Dropping motor from the bottom
#1
Staging Lane
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Lancaster, CA
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dropping motor from the bottom
Who has dropped the motor from the bottom I was wondering if someone can tell me how they did it and what to do and not do
#4
Did it in my garage last year. Gotta get the front way high up in the air somehow we used the engine crane on the rad support. I suggest more than one jack we used 2. Everything will just slide right out once you disconnect everything. We took it all out as one unit (engine trans k member even the driveshaft).
#6
Staging Lane
We used an ATV jack under the K-member as it gives you the ability to raise or lower the entire K-member/engine assembly. Used a furniture dolly under the transmission, left the tires on and rolled the whole thing out once the car was high enough. Not near as bad as I thought it would be--just takes time and patience.
#7
TECH Apprentice
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Lexington, S.C.
Posts: 351
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have done it twice. First time on my 93 Camaro and then second time on my brothers 01 Ws6. I put the rear on ramps and used two floor Jacks to lower the front of the car on to furniture dollys. I put one under the tranny cross member and one under the k-member. I used some 4x4's to help with spacing. I then hooked up my cherry picker to the sway bar mounts and lifted it to the sky. Then I pulled the motor and tranny out sideways. There are 6 bolts that hold the k-member in which require a 18mm socket and there are 4 bolts that hold the tranny cross member in which I believe require a 15mm socket.
Here are some tips. The power steering does not have to be drained as it all can come out in one piece. The front 2 brake lines need to be unhooked from the Abs module and untangled from the other brake lines. The A/c compressor can be unhooked from the motor so you do not have to evacuate the A/C system. I recommend using a strap or rope to hold the compressor so it is just not dangling from the lines. Sway bar has to be removed. The engine wiring harness has to be unhooked from the interior wiring harness which is all connected in the passenger floorboard and pulled back through the firewall. Don't forget to unhook the Abs wheel sensors
Here are some tips. The power steering does not have to be drained as it all can come out in one piece. The front 2 brake lines need to be unhooked from the Abs module and untangled from the other brake lines. The A/c compressor can be unhooked from the motor so you do not have to evacuate the A/C system. I recommend using a strap or rope to hold the compressor so it is just not dangling from the lines. Sway bar has to be removed. The engine wiring harness has to be unhooked from the interior wiring harness which is all connected in the passenger floorboard and pulled back through the firewall. Don't forget to unhook the Abs wheel sensors
Trending Topics
#9
Launching!
iTrader: (1)
I pulled mine this summer out the bottom by myself with an engine hoist and one jack. I disconnected the ac from the engine which was a pain in order to not drain the system. The job took me many hours, but I went slow and carefully. I lifted the body from the lower radiator support which worked well. I also snapped the 3 exhaust manifold studs that connect to the y pipe on the driver side. Haven't put the new engine in yet.
#11
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (10)
There are a lot of good points in each post. I do these quite often. I use all the ways in multiple posts up there. I put the rear wheels on ramps, (have a working park brake), trans jack and floor jack. Have front on jack stands and use jacks on engine/trans. Lift car with engine hoist attached to rad support and support body with blocks. Lower jacks, roll out.
But this spring I will have a Maxjax in the garage. 52" of lift should do it.
http://www.maxjaxusa.com/
But this spring I will have a Maxjax in the garage. 52" of lift should do it.
http://www.maxjaxusa.com/
#12
TECH Resident
I prefer going out the bottom. I'll hit some of the highlights below. Please forgive the note like nature of them as I will be jumping around from subject to subject.
Use a set of old wheels with tires on them turned up to where the rear wheels sit "inside" the wheels on the floor. This is way more stable than trying to keep the rear tires on ramps.
For the love of God and your safety, do not use concrete(aka: cinder) blocks to support anything. They have a nasty habit of crumbling at the wrong time.
Make up some 2x4 stands to help you out. I nailed mine together, but screws are not a bad idea.
I used all thread rod bent in a U shape with custom large thick washers/nuts on the back side of the shock towers to lift the body. Chain between both of them to lift the body with an engine lift.
The lift I have has a long reach to it. It is needed to clear the nose when lifting from the front head on. Shorter ones may be used from the side, but I have not tried it like that.
AC does not need to be discharged, but do support the compressor when unbolted from the engine.
Here is a write up from a gentleman(I would assume Jeff95TA) from years ago. It was posted on camaroz28.com. I did not put it together, but I did use it when I first pulled my engine and found it very helpful. I've uploaded it to my site to keep it handy for use. If you don't have MS Office, use Open Office or Libre Office to view them.
http://www.ace1252.com/LT1_Removal_F...ne_Removal.doc
http://www.ace1252.com/LT1_Removal_F...l_Pictures.doc
Take your time, label wiring harness connections with masking tape, take plenty of pictures of everything before getting started.
Here are a few pics from last time I pulled mine(I've done it 4 or 5 times).
http://www.ace1252.com/LT1_Removal_F...m/LT1_Pull.jpg
http://www.ace1252.com/LT1_Removal_F...y_4_stands.jpg
http://www.ace1252.com/LT1_Removal_F...ock_towers.jpg
This pic is prior to me using full 2x4 stands to support the body. I feel the full 2x4 stands are much more stable than jack stands on a 2x4 base. However it does show that once the engine is lowered to the 2x4 base, you jack it up and roll it out. There is also a small jack strapped under the trans.
http://www.ace1252.com/LT1_Removal_F...m/DSCN2569.jpg
Just a couple of quick notes on how to lower the engine out once everything is disconnected, I have the rear tires sitting in the spare tires and the front of the car low to the ground with jack stands under the body behind the front tires close to where the "normal" jacking blocks are located. The stands are not under those plastic blocks but there is some nice flat body spots close to there to let the body sit on the jack stands.
A small jack is put under the trans.
I then put a short chain across the front of both heads with bolts threaded into the heads(3/8 bolts where accessories are normally mounted....I do remove the power steering pump, alternator, and accessory bracket prior). I then use the engine lift to pull the chain across the heads up enough to to hold the engine to the body as I unbolt the 6 k-member bolts(I lift it enough to know that it will not move once I take those k-member bolts out).
My 2x4 engine cradle is already under the k-member. Next use the lift to lower the engine to the 2x4 cradle. Also lowering the small jack under the trans as I go. Once it is on the stand, I then move to picking the body up to clear the engine for rolling it out. The body is then lowered on to the custom 2x4 stands.
To me, it's much safer to go out the bottom than to try and control ~800lbs of engine and trans out the top....but I guess it does depend on having the right tools as well. The jack and lift my Dad gave me are some good pieces of equipment with enough lifting capacity to do this job.
Above all else, take your time and be safe pulling it out. It's not that bad, but we are still dealing with a serious amount of weight.
Use a set of old wheels with tires on them turned up to where the rear wheels sit "inside" the wheels on the floor. This is way more stable than trying to keep the rear tires on ramps.
For the love of God and your safety, do not use concrete(aka: cinder) blocks to support anything. They have a nasty habit of crumbling at the wrong time.
Make up some 2x4 stands to help you out. I nailed mine together, but screws are not a bad idea.
I used all thread rod bent in a U shape with custom large thick washers/nuts on the back side of the shock towers to lift the body. Chain between both of them to lift the body with an engine lift.
The lift I have has a long reach to it. It is needed to clear the nose when lifting from the front head on. Shorter ones may be used from the side, but I have not tried it like that.
AC does not need to be discharged, but do support the compressor when unbolted from the engine.
Here is a write up from a gentleman(I would assume Jeff95TA) from years ago. It was posted on camaroz28.com. I did not put it together, but I did use it when I first pulled my engine and found it very helpful. I've uploaded it to my site to keep it handy for use. If you don't have MS Office, use Open Office or Libre Office to view them.
http://www.ace1252.com/LT1_Removal_F...ne_Removal.doc
http://www.ace1252.com/LT1_Removal_F...l_Pictures.doc
Take your time, label wiring harness connections with masking tape, take plenty of pictures of everything before getting started.
Here are a few pics from last time I pulled mine(I've done it 4 or 5 times).
http://www.ace1252.com/LT1_Removal_F...m/LT1_Pull.jpg
http://www.ace1252.com/LT1_Removal_F...y_4_stands.jpg
http://www.ace1252.com/LT1_Removal_F...ock_towers.jpg
This pic is prior to me using full 2x4 stands to support the body. I feel the full 2x4 stands are much more stable than jack stands on a 2x4 base. However it does show that once the engine is lowered to the 2x4 base, you jack it up and roll it out. There is also a small jack strapped under the trans.
http://www.ace1252.com/LT1_Removal_F...m/DSCN2569.jpg
Just a couple of quick notes on how to lower the engine out once everything is disconnected, I have the rear tires sitting in the spare tires and the front of the car low to the ground with jack stands under the body behind the front tires close to where the "normal" jacking blocks are located. The stands are not under those plastic blocks but there is some nice flat body spots close to there to let the body sit on the jack stands.
A small jack is put under the trans.
I then put a short chain across the front of both heads with bolts threaded into the heads(3/8 bolts where accessories are normally mounted....I do remove the power steering pump, alternator, and accessory bracket prior). I then use the engine lift to pull the chain across the heads up enough to to hold the engine to the body as I unbolt the 6 k-member bolts(I lift it enough to know that it will not move once I take those k-member bolts out).
My 2x4 engine cradle is already under the k-member. Next use the lift to lower the engine to the 2x4 cradle. Also lowering the small jack under the trans as I go. Once it is on the stand, I then move to picking the body up to clear the engine for rolling it out. The body is then lowered on to the custom 2x4 stands.
To me, it's much safer to go out the bottom than to try and control ~800lbs of engine and trans out the top....but I guess it does depend on having the right tools as well. The jack and lift my Dad gave me are some good pieces of equipment with enough lifting capacity to do this job.
Above all else, take your time and be safe pulling it out. It's not that bad, but we are still dealing with a serious amount of weight.
Last edited by ACE1252; 01-04-2015 at 04:36 AM.
#13
Village Troll
iTrader: (2)
Have done it several times. Only twice on the ground without a lift, and I didn't find it necessary to raise the front wheels for more space. My car is lowered as well.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/lt1-lt4-m...highlight=says...
https://ls1tech.com/forums/lt1-lt4-m...highlight=says...