Help with dropping the cradle

**nlinesk8s** · 11-24-2008

Well, I've got my transmission attached again, so I'll proceed to putting the cradle back. 18mm screw heads for the transmission and cradle bolts? In all my years of working on cars I've never used an 18; most tool kits jump from 17 to 19.

Also, the a** bolt. I left it out. There was no way I was going to remove the exhaust just for a chance at getting at that bolt.

I have a question tho'. As I just got a box of parts back from the same shop I retrieved my car from, there's one or two things I don't recognize. There are a couple of plastic bushings with slightly flanged ends. These might go to the swaybar link connection (which the shop removed), but I'm not sure.

Also, do I need to loctite the flywheel to torque converter screws?

thanks,

Sean

**Trannyman95** · 11-24-2008

To install the rear bellhousing bolt a long extension will get it in. I use an impact extension from SnapOn and is about 3' long though shorter will work and I DO suggest putting this bolt in because the 3800 blocks dont use the bolt directly above it so you dont have much support on the back side. You should use loctite on the converter bolts and Blue or medium strenght works fine. 18mm is the correct size socket for the bellhousing and cradle bolts. You can pretty much count on most all newer GM cars to use a 8,10,13,15,18mm socket at one time or another. The plastic bushings you mentioned are likely just retainer bushings to hold the cradle bolts in the cradle for assembly. Sometimes they do their job, often the bolts just fall back out but when you are ready to put the cradle back up you can insert the bolts and push the bushing down on the top side to hold the bolts from falling back out. There may only be two of these bushings as I typically only see them on the front two bolts.

**nlinesk8s** · 11-24-2008

Thanks! I have a long extension. I'll give it a shot.

regards,

Sean.

p.s. I broke the shifter cable at the bracket by being clumsy. Happen to know where I could get new?

**nlinesk8s** · 11-30-2008

trannyman, thanks for the encouragement to get that final bolt in! I have a long extension and finally got it in.

Now that about everything is back together, how much fluid should I put in to start? The manual says 7qt capacity, but after five its way above the full level, FWIW.

thanks.

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