The biggest "gotcha" with an automatic is making sure that the torque converter is fully seated in the front of the transmission. If you don't do this, you can damage the pump & torque converter. It's easier to put the torque converter in the tranny first instead of bolting the torque converter to the flexplate and then trying to lineup the transmission with it. Just keep spinning the torque converter by hand while pushing it into the front of the transmission and it will fully seat.

Oh, and don't forget to put the dipstick back in, or you will have a hard time adding fluid. I did that years ago when I replaced the torque converter in my old truck. Got the tranny put back in, went and cleaned up a little, came back outside to fill it up with fluid and only then realized that I forgot to put the dipstick in. Had to pull a hard-to-get-to bellhousing bolt out since it also retains the dipstick.

 

Good advice, thank you.

 

a tip
your hand should not fit between the converter and bell housing it should look like it's almost hitting !

 

Not as critical because you're going straight down and out but I would still tape a bag or something to the tailshaft. Cleaning up trans fluid under the car sucks...

 

Depending on the engine, there may be 6 bolts that bolt the engine to the bellhousing.

 

I don't drain the fluid first. I leave the dipstick tube in. Or with a case fill dipstick I have a rubber plug to quickly swap in. Lacking a plastic tailshaft plug I'll disconnect the rear of the driveshaft but leave the yoke in place. After that I use the jack and remove the crossmember. Then let the transmission hang down. You can let it hang like that with no problem. or you can leave the jack just under it if you like. If you have extra long extensions the downward tilt makes it easier to access the upper bellhousing bolts. Such downward tilting often make it easier to get the cooler lines off too. I leave one easy to reach bellhousing bolt on each side for the very last things to come out before actually dropping the trans out.
You can follow the instructions you found to the letter if you like, up to you. My methods comes from habit. There are vehicles where the lines and/or the upper bolts are frankly inaccessible until the transmission is tilted back. I hate pulling trans pans under cars. It's so much easier and less messy to drain them after they're out by pulling the dipstick and rolling them over on a drain table or extra large drain pan.
Trans pulling techniques vary according to what tools and abilities you have on hand. Come to think of it, last time I pulled my Mustang's transmission I didn't have my super long extensions on hand. Instead I just reached down and removed the upper four bellhousing bolts while leaning over the fenders. With a wrench and then a ratchet wrench IIRC.

 

Hi,
I will add, if not already mentioned, to have one of hose small hydraulic jacks available. it will, not only support the back of the engine, but, allow for minor adjustments during the R&R alignment process.
Good Luck!

 

Before you tighten up the bellhousing bolts, mave sure the torque converter has not slid out from the pump. The torque converter should be able to spin freely as you are tightening the bellhousing bolts. After the bellhousing is tight, you can spin the converter to line up with the flexplate. If the converter slides of of the pump while you're installing the trans
(which it will), you can break the pump while tightening the bellhousing if you don't put it back in.