I've been dreading this ever since swapping in the T56 over a decade ago. So far I've had shops change the clutch for me but I know I need to experience this. It's been slow going but I haven't gotten hung up on anything until now. I have the trans off and I'm trying to get the bell housing bolts out. I've got them all out (even the top ones) except one on the driver's side. It's literally touching the body of the car. I can see that shops have dented the body to make space but I still can't get it. The only option I see is to loosen the motor mount bolts and tilt the engine.

My question right now is: when people talk about loosening the motor mounts, are they talking about the 8 bolts that attach the mount to the block? Then when I'm ready to tighten them back down, what's the torque spec on those bolts?

Also, these are the two videos I'm using to guide me through this. Figured I'll do my part to make sure they don't drift into obscurity.

 

A few tips that might help:

1. You can actually lower the K. There are six bolts holding the K up to the body. support the K with a jack, undo the bolts, then put them back in like three turns, and then lower the K. This will give you almost an inch between that bolt and the body, and you won't have to fight to get things back together like, you will if you loosen the motor mounts.

2. There is enough flex in the motor mounts you should be able to tilt the engine. and I mean, you might be able to do it my hand. The engine isn't that heavy, and the mounts aren't that stiff, unless they are solid mounts. If you have a cherry picker, you can find a spare bolt hole on the engine front and lift up, which will tilt the engine rear down and should buy you some clearance.

3. Most of the time when people talk about loosening the motor mounts, they mean taking out the big bolt that goes through. That bolt can be a bear to get back in, especially on a stock K. I don't recommend messing with the motor mounts unless you run out of options. if you do end up pulling the motor mounts to lower the engine, pull the passenger side. You can use the car's tire change jack to push against the fender wall and the mount itself to help realign the mount holes if you get stuck trying to get the bolts back in.

4. I've seen guys drill a hole in the tunnel above that bolt to access it from the top. I've also seen guys drill a hole in the tunnel at the bleeder valve to access that from inside the car as well.

5. If you haven't already, get the remote bleeder set up from tick performance. You'll be very glad you did.

Good Luck!

 

I've always done 37ftlb on the bolts. I use to have a sheet around here someone where with all specs on it. When I did mine the first time I used http://installuniversity.com/ls1/ins...documents.html for install help.

 

Great info guys, thanks! I'll probably try lowering the K, seems like it might be the easier option. I already tried jacking up the front of the motor using my floor jack and a 2x4 under the oil pain but it started to dent the oil pan and the engine didn't seem to move. What should the K-member bolts be torqued to when I'm done? Also this is an LT1 so I don't think the clutch can be bled. Here's what I'm working with:

This is the UMI tubular K-member:



Here is where I was able to fit the 2x4 to try and jack the engine up a bit:



And here is the offending bolt on the bell housing. You can see it peeking from behind the wires on the left.

 

Wasn't able to get it with the k-member bolts loosened. I'll keep them loose and try jacking the engine up by the oil pan again. This is crazy. This one bolt has consumed 4 hours so far. Also I found what seems to be a dowel pin just laying in the bell housing and one of the trans to bell housing bolts was missing

 

Tried jacking up the motor but it hardly moved?? I think I'm going to have to loosen the motor mounts.

 

You'd think getting to that would be easy with extensions and a socket.

 

I'm thinking I'll remove the front motor mount to block bolts on both sides and leave the back bolt in but loose so the engine will pivot when I jack up the oil pan. Then when I let it back down it will still be lined up hopefully.

 

Welp, I got the bolt out but this is what it took:

 

Stuck again. I'm trying to replace the hydraulic assembly but I can't get the master cylinder U-bolt out because it's hitting the brake booster. I also can't get the clutch fluid reservoir out because there isn't enough room between the brake booster and the body. Can I unbolt the brake master cylinder from the booster without screwing anything up with the brakes? Also can I loosen the brake booster from the firewall without screwing up the brakes? That's the only way I can see to get the old assembly out.

 

Yes you can remove the brake master cylinder but you may have to re-bleed the brakes. Yes the booster can also be removed but be sure to disconnect it from the pedal first as you do not want to remove the brake master cylinder and accidentally push in the brakes as it could rupture the diaphragm in the booster.

 

Yeah I want to avoid messing with the brake fluid, I've read too many horror stories about air bubbles. If I unbolt the booster with the master cylinder still attached would there be enough flex in the lines for me to move things enough to get the u-bolt and clutch res out?

 

IDK..I have removed the brake master cylinder a few times from the car its really no big deal. Disconnect the brake booster from the brake pedal then remove the two lines going from the brake master cylinder to the ABS module and then unbolt it from the booster or just keep the MC and the BB connected and pull it all out of the way. Minimal brake fluid will leak out once those two lines are disconnected from the ABS block but be sure to surround it with shop towels or rags before disconnecting it. If you do this you will only have to bleed the fronts.

 

That's reassuring, I'll research how to bleed the brakes. Sure seems like a lot of work to replace this hydraulic assembly

 

Looks like a Motive Brake System Power Bleeder would be real helpful. I'm still unclear about the ABS. Will I need to worry about cycling the module to get it all bled out?

 

I never have as very little brake fluid will be lost in the ABS module but you will lose some from the lines on the master cylinder which means some air will be in the system when you put it back together. Just get someone to pump the brakes to build up some pressure and then have them hold it until you've cracked open the bleed screw. When you do that the brake pedal will go to the floor and have them keep it on the floor until you've closed the bleed screw. Repeat as necessary until you have nothing but fluid coming out of both front calipers and you'll be good.

 

Got the nuts off the brake booster, not as bad as I thought. The left 2 and bottom right just needed a 2' ish extension and the top right I was able to get with just the deep 13mm and my ratchet. I also unbolted the ABS module in hopes I could wiggle the whole ABS + booster unit enough to get things out but no dice. I'm now going to remove the master cylinder, then the booster and hopefully finally be able to get the clutch hydraulics changed out.

 

Got it out, whew!







Also, I've never done anything related to the brakes. I've been researching pressure bleeders so I can do it myself but the fluid I sucked out of the master cylinder was black. Should I do anything to address that?

 

Nice! Never give up!!

 

Ran into an issue I want to ask about before putting the trans back on. The clutch fork makes contact with the guide tube. The old one doesn't do this but it looks a little worn. What would you guys do?

Here's the fork pulled out


And here it is pushed in and making contact