In the process of trying to reinstall the transmission pan on my 1989 S-10 Blazer 4WD, I must remove the exhaust Y pipe. I have the pipes separeted from the manifold, but I can't get it off of the catalytic. I have the U-shaped clamp off, but the pipe seems stuck. I have soaked it with PB blaster, tried twisting it, and used a hammer. Any suggestions helpful.
Did the assembly use a sealant (dope)? Is any required for reassembly?
Thanks Jeff
PS Be sure you know what you are getting into when attempting to remove a transmission pan on a first gen S-10. Neither Haynes nor a Chevrolet service manual mention removing the transmission cross-member or exhaust.
There be a few welds at the top and bottom. Factory didn't do this but most exhaust shops do on reassembley and if it's an 89' it's not likely to be the original y-pipe.
Looks like you're gunna need an air hammer to get that bad-boy off.....................
Plus the fact that the exhaust clamp invariably creates a ridge in both pipes that it's clamping. Which makes it impossible to just "slide" the pipes apart. I've always had to take a torch to the pipes and get them red hot in order to separate them.
are you working on transmission pan or flywheel cover ?
if the latter, you can get it off and on by unhooking the Y pipe at both exhaust manifolds, removing oil filter and shift linkage cross-shaft and you can get it out with a bit of effort
I've always used a propane torch to heat them red hot, then work them back and forth to spread them out a bit.......and that '79 GMC of mine still has the orig. Y-pipe.. ;-)
It's gettin headers soon tho...and dual to the back... :-D
You must live in an area that doesn't use salt on the roads? Every vehicle I've owned the exhaust system has rotted out within 10 years. Lived in Toronto, Canada for many years, now in NE Ohio which is just as bad.
I am 90% sure this is the original Y-pipe. I live in Atlanta, and there is no salt, plus this truck is (was) in really good condition. I did the cat back a could of years ago, but only because the tailpipe rusted from being right behind the rear wheel. There are no tack welds that I can see on the pipe, though the clamp did leave a little crimp.
I pulled all the blots out of the pan w/o removing anything else. But I couldn't get the pan out. I jacked up the transmission and removed the crossmember, and that allowed me to remove the pan. But on the way out it snagged the filter and brought it out too. To my surprise the filter wasn't held in with screws. All the other cars I have ever done this on were. Instead, the filter is held in by ridges on the tube that goes up into the transmission. And that tube fits into a hole at the very front. So, with the new filter installed, there was about two and a half inches clearance between the Y-pipe and the front edge of the filter. Not nearly enough to fit the pan in. I tried putting the filter in the pan, sliding the pan over the front, and reaching in with my hand and slide it up into the hole. No luck.
So, I asked some other S-10 owners around here, is it expected to remove the exhaust Y-pipe to do this, and they all said they had. So, that led to my current situation. I have the exhaust pipe loose from the manifold, and the rear of the cat is unbolted from the rest of the exhaust, but I don't have the clearance to take the pipe out without disconnecting the cat from the Y-pipe. Will try heating it up next.
Thanks for all the help.
Jeff
PS I can remove the flywheel cover just by taking out the front drive shaft.
Jeff, take this for what it's worth, and who it's coming from.
"IF"...you have the Y-pipe hanging down, and the crossmember off, and the pan still won't go in......somethings not quite OEM.
try this.....
Take the tranny crossmember off.......
Jack the tranny up as high as it will go.....
Bend the 2 tabs on the front of the tranny pan over, and fold them inward against the pan....
Put the tranny filter on......
Situtuate the tranny pan at the best possible upward angle, for getting past the exhaust....
Then....using a big arse hammer and 1 solid SMACK....drive the thing past the exhaust. (I personally prefer my 5 lb nylon deadblow)
or...... do what "you" feel is best if you don't think that will work.
hopefully informative, Marsh ~thinks maybe you need some motor mounts~ =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
x"jeff" wrote in message ...
Hi In the process of trying to reinstall the transmission pan on my 1989 S-10 Blazer 4WD, I must remove the exhaust Y pipe. I have the pipes separeted from the manifold, but I can't get it off of the catalytic. I have the U-shaped clamp off, but the pipe seems stuck. I have soaked it with PB blaster, tried twisting it, and used a hammer. Any suggestions helpful.
Did the assembly use a sealant (dope)? Is any required for reassembly?
Thanks Jeff
PS Be sure you know what you are getting into when attempting to remove a transmission pan on a first gen S-10. Neither Haynes nor a Chevrolet service manual mention removing the transmission cross-member or exhaust. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D (after reading several replies....Jeff adds this to the mix......)
Reply to multiple posts:
I am 90% sure this is the original Y-pipe. I live in Atlanta, and there is no salt, plus this truck is (was) in really good condition. I did the cat back a could of years ago, but only because the tailpipe rusted from being right behind the rear wheel. There are no tack welds that I can see on the pipe, though the clamp did leave a little crimp.
I pulled all the blots out of the pan w/o removing anything else. But I couldn't get the pan out. I jacked up the transmission and removed the crossmember, and that allowed me to remove the pan. But on the way out it snagged the filter and brought it out too. =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0To my surprise the filter wasn't held in with screws. All the other cars I have ever done this on were. Instead, the filter is held in by ridges on the tube that goes up into the transmission. And that tube fits into a hole at the very front. So, with the new filter installed, there was about two and a half inches clearance between the Y-pipe and the front edge of the filter. Not nearly enough to fit the pan in. I tried putting the filter in the pan, sliding the pan over the front, and reaching in with my hand and slide it up into the hole. No luck. =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0So, I asked some other S-10 owners around here, is it expected to remove the exhaust Y-pipe to do this, and they all said they had. So, that led to my current situation. I have the exhaust pipe loose from the manifold, and the rear of the cat is unbolted from the rest of the exhaust, but I don't have the clearance to take the pipe out without disconnecting the cat from the Y-pipe. Will try heating it up next. =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Thanks for all the help. Jeff PS I can remove the flywheel cover just by taking out the front drive shaft.
I don't beleive its modified at all. The pan will go in, if the filter isn't installed. The truck is stock, except for the changes I made to it, and I see no evidence that the exhaust has been ever been off.
As far as having the Y-pipe down. When I unbolted it, it slid down and back no more than an inh and a half before catching between the motor and wheel wells.
It had to come off just to get the pan out. >:-(
And this is, esoterically speaking, the greatest point of contention. I NEVER would have started this if I had known what I would wind up removing. I don't understand why the Haynes manual, and, for goodness sake, the Chevrolet service manual, wouldn't mention this! I could have just had it pumped again, in less than hour, a week ago, for less money that I will ultimately spend on this project:
Gasket and filter: $25.00 Deep set metric sockets (for pipe to maniflold studs): $20.00 Doughnut gaskets: $18.00 total $63.00
Getting it pumped: $60.00
Lying on your back in the cold and rain for more than eight hours (ok ok, so I am slow) until your arms go numb, and your shoulders don't work, as you try to break loose exhuast bolts: priceless
Thinking about what you want to do to the neighborhood dogs who come into YOUR yard to BARK, GROWL, and bare their teeth at YOU while you work on YOUR CAR: felonious
Sorry, got OT
Did that.
I am no stranger to finding creative ways to get things through tight spots, but since I unbolted the Y-pipe, I think I must remove it if for no other reason than to replace the dougnut gaskets. I try to be thorough (to a fault), and the maintenance on this truck has been done fanatically. So, once I get the Y seperate from the catalytic, I can install the new doughnut gaskets AND situate the pan easily ( I don't want any leaks).
Its not that I do not beleive it won't work, I just think that Y-pipe has to come out anyway. After 230,000 miles, the original doughnuts appear rather eaten away.
The motor mounts appear ok. The engine doesn't hop or anything, its level and looks the same it always has. Its just the case of a 4.3 in a little body, no room for error. I can't even imagine what it is like for second or third gen owners, when the body got even smaller. I wouldn't dream of buying one of those, I don't have the patience.
Thank for your the suggestions. I wanted to have another go at the catalytic today, but the rain precludes it.
It's a major pain in the freakin' ass to do just about anything on the newer ones. Wife drives a 98' Sonoma SLS w/4.3 and 4l60e and what a PITA it is to work on. Thankfully hers is 2WD which makes working underneath much more pleasant. Ironically, on both her 98' 2WD Sonoma and my buddies 2000 Blazer, I didn't have to remove anything other than the pan to change the ATF and filter. Lots of room on both to get the job done without takin' nefarious amounts of other parts off.
Make SURE that the oring gasket is on the old filter. They have a habit of getting stuck up in that tube and folks overlook it, putting the new filter in it's place with the new gasket as well. This causes the filter to ride too low in the pan, leading to it sucking vacuum and tranny damage.
If the old oring is stuck in that tube, good luck. It's LOTS of fun getting it out. Don't scratch the tube, as that will lead to problems as well. Spent
5 hours getting mine out on the last tranny service ...
Just like you said, the O ring got stuck in the tube when I pulled the old filter out, but I was able to fish it out with a screwdriver and then my finger. Thanks for the suggestion, though!
Well, during a break in the rain, I availed myself of the chance to spend another hour on breaking the catalytic loose. I used my propane torch to heat up the pipe until it turned red (not all over, but in a couple of places. I tried the hammer again, but no luck.
When I first took the clamp off, it seemd as if the two pipes had a very small amount of wriggle room, but no longer. So, I don't know if this is a case of "rust welding" or the indentation made by the clamp.
Someone mentioned an air hammer. I have a small collection of air tools, and have used them to great effect, but no air hammer. How would I use that in this case?
Basically, this poster states that there was a tack weld on the top of the stock cat pipe on his 92 Sonoma. Now, I figured, if there would be welds, they would be on the bottom, but if it was done pre-install, at the factory, I might have missed it with the old "run a finger over the top" inspection. Will get out the mirror tomorrow and update.
If I find a weld, I might try the dremel first. But I do have the chisels on standby. I'd like to reuse all of these parts, since they're not broken, and I can be a bit clumsy when it comes to sharp instruments. :-)
Why am I not surprised? I wonder many years it took GM to figure this out. Everything else is so straightforward on this vehicle, I am really surprised at this. Well hopefully I can find a tack weld, like you mentioned earlier, tomorrow.
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