h53speed

Just curious if you guys could tell me how long it should take myself and a couple of buddies to drop my engine down with a lift. Also can the transmission be separated from the engine out of the car or should it be removed first?

Thanks
-Wes

Raughammer

I pull mine out of the top...with the tranny still on the motor.

I hate messing with the brake lines when doing it from the bottom.

From the bottom always took me about 4 hours... though that is by myself and some good tools.
I know others who have done it a lot faster.


Later.

project9sec

i would give my left arm to know how you did that

StevieZ

iTrader: (3)

I took mine out the top without the tranny. It took me 7 hrs by myself with no air tools. This included taking the heads off in the car which I didn't have to do but it landed up making no difference since I had to swap the heads to the new shortblock anyway. The total amount of work time the swap took me from the 1st bolt turned to starting the car was 27 hrs and that included 2 hrs of messing around with grinding clearance on the perimeter bolt valve covers so the Yella Terra rockers would clear. Oh ... by the way...no lift.This was all done with the car on stands in the front.

Murdock

iTrader: (2)

Mine went out the top with manual trans and heads still attached. 8 hours in the driveway on jackstands. I took digital pics of all the connections so that I could put them back correctly during the install. I prepped it myself, then 2 freinds helped run the picker while I guided the trans with a floor jack. No air tools. I would think that you'd go faster on a lift with air tools.

h53speed

Yes we have air tools and a lift.

John
What did you set the engine on when you dropped it through the bottom? I was thinking a pallet and a spare tire? That way the engine can be forklifted into the truck.

Anyone separate the trans from the engine out of the car? Just curious which was easier.

Thanks,
-Wes

Inspector12

iTrader: (29)

Man you guys are tuff I would never even attempt to pull one out of the top. I took me less than 2Hrs to pull motor trans and all out frome the bottom with air tools no lift (Just 2 floor jacks) and by myself I've done it atleast 6 time and each time I get faster I think the last time was around 1-1.25 hrs.Those brakes bleed very easy.Do you believe think GM put them in from the top? It takes less that 25 bolts to drop it out from the bottom. And at that point you can take anything you want apart with the impact or other air tools. If you want a better explanation PM me and I'll give you my Phone number and I can guide you though it. Good luck on pulling out from the top and not beating everything up. Oh by the way I hope I didn't offend any one I am just trying to picture one coming out from the top although that is not the first time I've herd that. See Ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Murdock

iTrader: (2)

Inspector12: Picturing a GM assembly line using cherry pickers to go from the top is pretty funny.

How did you get the car off of the engine? Do 4 jackstands give you enough height to roll the thing out on a floor jack? 2hrs is pretty good. I think I'll go from the bottom next time.

Inspector12

iTrader: (29)

I had a couple of cender blooks under the rear tires with E-brake on of course. also I left the front suspention on the K-member disconected the struts from the unibody and I take every thing out with the motor and trans sway bar Etc... I know it sounds like a lot but I look at the big picture it also goes back that way. Unplug the wiring harness and fuel,brake lines, A/c, Trans. I have a roll around cart I made from a Home Depot cart not the wide one the narrow one that I place under the K-member and I jack the car off of the motor and roll the whole thing out frome under the car and do what work I need and replace the whole thing in reverse.I am leaving out a few things just because of time but don't forget the drive shaft Steering shaft tourque arm ETC... When you do it once you will be sold on it you will not even get that dirty and once out you can see every thing Heads trans. This is also how I am going to put my heads and headers in. I know every one puts them in frome the top but I would like to be able to get to everything with out busting knuckles and I think it will save time over all by doing both probably not worth it for just headers but it is a toss up on the heads if you have never done them. The time would be close to the same but no cuts or fighting the back bolts. But you know that is just my opinion and you know every bodies got one of those! Let me know if I can help some one out with further details.

mike c.

iTrader: (1)

i did it the same way raughhammer did. me and a bud in around 5.5 hours had it out.

shane p

Do it from the bottom unbolt struts and swaybar from body 6 bolts on k frame unbolt tranny mount wires hoses a few hours and its out.

FrankSS

iTrader: (18)

ya i did like Inspector12 did, and by myself having no clue what was going on, i finished taking it out in i think 5 hrs only with a jack and 4 big jack stands. now that i know what im doin i can prob get it done in about 2 hrs with air tools. u can take everything off with air tools, only ~24 bolts, the wiring harness, fuel line/injector rail, and 3 brake lines that come out of the metering block and disconect the A/C compressor from motor. all in all, it was very strait forward and simple.

LS1x2

iTrader: (11)

I'll take the right arm. I followed his write-up on it to do it myself a couple times

Red2000SS

Do you have a link to a writeup???

Thanks.

Cal

iTrader: (1)

Well I've pulled several motors out the top in 1st gen fbodies with the trans still attached, no big deal. Never seen anyone drop one out the bottom, but the way the engine is halfway under the cowl on the 4th gen it makes sense. I would like to see some pictures of this; does the the engine, trans, k-member and front suspension all separate from the rest of the car in one big piece? I have a '93 T/A with a motor that needs a rebuild, so I'd like some more details on doing the out-the-bottom thing!

Cal

iTrader: (1)

I wouldn't trust cinder blocks to hold up the weight of a car; those things have been known to crush when used this way. Good info on dropping an engine out the bottom, though.

h53speed

I just received my GM helms manual and they drop the engine. I guess that it was designed to come out that way. One more question. Must the wiring harness be removed from the car?

thanks
-Wes

shane p

No the wire harness stays in get under there un bolt everything block up the k frame a little so you can get floor jack under it to slide around. Then start jacking the front of the car go slow there will still be some wires to disconnect.there are 6 bolts under the car on the k frame the two brackets that holds the sway bars and the bolts that hold the struts in thats the major stuff it all comes out as one big unit.

Brains

iTrader: (7)

I've done it both ways a few times now, and I prefer pulling it out the top. Pulling it out the bottom costs you time working on the "little" things. The last time I installed an LS1, I assembled the motor on the stand and put it in with everything except the intake, balancer, and water pump. The install literally took less than an hour to complete, and fire up.

The only "secret" I can give when R&R'ing out the top is to keep the chain VERY tight across the top of the motor. I cross-bolt the chain from one head across to the other head, and keep it snug. Then you have PLENTY of room to roll the crane in, and drop it right on the mounts. You can even have the headers connected to the motor, if you're careful. Otherwise just bolt 'em on when the motor is hovering above the motor mounts. Takes about 2-3 minutes with an air ratchet

Inspector12

iTrader: (29)

Some one was asking about pictures I have the whole thing photographed it is on 35MM though so I need some one to scan them in for me I am talking to a few of my friends so if I get it before this post end I'll post them. I am at work right now so maybe in a day or so.

Oh Cal thanks for the warning and you are right about them breaking but the were only holding the rear half and I did not have that happen but yes ramps or jack stands are alot better I have both just did it that way that time.