Engine removal

[70 Challenger Lover]

There will be mess no matter what. I use heavy zip loc bags and tie them on to catch everything that keeps coming out while you work. Same thing on the trans tail shaft.

Pulling the engine without the trans really isn't that bad. One of my first jobs as a kid was pulling and reinstalling motors at a machine shop. I always did them by myself. It wasn't all that hard and there was no training class. You just sort of figure it out as you go. They would never have allowed me to drop a whole k frame sub assembly or yank a trans. They are not bad techniques on your own car but on a customers car, always better not to disturb other components unless you're prepared to fix 100 other things as you go.

If you do them together, you add the work of dealing with the drive shaft, shifter assembly and rods, fluid pouring out the tail, the extra length tilting it in and out trying not to bang up the firewall or radiator support, etc. Not that big a deal I guess but it's a trade off of labor no matter how you do it. What I do is line things up close, then get underneath and shake the transmission around trying to get everything to line up. I find if I alternate working topside and underneath moving engine and transmission a fraction here and there, I can usually jiggle it all together without too much effort. If you move engine or trans too much too fast, it will catch somewhere and bind up, then nothing will move with all that pressure and weight. Angles are important but not a big deal if you go slow and have wooden blocks to prop up the trans. Obviously you must use an alignment tool on the clutch assembly before you start dropping the motor in.

You'll be fine no matter which rout you go.

[fireguyfire]

Thanks for the advice; now I coming around to my original plan of just pulling the engine!
Argh.

[70 Challenger Lover]

Thanks for the advice; now I coming around to my original plan of just pulling the engine!
Argh.

I do the same thing! I overthink stuff at times and it causes me to bounce back and forth between ideas when all the ideas are equally good.

No matter what you do, it definitely helps speed things up to have a partner. I just did this job on a buddies GTO. One of us was underneath while the other above. By jiggling the motor and trans at the same time, one of us could spot an obstruction, make a tiny adjustment and the whole thing went back together fairly fast.

[RUNCHARGER]

No reason to unhook the P.S. lines, just remove the pump from the engine and place it out of the way in the engine compartment.

[fireguyfire]

I was hoping to clean up and paint the power steering pump, but I can probably do that in the engine bay when the engine is removed

[RUNCHARGER]

Oh, if you want to paint it up then you might as well unhook it and pull it.

[fireguyfire]

Thought I would revive this thread as I have my refreshed and painted engine ready to go back into my freshly painted engine bay.
For a few reasons I decided to leave my 4 speed manual tranny in place, and just pulled the engine, and I am getting ready to reverse the process.
A question for those of you who responded and said you had done this method; is it better to have the bell housing mounted on the engine and then install, or have the bell housing mounted on the in place transmission, and then install the engine?
I'm thinking because of the throw bearing and clutch lever it might be better to have the bell housing on the transmission so that these things are where they should be on the input shaft before re installing the engine; does that make sense?

[Rich G.]

I just put 2 engines in this week. 1 auto trans and 1 - 4 speed trans. . Both transmissions were pulled first and installed after the engine was put in. ( one day I'll do it from the bottom) All I can say if you left the 4 speed in the car the clutch assembly better be lined up perfect or you will have a hell of a time wrestling the engine to get the trans back in.

[RUNCHARGER]

I've done it both ways, probably easier to have the bellhousing mounted on the trans, either way works.

[JS29]

Ether way i hope the clutch is lined up properly. You did use the alignment tool?   

[fireguyfire]

Yup; clutch is lined up perfect as always; the alignment pin basically falls in and out if you touch it.

[JS29]

Yup; clutch is lined up perfect as always; the alignment pin basically falls in and out if you touch it.

Toughs are grate, aren't they. Back in the day we would keep old imput shafts for clutch alignment. 

[chargerdon]

Trickiest part is taking the hood on and off.

Before taking the hood off, take the time to drill alignment holes with 1/8 inch drill thru the hood hinges and hood ...two on each side..   Then when you put the hood back on, slide small nails thru the holes to get the alignment back without need for adjustment.   

[fireguyfire]

Thought I'd give you guys an update; the engine went in incredibly easily and smoothly; took my son and I about 15 minutes once we had the engine off the engine stand and hanging from the lift.

[RUNCHARGER]

2 people makes it easier to line it up perfectly, good wok.