I definitely don't want to take a chance on damaging the new trans. Thanks for the advice guys!
Besides the oil pan gaskets and new rear main, what all will i need to swap this out?
upper oil pan doesnt use a gasket, its silicone. The GM gray stuff is good chet, id buy that if you can. You will also need coolant crossover o-rings that go on the back of the mid plate, new oil cooler gaskets and possibly o-rings should one tear or you loose one (make sure you have a big thick rectangle one in the kit as well, you will need it), rear main which you know, turbo drain gasket and patience lol.
Here is a quick run down so you know what your getting into.
First, drop the oil and lower oil pan. you will need to access 4 bolts that run up the inner edge of the upper oil pan that bolt into the mid plate. remove those 4 bolts. Next, remove the oil cooler. you can remove the midplate without removing the elbow from the midplate side for now. the elbow will need to removed and placed on your new midplate though so you will want to put the new big thick rectangle gaskets on that elbow as well as a new steel on the cooler side. they are a bitch to change if they leak with the midplate installed so id change them.
MAKE SURE YOU PUT THE 90* ELBOW BACK ON THE MIDPLATE BEFORE YOU INSTALL THE MIDPLATE. if you dont, its gunna be a pain to reinstall the oil cooler and elbow. Id then try to use a slide hammer if you have one to pull out the old rear main seal. if you dont, when you try to pry the midplate from the block after removing all the plates, you will damage two dowel pins that center the midplate to the upper oil pan (ask me how i know lol). Then undo the turbo drain from the top of the mid plate. you might have to remove the driverside uppipe to do this. when you get the rear main out, start prying the plate away from the block starting at the top and work your way down slowly. when you get about half way down, try prying the plate UP from the upper oil pan so you can pop it up and away from the dowel pins. then you can remove the whole plate.
make sure you clean the block and oil pan of old sealer and make sure your new mid plate is clean. you will also see the two o-rings for the coolant bypass i was talking about. its about half way up on each side of the midplate. they tie into the back of the block. Put new ones there in the mid plate. a dab of silicone will help them stay in place. then reinstall in the reverse order.
Flywheel is multiple 14mm allen heads and they are torqued down pretty good so be prepared there.
