Cutting the radiator support?
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From: Sterling Heights, MI
Cutting the radiator support? Im pulling the motor out of my car this saturday. After all the read end questions and **** this summer my motor twisted a few lifters and im pulling it all apart to make sure everything is okay. I dont have the time/space to pull the motor from the bottom, i need the K member in the car cuz its going to be sitting in my driveway for a while. I was looking it over after someone in the internal section gave me the idea and it would be really freaking easy with how gutted my nose is to pull the hood/bumper/radiator/headlights then cuz the radiator support and pull the motor from the front/top. I just dont want to cut the support out and have it collapse my front end. I would obviously weld it back up once done
also where would be a good place to hook into the motor at to hook it up to a cherry picker?
**** i hate this car sometimes
also where would be a good place to hook into the motor at to hook it up to a cherry picker?
**** i hate this car sometimes
As long as you do not plan to do class racing the requires a un modified Rad. Support and you re inforce it back again, you should be fine. Some people use round bar and have it removeable. It is an idea but I would talk with JL before doing this manuver.
Best attatchment point, aside from using a Motor plate for the valley cover is the front and back of the cyl head. You would go diagnol, ex. Chain starts @ Front Passanger head, and finishes at Rear Driver Side Cyl. Head.
Best attatchment point, aside from using a Motor plate for the valley cover is the front and back of the cyl head. You would go diagnol, ex. Chain starts @ Front Passanger head, and finishes at Rear Driver Side Cyl. Head.
It's so easy to drop it from the bottom. I needed to move my car, so once it was all out I took the engine off the k member and just reinstalled the k member. Pretty quick and easy. Doesn't require cutting your car up either.
very simple to pull it out the top with-out cutting anything. I the times I have done it on mine or buddies is take intake, accessories off and made a plate for the valley cover and welded a hook on it and used the cherry picker. Cakewalk! The only thing we always had the front bumper off to get the cherry picker closer but you can do it with the bumper on depending are your picker. Not saying taking it out the bottom is hard just that I personally think going out the top is easier. Good luck
Thread Starter
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From: Sterling Heights, MI
bitchin! well then well try it without cutting **** out first.
Im not against taking it out the bottom, but my old man is hesitant so if i can do it out the top id rather keep him happy being that he gave me the load to fix the motor (trex here i come
)
Im not against taking it out the bottom, but my old man is hesitant so if i can do it out the top id rather keep him happy being that he gave me the load to fix the motor (trex here i come
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Word, it can be done. I went farther than I needed to pull it out of the top, but I was re-using the heads, intake, exhaust on the new engine. Also, as you can see, I left the transmission in the car. Don't do this. Pull it out with the engine as it was a major PITA to realign the input shaft, engine, mounts, bellhousing, etc.
Also, I had to pull the front bumper to get the picker in far enough when I installed the new engine. As you can see in the picture below, I left it in place for removal and had plenty of room.
Also, I had to pull the front bumper to get the picker in far enough when I installed the new engine. As you can see in the picture below, I left it in place for removal and had plenty of room.
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If ya have an extra factory valley cover, take it, drill a hole thru the round parts that sit down around the knock sensors, and put a threaded rod thru there, and then bolt it on upside down. Makes for a GREAT lifting plate, if you have an extra it's next to FREE as well.
I made one this way, and it works like a charm. Stock radiator support, the motor will come out NO problem, just pull the intake, and you have all the room you need.
If you really want to make it easy, get it up in the air and pull the oil pan, then it really comes out easy from the top.
I will never, and I repeat NEVER pull a motor out the bottom of a 4th gen f body. I'm 110% that I can get one out the top easier then I can thru the bottom, and when I'm done, there's no rebleeding brake lines, realigning the car cause the k member was off, etc.
If you want to take the radiator support out, and make it removable, you will have the ability to take the motor and trans out as one piece, almost as easy as it is to take the motor out alone. If you have the cowl notched back, that makes it really easy as well. Hood removal, I don't do... I just unhook the shocks and lay it as far back as it will go, and pad it with a towel, and tie it back with a rope... works perfect, and then you don't have to mess with aligning the hood either.
I made one this way, and it works like a charm. Stock radiator support, the motor will come out NO problem, just pull the intake, and you have all the room you need.
If you really want to make it easy, get it up in the air and pull the oil pan, then it really comes out easy from the top.
I will never, and I repeat NEVER pull a motor out the bottom of a 4th gen f body. I'm 110% that I can get one out the top easier then I can thru the bottom, and when I'm done, there's no rebleeding brake lines, realigning the car cause the k member was off, etc.
If you want to take the radiator support out, and make it removable, you will have the ability to take the motor and trans out as one piece, almost as easy as it is to take the motor out alone. If you have the cowl notched back, that makes it really easy as well. Hood removal, I don't do... I just unhook the shocks and lay it as far back as it will go, and pad it with a towel, and tie it back with a rope... works perfect, and then you don't have to mess with aligning the hood either.
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
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From: Sterling Heights, MI
cool, im so glad this will work lol. Im getting a new VFN hood anyway so the hoods coming off and that will make it easier getting the new one on the rails without the motor in there. Do the front accessories have to come off? i already have the heads and intake off, i was hoping i could leave everythong on the front and take it off ocne its on the motor stand though.
You can leave the pump, my pump was holding my motor plate on and I pulled mine with the motor plate and alt still on the motor. It's easier with them off, but ya don't have to, it will come out with them on.
If ya have an extra factory valley cover, take it, drill a hole thru the round parts that sit down around the knock sensors, and put a threaded rod thru there, and then bolt it on upside down. Makes for a GREAT lifting plate, if you have an extra it's next to FREE as well.
its 100% easier to pull from the bottom. with a lift it can be done it 30-40 mins, without an lil over an hour.
the 3 minutes to reblead the brakes is nothing, and it doesnt need an alignment, it has pins it aligns with that wont allow it to bolt up but in one spot
the 3 minutes to reblead the brakes is nothing, and it doesnt need an alignment, it has pins it aligns with that wont allow it to bolt up but in one spot
Hey Green, try taking a car and putting it on an alignment machine before and after... it's off, way off. That alignment pin isn't a save all.
Have fun with that car that you can't move with no K member in it too. Unless you enjoy putting stuff back so you can roll the car around if needed then take it back apart so you can reassemble.
The guys on here that are telling you to take out the top, probably have done it more then once, and chances are, they are in the know with how long it takes to get a motor built, etc.
Have fun with that car that you can't move with no K member in it too. Unless you enjoy putting stuff back so you can roll the car around if needed then take it back apart so you can reassemble.
The guys on here that are telling you to take out the top, probably have done it more then once, and chances are, they are in the know with how long it takes to get a motor built, etc.
The 3/4 inch threaded rod got a slight bend, but that was it. I would shake it around every time I went out in the garage too... no problems.
I did put a small steel sleeve spacer in the middle of the hole, and a bolt on both sides, then a couple bolts and large washers in the middle to hold the hook where I want, and to act as a load leveling system.
Works perfect. I know an lsx motor complete is about 525 lbs. I had WAY over that hanging on this thing for a good amount of time, no problems. I was concerned about the plate cracking.. but the alum seems pretty thick, and tough. I wouldn't want to leave something on there like an important engine, but to pull one, get it out of the car, reinstall, and move to an engine stand and whatnot... absolutely no worries.
I made this, becuase I couldn't get a QTP lifting plate when I was looking for one. I called everyone that distributes their stuff that I could find, including getting in touch with Barry on here... noone had one. So... shade-tree engineering had to come into play LOL.