can i get away with not taking the oil pan off or do i have to take the oil pan off before i can get the motor out of the top? and where did you hook the chain to the motor to get it out?? any tips??? or thing i need to do?? thanks, dwyane

 

The motor will come out with the oil pan on no problem. Just make sure to leave yourself some slack in the chain when bolting it to the motor so you can have room to tilt.

The only place I know of to pull the motor is bolting the chain onto the front driver's head, and rear pass head. I used a bellhousing bolt, it threads right in.

Take the intake off, and of course everything on the front of the motor. I left my crank pulley on, but it would make it a lot easier to remove it while in the car. Other than that, just unbolt everything and it'll slide right out. I did it by myself in 3 hrs from start to motor sitting on a stand. Shoot me a PM if you have any questions..

Josh

 

Do you have to take the hood all the way off as well or can it be left extended by the arms like normal? Also I take it you pulled your tranny cause you mentioned the bellhousing bolts. I have heard you can do it with the tranny in there but am wondering if it would just be easier to take the tranny off while it is on the car.

 

Well having done this many times ....tranny and all it can be done. You will need to remove the hood to get it up high enough to get it out. IF you pull it with the tranny, pick it up towards the front of the motor as described above...front of one head/rear of the other and a chain in between. Pick it up so the tranny will hang at roughly a 45 degree angle and you will have to pick up the tailshaft as you make it over the front bumper. Any ?'s just gimme a hollar

Rich

 

Mike, I did not pull the tranny w/ the motor. I dropped it before removal. And no, I did not remove the hood, and it wasn't a problem at all. Getting the hood lined back up is a biatch...

 

guys if you all have the place to do it, drop the k member. its a hell of alot easier and you get it all out at once.

 

pull it out the bottom! i just did it for the first time in my garage and it took 2-1/2 hrs..i could do it again in about 1hr-1/2 ...

 

I dropped the whole thing out the bottom also in about an hour and a half. Wasn't the first time though. I just drop it on two regular size jacks then jack the nose up about three feet.

 

I managed to put my motor and trans back in in one piece without taking my hood off, but my hood is lighter than stock and opens up farther than a stock one would.

Biggest mistake people make is not using a proper bolt to hold the chain onto the heads..you put one that isn't long enough and it'll bend and potentially rip out of the head and drop your motor.

Another little trick..a good place to put the motor after you pull it is on an old tire, no reason for an engine stand unless you are tearing it down or something and you sure don't want to put the motor on the ground with nothing to support it.

 

Another variation is to put the cars front subframes on jack stands, high enough to work on it and put jack stand under the rear axle also. When you are ready to lower the front K member, put your cherry picker in its shortest position and put straps around the front bumper (steel supports) and connect to the cherry picker. Pick up the whole front end and lower the k member on a dolly (tires are off by now). Remove the remaining bolts that hold the k member on and then raise the front of the car again. Wala you now have the front k member rolling around on the dolly, trans and all.

Just my 2 cents

Heres some example pics I borrowed from a orangeSSpike in our car club (www.fbodyowners.org), granted the front is taken apart for body work but you can get to the front frame supports.

 

so, it is possible to put the tranny on the block before putting it back in?? did you use the head bolt holes and use the tranny bolt in the head or what?? i was going to use the vally cover bolts but wasnt sure that would hold to good, thanks for all of the help, ya'll really come in handy!!!

 

wow farmer that is pretty cool how you did it. I dont think i have enough room to do it though, I'll be pulling it out the top and taking the tranny off first.

Anybody got a list of things to take off besides the tranny in order to do this?

A couple of obvious things would be the headers
radiator, starter

Do i have to pull the intake ? I guess the heads stay on since that is where you have to bolt the chains to.

 

To bad you dont have the room because out the bottom is the best and quickest way. I dont have tips on out the top but heres a write up for out the bottom.

Maybe someone can use it

You need to remove 2 bolts to the master cyl and move
it out of the way with the lines intact and remove the
strut to tower bolts, and push the struts down and
out. Unfasten the computer and set it on the intake.
There are 3 connectors that pass through the fire wall
you need to disconnect under the passenger kick panel,
and pull through. Disconnect the two ABS connectors on
each side. Disconnect the 2 front brake lines at the
ABS unit going to the front calipers. Disconnect all
hoses going to radiator.Remove the alternator. remove
the powersteering pump, by removing the 2 10mm bolts
and one line and position out of the way. Unbolt the
a/c compressor and position out of the way; you can
keep the lines hooked up. Disconnect the steering
shaft at rack. 11mm bolt. Disconnect exhaust at
manifolds. Disconnect the throttle cables. disconnect
the front sway bar bolts and let hang. Disconnect the
driveshaft. Get 3 quality jackstands and position 2 at
the cradle where the lower control arms are, and one
at the back of the trans, mark the stand where they
are positioned up and down and where they meet the
trans and cross-member, this will come in handy when
you go to put the car back down on the assembly later.
You can also substitute the stands for a dolly if you have
a sturdy one.
lower car until the cradle just rests on the stands.
Disconnect the trans crossmember and unbolt the 6
cradle bolts. The engine wiring harness, engine trans and
cradle will all come out at once. Slowly raise lift, making
sure there isnt anything still attached.

 

i got it out!! i went out the top and took everything off (a/c also) but the crank pulley and heads.. make sure all the wires are unpluged and unhook the battery when you take the alt off!!!

 

What do I hook the engine hoist to if the heads are already off?

 

You have use the head bolts and thread them into the block. This is how I pulled one from the top awhile back.

Dropping the engine/tranny from the bottom is definitely easier, though.

 

http://www.pbase.com/mavness/ls1_swap_phase_1

can be done with lack of iq, floor jack, 2x4's, hand tools, and a can of coke.