I'm on this forum because it's been an information desert trying to find out how to remove a ford cd4e 4wd/awd transmission from a 2008 ford escape WITHOUT removing the engine. Anyone ever done it? Did you have to remove the 4wd transfer case separately? I am helping a neighbor trying to do same and we are down to trying to get the trans to separate from the engine and can't get to the engine bracketing holding the transfer case to the engine. Although not the preferred way to do this we have the transfer case mostly unbolted from the trans but are having problems there too. Found a couple of videos on youtube but neither gives a step by step process on how to do it.
Looking for help from anyone who may have some insight.
Thanks

 

Haynes indicates the transfer case does need to be removed from the trans prior to trans removal, the steps seem to be drain the transfer case oil then remove:

Driveshaft to rear diff
Right driveshaft and intermediate shaft
Crossmember (the one across the car)
"On V6 models remove the interfering exhaust manifold" - which I take to be the rear bank manifold.
Heatshield
2x exhaust bracket nuts
Transfer case mounting bracket
Transfer case mounting bolts
...then remove the transfer case

Removing the rear exhaust manifold might seem a bit of a mission, I've just done both manifolds on my daughter's 2002 and removing the rear manifold entailed removing the exhaust Y-pipe, the alt and the right driveshaft to give clearance.

For the trans itself Haynes indicates that you remove the mounts, shift cable and sensor wiring, driveshaft, transfer case and lower support member (the front-to-rear one under the engine and trans then lower the engine while supporting it to allow the trans to move away from the engine into the LH wheel arch before lowering the trans out. Sundry splash shields etc need to be removed but they are probably obvious.

Let me know if you are still stuck.

 

Workshop manual basically says the same, support the engine, unbolt & remove trans.

 

I've changed about 4 of these. Yes you have to take the transfer case out. Even worse is that it that the bolts holding it to the transmission is a torx head (use an E12 wrench if memory serves me). One is hidden between the back exhaust manifold and the transmission. It's better if you use a ratcheting wrench because you're only going to get about an 1/8th of a turn at a time.