I have read Kelli's write up and also have book on doing this.
I have got most things done. Some questions still remain.
Do I have to disconnect the grounds on the back of the heads? Do they go to the frame or just into the harness which comes out when drop the engine down and out. I also saw video of doing this and no mention of any ground wires on back of the heads.

Also trying to pull the plugs for harness out thru the grommet but they are not coming. So guess have to take off the kickpanel still?

I am going to try to take out engine thru the side by keeping wheels on and using wheel dollies. And dolly under engine as well. This should help me as won't have to buy huge jackstands or make them higher with wood blocks like seen done on some posts.
I am using cherry picker to do this job.

While I have found several articles on taking it out the bottom not much on putting the engine back in. I assume its not that hard to get things to line up doing it this way?

 

I shouldn't have to completely remove shifter right..just **** and leather boot and undo the shaft bolts. Shouldn't need to take off the rubber boot to floor and undo those 4 shifter bolts ??

Out of curiousity if don't use the wheel dollies and just use jacks and picker does anyone know what height jacks would have to get to so you wouldn't need 2 by 4 stack under them..
think can get som 12 ton with about 30 inch lift range..think 6 ton have 28 inch lift range. Not sure if 30 is enough still?

 

Pulling the connectors through the grommet was not possible in my car. It is easy to remove the kick panel and disconnect the connectors inside. There is no need to disconnect the grounds at the back of the heads. Be careful, be safe.

 

Thanks for the quick reply Gary.

 

As stated above, no need to remove the grounds. Also, I don't know how you could pull the wires through the grommet without removing the kick panel to disconnect them first. Take the shift handle out too, not just the ****.

I did my swap the same way you are. I used straps on the cherry picker to lift the front of the car to a suitable height. I hooked the straps in behind the bumper supports. If you put a dolly under the engine and one under the tail of the tranny you're good. take the wheels off for additional clearance.

Lining it all back up for re-install is no problem. Just make sure you have at least two buddies there with you to keep a look out for possible hangups as you lower the car back down around the engine.

Good luck!

 

I've done this three times now on three different 4th gens. I took an old creeper and made a plywood top that was about 4" tall to put on it, and sat the engine/tranny/suspension on it, then raised the car off of it. Rolled it out, did what needed done, rolled it back under, and dropped the car back down on it, worked great.

No need to disconnect the grounds on the back of the heads, but don't forget to get the ground strap. Disconnect fuel line, clutch line, evap line, heater and radiator hoses, throttle/cruise/tcs cable (from throttle body), wiring harness (from pcm and under kick panel), disconnect y-pipe (from exhaust and/or manifolds/headers), disconnect negative battery cable from block and positive battery cable from terminal and fuse box. That's just off the top of my head, though. I may have missed a few things.

I've always just completely removed the shifter myself, although I'm sure it's only necessary to remove the **** and the stick.

I definitely like this way better than pulling the engine from the top on my old 2nd and 3rd gens.

 

PS... I left my AC in the car so it didn't have to be recharged. I just unbolted the compressor from the block and ziptied it to the sway bar or something to support it. You'll have to remove the AC hoses if you want to leave it on the motor.

 

Ok seen some straps but they look a bit confusing on the ratings thing
I am looking at your basic guess straps designed to hold down loads,cars..
They have rating like 1600 pounds and 5000 break something or other.
So are they ok. Figure the car weighs about 3800 ,3000 or so with engine and trans out but want some safety margin. I also have a coated chain but thought straps would be safer.
As for grounds there was some by the battery on the firewall and some on the frame on drivers side.Thats about all I have seen really.

So yeah can't really see why should take the actual shifter 4 bolts off to me it would seem just **** and stick. I already have console off.

Hoping to do the deed tommorrow or next day. Will have all the other little stuff done today I think.
I did buy wheel dollies today as one buddy said it was easier to pull the engine and trans out sideways if person has room and I do rather than make up some 2 by 4 and jack setup. And don't think they make jacks that would be high enough without the 2 by 4 stack trick seen in some other posts on this. Or if they did they might be big money.

Good to hear its not that hard to get the engine back in there thought it might be tricky to line up the front k member maybe figure the trans crossmember would likely be pretty easy but guess the studs on the shock tower mounts also help things out to get things aligned. I am going to be putting a bmr k member on as its needed for my aps twins.

 

Yeah I have unbolted the compressor too and plan to tie it like you said.
Local guy said he just unhooked the main harness at back of engine and didn't even have to pull out the harness ,ecu or plugs behind the firewall that would be handy but already have unhooked things and taken out the ecu just need to unhook those plugs now anyway.
I took off top bolt on steering shaft..not sure if should take off upper and lower bolts on it or will it slide out ok as the engine goes down and the car goes up? Also how exactly does that brake line black clip work..do you just slide it up or do you have to use screwdriver or something? This is the one under the shield.

Any tips to not have brake fluid dripping from the lines..?Someone should make brake line caps and rad hose plugs in various sizes! Would save a lot of mess and rags!

I am still planning on leaving front wheels on thruout the removal. Only wondering if can get to the k member bolts with the wheels in the way though?

I can't really take out those kmember bolts with the car up far have to take them out with engine on wooden dolly I have or just a bit above since it will drop down?

I can also use floor jacks under engine or trans if don't want to use my wooden dolly.

 

You can stick little corks in the brake lines, that's what I did. Vacuum caps would probably be fine too.

If you pulled the 11mm head bolt from the steering shaft, it should just slide off when you drop the k-member. Can't remember exactly about those brake line clips, I think I removed a couple 10mm head bolts to get them out.

Definitely don't pull the k-member bolts when it's in any position that the k-member can fall. Either set the k-member on something, and lift the car up, or lift the car, and lower the k-member with a jack. I'd highly recommend lifting the car up off the k-member, though. Those k-member bolts are easy to get to with a 1/2" impact, 6" long extension (for the two front bolts), and an 18mm socket. You can get to them with the car on the ground.

 

You are really helping me out there guys thanks..Ok I took off drivers side panel just those four sill screws and it popped right out. and undid the couple of plugs ..and fed harness thru firewall. Easy as pie.

I also took off shifter handle but not taking shifter completely off of trans .Should have tons of height so the partial stick from my hurst shifter should clear easy. And I hate putting the rtv back on the shifters!

That little black brake line clip is winning right now. It seems to have a little tang but not sure do I push that tang upwards or something and does the black part then slide out of the way? I popped off the cruise cable figure it might hang up the lines so took it off that little bracket.

Once those lines are popped out and drop compressors last two bottom bolts and hang it up then want to drop torque arm right off to make sure it don't hang things up. And have spohn to install anyway.

Can I unplug the map hose and the oil pressure sender harness or map harness as the car goes up and engine goes down? Its a bitch to reach them now with intake still on there. Don't want to tear them off though if forget. Maybe should try harder to get them off. Gm really made it tight in there. At least cut off the razor sharp things long time ago when installed my cam. Could pull the intake but seems extra pain right now much easier to take it off when its out of the car.

I can use floor jacks and cherry in combination with the k member I guess.I have only cordless impact could possibly buy electric impact or borrow one .Was going to pick up compressor but not sure in next couple days.
If I just loosen the bolts first with my breaker bar maybe I could then get to them by hand possibly without impact ? Not everyone that does this has air tools or electric impact do they?

I loosed just a bit the trans and shock tower bolts. Not much just to make sure they would turn nice when the time comes and the time should be tommorrow or next day hopefully. Must stick to my schedule! I have a nice forged 408 waiting there and some nice twin snails to hang on it and let me tell you guys I am getting excited thinking about that first boost drive in the ta.

Another idea..they have a motorcycle jack thing usually like 200 bucks on sale for half price or something would that work well for this? I also have two decent big floor jacks one is low clearance type and one small floor jack. Of course I have safety stands just smaller ones and own my cherry picker. Its also nice low profile one. Had a non low profile and what a pain in the butt wtih those braces sticking up so high under the car.Dumped it and got the low profile one.

 

Are you taking the engine harness out with the engine? If so you do not need to unplug the MAP or oil pressure sending unit. You just unplug things where they connect to the body (i.e. the connectors running down the passenger side engine bay) and lay them over the engine. You can leave it attached to most sensors/fuel injectors/oil pressure sending unit/etc

As far as putting it back in - I don't think there are many write ups on that because it's fairly obvious. Once you get it out and see how it all went together, several lightbulbs will go off in your head and it's a breeze putting it back in.

 

Yeah, I wouldn't unplug anything not completely necessary. Pull the PCM out of the fenderwell, lay it on top of the engine and try not to pull anything else.

 

Map Hose? your talking about the very small plastic vacuum line that goes right by the map right. follow that and disconnect it from the T it fits into with the heater box one.
Leave the harness on the motor its way easier that way. and doesnt require you disconnecting the oil pressure sending unit

 

Ok am leaving harness on engine but didn't want to rip anything on the back there.

 

Being careful is good

Like 1sick'98WS6 said...the vacuum hose disconnects from the heater box. Don't forget to undo the brake booster hose from the brake booster also.

 

Brake booster hose disconnected. I am having trouble getting that black clip off the brake lines. It has a tab on it from looking at it..do you push the tab up , in ,down what exactly. I hate puzzles! In your article you said to take think the cruise line off the bracket.I did ,was that just to make it easier for the brake lines to get thru there?

I just yanked my torque arm right off so don't have to try to pry it up. I am putting a spohn on anyway.

Guy on local board said he left harness and ecu on the car and disconnected it back of engine or something? Does that sound doable? Would save some time but I already did it your way Kelly. I have that book also and have watched the video bowling green thing.

Put all of them together and a bit more tweaking and we should have it perfect.Course after you do it once or twice I guess you get good at it. Hopefully I won't be doing it that often ..

Kelly how are your turbos holding up..? With all these guys having all these turbo problems. I read its simple to rebuild them but they might need to get rebalanced to ensure they last. Course if the balance is out on these aps then that would explain their quick deaths.Maybe they cut corners on the supplier..hope these are not chinese knock off mits! That would really be bad thing !

I am not sure if we have any local turbo shops that can balance.I would almost think should send them off for checking but guess throw the damn things on anyway unless don't get the car done in next few weeks. then have all winter to send them off or upgrade to the other ones but since they are pretty much the same would think they also would have similar issues. Funny that the gto and vette guys are not saying they have these problems.Just the f body guys it seems and not sure first or second batch. I think I was in the first batch got mine think around sept or so last year.

Putting on stock engine was not for me. So how quick to get them off if they do need to be serviced..just drop the k member and go,that easy? Assuming guy has cherry picker of course or way to hold the engine up.

 

I'm not sure you would save time by leaving the harness with the car. A couple wires are intertwined with the engine/between things, so I'm not sure how he completely disconnected everything without removing accessories like the alt & ac compressor.

My turbos are fine, knock on wood I have not had any problems with them yet. Just the swaybar banging issue, but that is getting remedied this week with some spacers/cutting down the end links. If I had to pull either of them I'd probably just drop the engine again honestly, it was only a few hour ordeal and it saved a lot of cussing because of the tight spaces.

What clip on the brake lines are you talking about?

 

Good to have your experieince here Kelly..Or is it spelled that way..maybe its Kelli? oh well just have a soft spot for the name..old girlfriend..first love..all that crap..! Long time ago..six kids and many grandkids ago. couple wives ago..

Back on topic. Excellent news on your turbos being ok so far. You are running stock oil pump? Just trying to maybe figure out some common threads. I have slp but think run standard pressure spring.the high pressure might be too much and put oil thru the seals possibly although JM has melling with high pressure spring I think and no oil out the back?

Did you do your pcv like aps instructions..? are you running breather or breathers?

Well pulling engine out bottom is likely ok with a lift but not all of us have lifts available.Thats why I am doing it with my cherry picker out the side with the dollies..HOPEFULLY.

As for the clip talking the black clip on the brake lines under the driver side shield where the cruise cable also clips to same place. I know its stupid but that clip don't want to come off for me so can take the lines out of the bracket. That and hanging that air compressor is all I have left to do unless decide to take off bottom bolt of the steering shaft and take the shaft right off rather than pulling it out as engine goes down if it don't come out on its own. Hate to bend the steering shaft..But that bottom bolt did seem in there pretty good and hate to round it off. although do have some cool tools for that instance.

I may be asking you some questions on my aps install as it progresses. Have a lot of time to work on this car right now and hoping to be done in a week or so not months like some people seem to take.

 

Ok got mad at that black plastic clip.I am working on my back not overhead hoist and maybe you had to press the tang down it looks like from top and pull up on black clip but whatever lets just say the black plastic clip lost the war!

So removed my brake lines now and thats pretty much it. The one in corner and one in back of the block.
Don't think missed anything. Be nice to have another pair of hands and eyes around to help things go smoothly for the grand yanking.

Now just need to recruit someone other than the wife. She means well but not anywhere near as mechanically skilled as you are Kelly. Here name is Shelly.
I got her the 96z vert in my sig. I maintain it,pay for it ,gas and plate it but the good news is I also mod and drive it!