engine and drivetrain question about pulling engine w/ trans attached...

[Guest Anonymous]

I'm pulling my engine this saturday to get it rebuilt, and it occured to me that if I leave the trans in, it will be very difficult to jack the car up and down (i'll be working on the suspension as well).

The shop manual is ambiguous on this point: Should I remove the gear selector bracket assembly before pulling the trans+engine? Also, is this operation normally done with wheels on the ground, or with the front jacked up?

Any other caveats would be well appreciated.

TIA,

Pete

[Guest Anonymous]

To pull the motor with transmission, I believe you need the front end jacked up for ground clearance. When I pulled mine, I believe we had a piece of wood on the ground for the prop shaft to drag on so as not to get damaged... and I had the front end on ramps.

Its really straightforward. I have the Haynes manual, and after I got to about step 2 it became obvious that a) Haynes is completely worthless and it's easier to go by looks. The manual has no tips or tricks for you, just boring worthless instructions.

Get some PB blaster, and soak everything, every day for a couple days beforehand. Specifically motor mounts, exhaust. By the time you're done you will have blood, guts, and veins in your teeth, might as well make things easier.

-Patrick

[Guest Anonymous]

i know there are decent discussions of the procedure in archives on both boards- lots of DIY removals without lifts. i have not had to do it yet ( can't even try where i live) but i do know that when the engine changes position, many a dizzy cap has been crunched. Good luck and be careful: double -up on your jack/stands, etc/dont let car fall on guy stuff.

[Guest Anonymous]

You can do it without taking the shift lever off, that is how I took my engine out. It left a big scratch down the transmission tunnel because I could not tilt the engine enough. It would have been a lot easier if I had removed the shifter assembly beforehand.

HTH.

[Guest Anonymous]

Yes, take the shifter lever out (ball and socket bushings and pin underneath). If you're planning on taking the distributor out anyway, take it out before you pull the motor. The board under the tranny is a good suggestion, and take anything you can off the front of the motor for more clearance. Its a tight fit.

The front needs to be off the ground, and a $25 load leveler is worth its weight in gold when pulling both the engine and tranny together.

Dan

[Guest Anonymous]

of how to do it. couple comments- notice he removed entire distributor, not just cap. i've done this twice, both times i removed exhaust manifold before lifting. probably not nessecary, but what the hell.pay attention to the guibo nuts-remove the nuts at front to facilitate bolt removal to the rear. that way, you only need to loosen four and the guibo won't need compressed at install time.

the device pictured, which allows one to change the angle of attack, is very helpful. not pictured is the engine hoist. a purpose built unit with wheels is best. presuming you don't own and can't borrow one, rent it. well worth the money.

the best epithet is 'filthy whore' not really profanity, yet it feels good to say. plus, a person can love a filthy whore.

hth

robert

[Guest Anonymous]

URL: http://www.marsmann.com/2002tii/may03-3.htm

yes.

take the gear selector stuff off.

take the dizzy off.

take the radiator off.

of course, remove all the normal stuff like hoses, fluid lines, etc.

I took mine out all in one piece with little to no problems.

[Guest Anonymous]

Thanks for all your suggestions! We took out the engine with the trans attached because I couldn't back out and drop the trans this morning. Did it with:

1. car on 4 jack stands

2. shift lever out, but bracket at back of trans still on

3. dizzy out (wouldn't dream of leaving it in, esp. after all those posts!) along with radiator, water pump, oil filter attachment, intake, starter.

4. pulled from the driver's side with a big hydraulic crane, borrowed from lab.

5. did not use a leveler (didn't have one). just put bolts in the chain to keep it from sliding too far. yep, it's a little gonzo, but it worked.

6. took the hood off -- i don't know how they do that in the manual with it on!

as far as I could tell, the only reason to have the car jacked up is to be able to put the floor jack under the back of the trans to control the lowering of the back end. the only hairy clearance issue was the steering drag link. hopefully, we didn't put too much pressure on it!

sorry -- no photos yet (I still use film).

pete