frcefed98

iTrader: (16)

Well the old dependable is coming out. We are moving at a pretty good pace. But have some questions now that we are breaking for dinner and other things.

1 Does the tranny have to come out or can we disconnect the flexplate from the torque converter and remove the engine. IF the tranny has to come out which is easier to do, drop the tranny out the bottom or remove the engine and tranny together?

2 Can we leave the waterpump on or does this need to come off too?

3 Reaching the top bolts on the tranny are damn hard, what is the recommended way to get to them?

4 Where should we hook up the chains on the engine hoist, head bolts or accesory holes. If accesory holes do you use the holes on the front pass and rear driver heads?

Thanks, if you have some more recomendations let's here them.

BTW its being done in the driveway on stands
J

robertbartsch

i asked JMX these questions recently ...he did a driveway motor swap recently....

i think they yanked the tranny and engine from the top together....


i think JMX has some pictures of the process - showing the chain hook - up on his web page..

i assume you can also leave the tranny in ...you need to get the bellhousing bolts from the bottom with a long 3/8 extention...if you have an auto you need to get the torque converter bolts too...

Slow Z28

iTrader: (19)

i took off all the crap in the front of the car. the radiator/fans/waterpump/etc. i also got it down to just a shortblock. I then yanked the motor AND autotrans, TOGETHER, out the top, with the hood still on. I just didn't have anyplace to put the hood, so that's why i left it on. Just was easier for me since my motor was locked up and i couldn't get to all the flexplate bolts then.

Chris

FrankSS

iTrader: (18)

pull it out the bottom. i did it in my garage, by myself in like 4 hours the first time. i can prob do it in like 2 now, but its pretty easy, just 10 bolts on the underside of the car, loosen up the shock towers, unhook all the electrical stuff, disconnect the brakes from the metering block, unhook the A/C and hang it to the side, disconnect the steering on the way down, and leave the tranny on. its easier to leave it hooked up. that should be it, and btw, i did it JUST in my garage, since my driveway is on a down hill, and did it with a jack and 4 jackstands.

theblur98ss

iTrader: (71)

I agree with frankss. I did mine out the bottom in a limestone driveway in march with ice and snow on the ground. Not bad at all. Definately take leave the tranny on. If you're coming out the top I'd take as much off as possible. Definately the intake and water pump stuff.

Scalpel

iTrader: (4)

You say you have it on 4 jackstands, how do you actually lower the engine/tranny out of the car once you have removed all the bolts, wiring, etc?

robertbartsch

I would LOVE to know more about the removal of the engine and tranny from the bottom using jack stands....WILD!!!!

So, to lower the engine you use a floor jack? How high does the car need to be off the ground to get the engine/trany out from under the front clip?

Visceral

iTrader: (1)

Some install photos from when jmX and I put my new motor in.

The previous page of photos has 1 or 2 that may be usefull.

We pulled and put in the new engine from the top. I see no reason the bottom way wouldnt be shorter or easier, but we chose to do it the way Ive always done other cars. Until Ive done it boht ways, I cant say which I prefer. This way was not especially difficult when using the creeper to scoot the tail end of the tranny around, but it required obviously jacking the back of the car up to the top of the jack and using SUV jackstands to hold it there.

chris

chris

frcefed98

iTrader: (16)

Thanks for all the help and recommendations. The install is kinda on hold, I'm on vacation and my buddy isn't so we have to wait for his days off to finish it up(sun/mon )
Thanks for the photos Chris that is what i'm talking about.
J

theblur98ss

iTrader: (71)

From the bottom. Unhook all wires to sensors, front brake lines, etc. Leave back of the car on the ground and jack up the front as high as possible. I then set two ramps under the car with wood blocks on top of the ramps. Then put a jack under each a arm or on each side of the K member. Take out the 6 k member bolts, 8 shocktower bolts and the 4 tranny crossmember bolts. Slowly lower the jacks in unison. It will hang up and usually come all at once. Then just roll everything out on the front wheels. This was especially nice for me since I was doing a K member and A arm swap at the same time. Out the top probably wouldn't be too bad either but I didn't have a cherry picker and had to get inventive. As mentioned above this was done in winter weather on a limestone driveway.