Syntrans FE 75W
https://msdspds.castrol.com/bpglis/...4A775878025803300296858/$File/BPXE-AEDUBY.pdf

 

[jwtimmons]

So, 4 1/2 hours from popping the hood to transmission on the ground away from the car.

Some comments for anyone thinking of doing this and note I am not a mechanic so take these as the hard earned notes of learning by doing.

The top end battery, tray, ECU air box etc etc is straight forward, 8 and 10mm sockets on an extension and impact wrench, note all the bolts , I put them in separate little bags with labels. Air box comes out once you unclip the snorkel at the front and wiggle it about.

A screwdriver popped the shift linkage off at the back and then I undid the two bolts and removed it as one unit rather than trying to unclip the shifter cable from the bracket.

The ECU and TCU connectors are delicate. Open the lever up a bit, wiggle the connector until the lever can move a bit more repeat until connector is off, don't try to use the levers to force the connector off, it will break and now you have a big problem.

Maybe I missed this but trying to pop the passenger drive shaft out after removing the carrier bearing support isn't going to happen, you have to pop the axle out of the hub. On that note, 32mm socket and remove the centre cap and break the axle nut before jacking up and removing wheels. If you don't do that first, like me, jam a screwdriver into the rotor slots against the caliper to stop the unit rotating while breaking the nut loose. I didn't have an impact that would fit the 32mm 1/2 inch drive so much cursing and using of long levers.

I had to pop the lower ball joint off both sides for both axles.

Of the 4 1/2 hours 1 1/2 were removing the oil pan, last person RTV'd the pan back on and it was a stone cold b**ch to remove. Oh and the dip stick is a press fit. Once off, removing the 6 nuts on the clutch was easy.

Bell housing bolts, there are more than you think. And some go in left to right and some right to left. The one at rear under the manifold required a foot long extension bar, threaded above the carrier bearing locations under the manifold above the support bracket for the exhaust resonator thingy.

If you think removing the earth strap from the fender is the easier way to do it, like I did, wait until you try to remove the bell housing bolt beside the transmission earth point and realize the earth bolt fouls the bell housing bolt and you have to remove the earth first to get at the bell housing bolt.

There are 2 bolts that may be related to the starter at the front mid way down, hard to see, harder to get a socket on.

I used a hoist to hook onto the attachment point on the top of the transmission to lower it, it is tight and I am glad I did it this way rather than trying to lower it on a trolley jack. Speaking of which my trolley jack was used to prop the engine up from underneath rather than leave the engine hanging off one mount. Others used boards across the top removing wipers and cowling, I didn't and it worked fine. Just used a piece of wood to cushion against the mating surface of the oil pan.

If the oil pan hadn't been such a pain, it would have been about a 3 to 3 1/2 hour job.


Tomorrow is check the clutch on the new (old) transmission ( a new clutch is 1600 bucks here in Canada!!!! so to hell with that) https://www.napacanada.com/en/p/NCF1107233

And pick whichever clutch is best because the car isn't worth spending that amount on top of purchase price, scrapyard transmission, DCT oil, engine oil brakes pads, brake fluid.

Then transfer TCU and harness across. I pulled the fork actuators of the replacement transmission and both forks seem to work fine by hand. Then reverse all the above, try to remember which bell housing bolt goes where because by the time I was hunting them down and removing them I was tired and didn't label them.

Wish me luck

 

[jwtimmons]

Re starter bolts, 3 in total 2 long go in 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock, the shorter goes in at 9.

Lining the clutch bolts to the flywheel while simultaneously lifting the transmission, getting holes lines up etc etc is a pain. get a helper!!!!!

Make sure you align the triangle on the clutch to the yellow dot on the flywheel, i marked the bolt to make it easier and your clutch will move as you wiggle it up and in so check, recheck and recheck

so far so good!

 

[jwtimmons]

Well she's running, no test drive done yet but computers are all happy now. Had one issue where the transmission range sensor that detects Park Dive etc was faulty and no start as a result. I had visions of damaged wires or connectors but swapped the hall effect sensor out of the old unit and problem solved.

All the relearns completed, clutch report 13mm and 13mm so not sure if that's good or bad but its marginally better than the old clutch. Everything else is clear on the DTC's and no obvious oil leaks or bead mechanical noises. Wohoo!!!!!!!!


Just need to replace the front disk pads, torque the axle nuts and recheck fill level. (filled to fill level while front was up on jack stands so guessing I am either overfull or under filled at the moment.

A note for anyone else, don't torque the transmission to the bell housing, leave all bolts a 1/4 turn backed off until you offer up the oil pan (with sealant) or you'll struggle getting the 4 oil pan to transmission bolts in. Take pictures of the wiring harness routing and gear selector cable routing before you rip apart because getting them back in somewhat of right order of what goes over and under what is fiddly. And you'll know you got it wrong because some or all the PCM connectors won't reach. Or they do but the battery positive won't.

Supposedly you can adjust the gear linkage cable where it attaches to the lever that selects park drive etc but I failed. That thing is well stuck on.

 

[econoboxrocks]

Good work! Let us know how it goes.

 

[jwtimmons]

Took it out for a drive, all good!!!!!!!!!

leaving parked up for the night to check for leaks but no noises, grinding gears or weird dropping back to idle when off the gas at highway speeds.

Super happy.

 

[jwtimmons]

Before I sign off, for anyone else considering this tool wise your standard socket set will get you most of the way there but some others you will need

• A long 2' or longer ratchet or breaker bar
• 13mm 6 sided deep and short socket types
• Impact driver a standard DeWalt, Rigid or whatever will do right angle type from Milwaukee even better
• A selection of extensions and a wobble type end on one for some bolt heads you can't get a straight shot at, particularly the top bolts on the bell housing
• 32mm socket for axle nuts (check that because other generations may use a different size but the 2011 Fiesta is 32mm)
• 8mm Hex driver for transmission drain and fill plugs
• A ball joint breaker or pickle tool
• Gasket sealant if taking down the oil pan
• 12 point driver for transmission mount at rear
• Silicone spray or similar to lube up connectors before reassembling
• Pry bars various
• Lots of rags!!!
• 2 ltr of Motul DCT oil was enough
• Either a very long thin funnel to refill transmission or a pump, I had a stern drive oil pump that worked perfectly like this

If you are going to do the clutch beg borrow or buy the special clutch removal tool and if not putting a new clutch in but instead reusing the clutch a clutch reset tool.

If you don't have a hoist consider how you are going to lower and later raise the transmission and also support the engine. I guess two trolley jacks would work but I would hate to have had to raise the transmission back up, align it to the bell housing, line up the clutch bolts to flywheel all at the same time as trying to stop the transmission falling off the jack.

 

[econoboxrocks]

You did a great job! I suspect your daughter could drive it for more than a year or 2, now.