Brickboarders,

I need a new transmission, and I've decided to do the work myself. I went to the junker and found a 1998 s70 (n/a) with automatic transmission. I took did my best to get the engine with transmission out of the car with a cherry picker. After four hours of work-- cutting wire, removing bolts, and the like-- I got the engine out. It was pretty rough work, and I'm exhausted.

Anyways, the engine with transmission are still sitting on the ground in the junkyard. I struggled to get it out, and I position the hook from the cherry picker around the connector to the starter. This was a bad mistake because it caused the pin that connects the starter to the transmission to crack and break off. Then, I tried to get the transmission off the engine, but failed miserably. I need to do more research. I know I removed all the bolts connecting the transmission to the engine. Did I not try hard enough? I tried to pry it off, thinking that it wouldn't matter if I bent any of the housing because it doesn't have a seal-- but I didn't really give it my all. I've heard about a "pressure plate" which could be holding the transmission on (still need to look into this).

Is this something that I should pursue to get, after all my efforts. Or should I just consider my day at the junkyard as a practice run and buy one on the internet that I know works? Did I mess up that trans by messing with the pry bar? Also, what are the chances that a '98 is in the junkyard because of anything other than trans issues?

Finally, if I decide to not get this transmission, can I put a '93 (n/a) standard tranny into my '97? Would chances be that its in the junker because of needing a new clutch rather than needing new transmission gears? I'm contemplating this option, as I've always wanted a stick.

Thanks guys!