The GM guy who's now doing my old car fix/repair work says good techs (implying him I suppose, he's worked for various GM dealers for 20 years and was also a tech on a race team) can have the motor dropped in 45 minutes. If that is accurate, is it more efficient all around to drop the motor than to fight with this under the hood crap? There's a s*load more to disconnect to drop the motor, but it's easier to work on the motor once it's out.

Years ago I swapped lifters in an apartment parking lot by myself, and that was a long two days. If you had the option and all the tools, what method would you choose? Which do you think would take less time overall?

 

Easier to slide a cam in with the engine out and a LOT easier to torque heads engine out.

I haven't done an LS but on the LT1s I did one in the car and then every one since out of the car.

 

Drop the motor. It'll be faster overall. And much easier on you, your hands, and your back.

 

Jake, do you have the Johnson 2116LSR lifters? Wow, you're WAY up in the panhandle, I was hoping you might me a little more local to me since you had experience with those lifters

 

I swapped my cam and valve springs with the motor still in the car under a carport. It was not fun. If I ever do it again I will be at least using a lift.

 

Is it really worth the hassle/risk of disconnecting everything/ unbolting everything to do a H/C swap?

 

You really don't disconnect THAT much more in the end, and yes, it is much easier to just drop the engine out if you have the ability.

 

Hearing that it's easier to drop the engine is making me rethink attacking heads and cam by myself...

 

Once you have did it a few times, its actually really easy if you have all the right tools/ lifts/etc.

Take your time, find a guide online and you will have it out in now time.

Im no pro but in 3 hours I can have mine out.

 

A lift isn't something I have access to, but the thought of removing the motor is becoming more appealing, esp for a clutch swap while doing the heads...

Can the AC lines be left alone?

 

when the motor is out you will be less likely to screw something up or drop something where you can't reach it. Take the motor out every time.

 

I'm in the process of doing a H/C/I stall converter, and header swap this weekend, but I'm pulling the engine. It's a LQ4 that I swap in my 86 Corvette, a year and a few months ago. I drove it around for a year with a stock setup.
Randy