How hard is it for a novice to remove/replace a valve body?

I can turn a wrench but never anything in the tranny. I have a FSM too.

 

It is pretty simple, you will get pretty dirty with ATF though, when you replace it reuse old pan filter, and put a new trans filter.

 

I have a drain plug to get most of it out of the way.

Is there any linkage, special gear shift position or tricks to remember for removal and replacement?

 

I guess the real big question is: Who wants to help me do this????

I will provide - those cold things, cashola, some of those baby octopi, whatever you want!!!!!!!!!

 

I will work for Beer! Just bring it to Ohio

 

It makes a real mess as you pull the valve body out of the case. As you loosen the bolts that hold it in the fluid starts to go everywhere and there's plenty of it. I usually get a really big piece of cardboard for this operation. There are a couple of parts on top of the VB that will have to be switched over from your stock unit but that's easy. You have to pull a couple levers off before you can pull it too. Be careful with the electrical contacts inside the case.

 

New2ctd,

Go over to www.Dieselram.com and page Tim Holt. He's the tranny guru near you. Although he at the engineering level he will be glad to give you advice.
Good luck. If you were near Austin I would help you.

Pete

 

How far is Ohio from here???

Thanks Pete! I will hit him up. I want to try and do this myself for the experience of it.
The service manual makes it look like a 20 minute job once the pan is off.

 

It's fairly simple but it seems complicated....