Can't get the engine back in!! help
08-08-2009, 11:34 AM
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Can't get the engine back in!! help Got the motor in the car but the front bumper is hitting the lift so it cant be moved back anymore and cant get the wings on the oil pan (i think only vettes have em) past the k member..and while trying to get the torque tube into the flywheel....anybody else have these problems?? I'm about to cut the sides off the oil pan 
08-08-2009, 02:03 PM
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ahh I didnt want to go that far, also thought of taking off the front bumper but that seems like alot of work and making another hole in the arm for the bolt to go through but that just seems dangerous
08-08-2009, 10:05 PM
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Well I now got the lift on the side of the car which resolved the short arm issue, now the input shaft is still at a slight angle to the flywheel splines, it's IN but not only like half inch....torque tube is pressed all the way up, engine is as far angled down as possible till the oil pan touched the k member.....
I backed all 4 k member nuts down like 6 threads, enough so the threads are still all in the nuts but not so the member will drop all the way down and hopefully it will be enough clearance for the motor to drop for the input shaft to slide in...
Does everybody put the chassis on jackstands and then lower the k member down with a jack or use a lift to lift the car off the engine?
I backed all 4 k member nuts down like 6 threads, enough so the threads are still all in the nuts but not so the member will drop all the way down and hopefully it will be enough clearance for the motor to drop for the input shaft to slide in...
Does everybody put the chassis on jackstands and then lower the k member down with a jack or use a lift to lift the car off the engine?
08-08-2009, 10:40 PM
#7
I always drop the K-member out of the way,if doing motor only.Go in with hoist from the side.When the motor is stuffed,then we have a nice a-frame looking support we built especially for these.Bolt on to front of engine,remove hoist,reinstall cradle with nothing in the way.Makes short work out of the job,I promise.
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08-08-2009, 10:52 PM
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I wish thats how I took it out but I never did it before and just wanted to get it outta there....I'm going to drop the k member a couple inches, is there enough play where I can leave the suspension, brake lines, etc hooked up?
08-09-2009, 09:39 AM
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you're gonna have to drop the upper a-arms and make sure you disconnect the brake lines from the little plastic clips. not a big deal but don't break those suckers. I just ripped them off when I did the rear cradle and they are like $10 a piece. You should have plent of room then. Oh yeah, put the rack back in while it's down.
08-09-2009, 10:37 AM
#13
Why not get a C6 oil pan? No more wings man. Don't know if thats an option for you,...you can always sell the winged pan down the road.
When I do clutch swaps, I end up taking the rear cradle bolts out obviously,and I support the front cradle with pole jacks. Then I remove the rear FRONT cradle bolts, and loosen the front two cradle bolts to the point where they become even with the studs. Make sure you are useing all HAND TOOLS when working with the cradle bolts, no air tools.
Should give you a little extra room. Also, during clutch installs, we leave the pressure plate loose enough to allow some play, then once eveything is tight, we go through the bellhousing site plate, and tighten each one. Helps with alighnemt alot. Getting the bellhousing can sometimes be tricky, as the dowl pins down want to line up sometime. It's probably not 100% straight. Ensure that the torque tube is,...line it up, try and start one bolt,..slowy thread it in, start another,...turn it,...another,...never tightening one all the way down, cause if it isn't lined up, you could crack the housing or the tube.
Haste makes waste....or some **** like that. Take your time, be safe.
When I do clutch swaps, I end up taking the rear cradle bolts out obviously,and I support the front cradle with pole jacks. Then I remove the rear FRONT cradle bolts, and loosen the front two cradle bolts to the point where they become even with the studs. Make sure you are useing all HAND TOOLS when working with the cradle bolts, no air tools.
Should give you a little extra room. Also, during clutch installs, we leave the pressure plate loose enough to allow some play, then once eveything is tight, we go through the bellhousing site plate, and tighten each one. Helps with alighnemt alot. Getting the bellhousing can sometimes be tricky, as the dowl pins down want to line up sometime. It's probably not 100% straight. Ensure that the torque tube is,...line it up, try and start one bolt,..slowy thread it in, start another,...turn it,...another,...never tightening one all the way down, cause if it isn't lined up, you could crack the housing or the tube.
Haste makes waste....or some **** like that. Take your time, be safe.
08-09-2009, 12:07 PM
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Thanks,
Well I used my snap on 1/2 cordless impact for the 4 k member nuts then I realized how loonnggg they are and plan on tightening them by hand so they dont snap.
About the oil pan it's not even my car, I'm doing all this for a friend for some $$$ and motors already almost in and dont have time to wait for another oil pan but I prob would have had it running by now if it did have a wingless pan on it.
Well Im gonna head over soon and try and drop the k member or cradle whatever the correct name is and see what happens....
Anybody know where I can get header bolts locally? I dont have time to wait for shipping
Well I used my snap on 1/2 cordless impact for the 4 k member nuts then I realized how loonnggg they are and plan on tightening them by hand so they dont snap.
About the oil pan it's not even my car, I'm doing all this for a friend for some $$$ and motors already almost in and dont have time to wait for another oil pan but I prob would have had it running by now if it did have a wingless pan on it.
Well Im gonna head over soon and try and drop the k member or cradle whatever the correct name is and see what happens....
Anybody know where I can get header bolts locally? I dont have time to wait for shipping
08-09-2009, 01:30 PM
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Careful with the impact gun. I had a friend helping me and he almost hit the cradle nuts with the impact and I almost hit him with my boot. LOL. Those are captured studs. If you break the retainer inside the frame rail you will have to cut a hole in your frame rail to access and replace it. Not fun. It takes a little longer but use hand tools.
08-09-2009, 01:47 PM
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Careful with the impact gun. I had a friend helping me and he almost hit the cradle nuts with the impact and I almost hit him with my boot. LOL. Those are captured studs. If you break the retainer inside the frame rail you will have to cut a hole in your frame rail to access and replace it. Not fun. It takes a little longer but use hand tools.
After I loosened the first nut it was wobbling around in the hole and was wondering what was holding it and found the top of the bolt on the frame rail with a tab thats riveted to the frame to hold the head from turning...Even it did break should be no biggie to hold the top or to put in a new one.That was on the passeneger side anyway, I think I seen the same thing on the driver side
08-09-2009, 07:24 PM
#19
Here we have Bennet auto, they sell GM parts cheaper then dealerships. Try that for your bolts.
YOu can find bolts that will work at the hardware store but, they may not thread in as easily, as the heads on the factory bolts are kinda tapered. Be careful you don't cross thread the aftermarket bolts,..as it is very easy to make a mistake on the aluminum heads
YOu can find bolts that will work at the hardware store but, they may not thread in as easily, as the heads on the factory bolts are kinda tapered. Be careful you don't cross thread the aftermarket bolts,..as it is very easy to make a mistake on the aluminum heads
08-09-2009, 07:43 PM
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Nope didnt finish it, its really pissin me off and it takes alot to get me aggravated. I jacked up the body of the car in attempt to let the cradle drop, no gap unless I stuck something in there and pryed it down, took off the shock, no change....started to take out the 4 upper control arm bolts so the cradle can come down....assuming thats the only thing thats holding it up against the body. Is the a arm going to shoot down and be a biotch to get bolted back up when I take out the top control arm bolts?? I have a jack under it but if I jack it up all it does is raise the whole car up so I have a feeling I wont be able to jack it up in place?