The top two bolts in the bellhousing are E12, correct? Has anyone used the E10xE12 Gearwrench to remove these? Just wondering if there is enough clearance, since a ratcheting wrench will be a bit more bulky than a standard box-end. Thanks!

 

You will need an E12 socket.

 

Get a u joint and about 4ft of extensions (3/8) and a 13mm 6point, you should end up just behind the t case. That how I've gotten them on every xj lol.

 

Use an E12 socket, you should be able to find them at Sears.

Replace the screws - they're threaded 3/8"-16, so just match the underhead length (I don't recall it offhand - I think they're 1.75" long, you can check my site. www.kelleyswip.com/tech.html, and follow the links.)

 

X2 that's how I got mine off

 

OK, thanks guys. (What's with the "13mm 6-point"?)

 

Two types of regular socket - 6-point (the wrenching surface is a regular hexagon) and a 12-point (the wrenching surface is essentially two hexagons.)

So, a 13m/m 6-point is simply a 13m/m socket with a hexagonal opening - which makes it less likely to slip on a screw head (that's why I mostly have 6-point sockets, and I tend to only use 12-point sockets on screws with 12-point heads. I have 6-point and 12-point box wrenches, because there are times where there isn't enough room to swing a 6-point and make progress...)

 

You can use that type of wrench to remove the e12 bolt. I think I might of used a 12 point wrench for one of them.. but when you get them out just replace them with a grade 8 bolt, it made installation of the motor a whole lot easier than the removal

 

That answers my question - thanks. I was wondering why people were referring to a standard 6-point socket for an external-torx fastener!

 

I really don't see how a six point socket will fit a Torx head bolt without butchering it to the point that the Torx head bolt cannot be removed by conventional means.

If you are coming up from the bottom, use the E12 socket.

If you have the head removed, the bolts can be accessed from above. Except that you cannot use an E12 socket from above because there's no room between the firewall and the bolt to fit the tools in. I used a 3/8", 12 point, swivel head, ractheting box end wrench and a short piece of 1" I.D. pipe to remove mine from the top.

I'll be going back in with the hex head bolts shown in the pick below. For a drill, before removing the engine, I installed the hex head bolts and tried accessing them from the bottom using a 9/16" universal head socket and extension; there was no problem.

Mount bolts Notes:

My '99 had flange head bolts installed, not with washers as specified in the '88-'96 catalogs. I compared the Hillman bolts to the original bolts and the Hillman bolts are dead nuts the same length as the originals.

 

Thanks for the good info, Ken. Here's my situation: The head is off, and I had a 3/8", 12-point wrench on one of the bolts. It was starting to round off the bolt head, so I stopped before doing any real damage, and that's when I came here asking about the E12 wrench. I suppose I could also come up from below with a socket, but from the top seems so much easier. So, any recommendations on an E12 wrench?

 

Because, sometimes, a regular socket can actually grip an E-Torx head. It's not as effective as using the proper socket, but it sometimes works.

I'd rather just get the proper tool. If you try to "adapt" something, and you screw up, it goes pear-shaped rather rapidly from there...

 

Lisle Tools makes a nice set for a reasonable cost, and I think they're impact-rated (just in case.)

You can usually find them at Sears, they'll be on a red & white blister card.

 

These are sockets? Thanks, I'll check that out. Like I said, though, hoping for a wrench.

 

Don't know of the existence of a wrench. It would be an odd duck.

Here's a pic of the wrench I used. I got it at Lowes. It has nice sharp teeth, as opposed to a standard box end wrench.

I buggered up my bolt heads a bit trying to use a standard box end then I switched to this wrench. It fit the Torx head profile nicely.