Black LS1 T/A
I realize my post about motor removal/replacement may be too broad or somewhat vague... I know some of you guys have done this.

Let me see if I can be specific without shutting myself out of info I haven't thought of. I'm looking for:

1. Best way to remove the motor... out the top or from the bottom.
(I won't have a lift, just two pair of jack stands. If from the bottom: how many guys does it take, what you
did, to move the car back from over the motor.)
2. What you removed/disconnected, and in what order.
3. Remove and install tips you'd give, and what the "snag" issues were... what was troublesome.
4. Special tools beyond what the home mechanic may have (extra-long extensions, weird socket lengths or
sizes, etc.)
5. How long it took to remove. How long it took to re-install.

If taking it from the bottom is quicker, I want to try that, but I can't get any details from anyone that's done it from the bottom without a lift. I recall someone saying getting the car backed off the motor was a scary experience, and I'd like to hear more. Anything else I haven't thought of, I'd be appreciative.

1DirtyZ
I did it from the top not too long ago and it was no biggie. Just remove the intake manifold, valve covers, and radiator ( you don't have to remove the condenser, i didn't) and you'll be surprised of all the space that frees up!

I know raughammer's website had some pics, he actually pulled the motor and the tranny together. His website is http://xs-fx.com/raughammer/ . Just go to the motor replacement page.

CableBandit
Since you don't have a lift I can't say. 2bseen did most of the work the first time on my car. The 2nd time I basically did it by myself. It took 2 hours to have the motor/tranny and sub frame sitting on the ground. I then removed heads...reinstalled heads...then reinstalled motor/tranny and drove that night with a/c

Sspray
Mine was done from bellow. had to remove the whole front sub frame and the motor came down with that… a little hard to do with out a lift. It can be done from the top also.

Rice Eater
If you got it out the bottom you can leave everything on. You can even leave the tranny attached. You can have it in and out in a weekend and can do it without a lift, you just need some floor jacks that go high. Email me and I will see if I can find some pics I have of when we took mine out and I will send them to you.

Blown2kSS
When I took mine out it was taken from the top. Gutted all the accessories and radiator as well as the pulleys. we used jack stands to lift the front up a foot or two. Also we took off the intake manifold and of course, all the wires. Leaving the trans alone we connected the cherry picker to the heads pulled it forward a little and lifted straight up. With disconnecting the supercharger it took us about 10 hours to pull out, but it isn't back in yet.

Kadin
It’s much easier and faster through the bottom than through the top.

Leave the AC hooked up, just unbolt the compressor from the motor and hang it out of the way.
Then the motor will come out with the removal of 6 bolts, unhooking the steering and brakes, and removing the y-pipe and DS, that's it...
Of course you have to unplug the wiring harness, some points are easier to get to once the motor's been lowered out a bit.
It comes out still on the cross member and is pretty simple to do.

Y2KNOSZ28
GM specifies out the bottom too. It's easy. You end up leaving the engine cradle and front suspension on the ground while lifting the car off of it.

WFO_SS
There is a wiring harness that goes through the passenger side cowl (firewall,) about 3 connectors I think. Need to unplug them from inside, behind passenger kick panel.
Disconnect steering shaft @ rack/pinion. Disconnect brake lines @ abs pump motor (i think just the front ones.)

Dean98TA
Lessee... off the top:

Front brake lines from ABS unit. You'll need to remove a sheet metal cover to get the brake lines free from a plastic clip that secures the brake lines to the fender - sounds simple but it pissed me off!
Steering linkage from steering rack.
Braided ground wire on drivers side from fender to block.
Obviously all wiring connectors on top of motor (injectors, coil pack cluster connector, TPS, ECT, IAT, MAF, etc, etc...), but also the MAP sensor on the back of the intake, the vaccum line at the back of the intake, AIR hoses to the exhaust, and don't forget, there's a couple of ground connectors on the back of each head.

Down low, you need to disconnect the O2 sensors near the control arms, disconnect the crank timing sensor (located just above the starter motor), the oil level connector, the power connector from the alternator, ground cable to passenger side tranny mount, ignitions switch wire and power wire to starter motor (I simply pulled the starter out), and all the tranny connectors. If it's a manual, disconnect the clutch hydraulic line from the slave cylinder.

Take the A/C compressor off, it's easier than disconnecting the A/C lines and then re-charging the system.

Guess I can't think of any more off the top... take it slow and easy, in case you forget something, you want to spot it before you rip it apart.

1DirtyZ
Don’t worry about the taking the engine out the top; it's a little time consuming but very doable.
First off, raise the *** end of the car about 10 inches or so, and then raise the front with a jack. Begin with disconnecting the harness then the fuel line (you’ll need a fuel line disconnecting tool for that, available in any auto store) then you'll be ready to remove the intake manifold.
After that remove all the accessories (coils, covers, alt, radiator) in front of the engine. for the power steering just move it to the side and hold it with wire, same thing for the a/c compressor (I tied it to the sway bar) , you don't have to discharge the a/c system , just keep the condenser in place but remove the radiator). You’ll have to disconnect the headers to reach the starter (unbolt that too). You don't have to remove the balancer of the front of the engine but you will have to remove the ATI pulley (I didn't do this but it think you could get away with keeping the alternator , blower bracket, and water pump on the engine) you don't have to remove the Y for the blower piping since it's out of the way.

Now would be a good time to unbolt the tranny (I’ve seen people pull it out with the motor, so it's up to you). Just remember to drain the fluid to prevent a mess).

When you start pulling the motor out I’d suggest having someone else there to help you with the hoist (have an old tire for the engine to sit on).

Finally, I highly recommend getting little Baggies and post it notes to mark where each set of bolts came from.

Hope this helps, tell it us how it goes.

Thanks for all the replies, from my two favorite LS1 Forums!