The 1997 Ford Escort is a compact car that combines sporty design with reliability. Wear and age can affect the car's performance. When your gears are not changing properly and shifting problems affect the overall performance of your car, you have no choice but to check the transmission and replace it, if necessary.
Use sturdy jacks to elevate the front and back of your 1997 Ford Escort. Place the jacks in a flat and strong surface to avoid movement. Disconnect the negative and positive battery cables. Remove the battery and set it aside.
Locate the top bolts of the transmission and loosen each one with a 13mm socket. Disconnect all cables linked to the transmission such as the shift linkage, throttle kick down and speedometer. Remove the cooling and vacuum hoses.
Activate the emergency brake and remove the front tires. Place a U-joint at the rear end of the transmission and carefully slide it outward to reveal its middle body. Support the U-joint with a transmission jack and place it under the transmission to slowly elevate it.
Unscrew all bolts at the body of the transmission such as the torque converter bolts and bell housing bolts. Unscrew the two strut bolts with a 17mm wrench. Pull up the rear transmission mount while jacking up the transmission a few inches more to remove the cross member.
Pry the right and left axles using a pry bar while avoiding any damage to the transmission. Jack up the whole transmission at a minimum of 42 inches above the hood and slowly slide it forward. Put it down a few meters away to make sure it won't disturb the installation of the replacement.
