KJL

I have pulled my engine a couple of times when I had an auto transmission, just un-bolt the torque converter, bell housing, headers, fuel line, throttle cable, motor mounts, wires etc. but I have never done it with a manual transmission. My guess is aside from having no torque converter to unbolt, the engine is carefully moved forward to disengage the input shaft from the crank shaft. In both cases the transmission would be supported on a jack. Any tips or other things that I should avoid etc? Any tips regarding re-installation?

Thanks!

mrscott25

I just went through this a couple weeks ago. I learned (too late of course) that you might as well pull the engine and transmission out as one unit. I didn't and wasted several hours and skinned knuckles for nothing. I wound up taking the transmission out after the fact and found it would have been much easier (not to mention faster) to take the whole assembly out even if I had no reason to pull the transmission. The block to transmission bell housing bolts are a pain in the rear and hard to get proper torque on them during re-assembly due to the firewall clearance. Also makes lining up the crank and input shaft a breeze. I installed with engine and tranny together and only then realized how much snarter it would have been to just take them out together.

The only drawback is having to drain the fluid from the transmission so you don't make a huge mess on the floor. Will help to have a buddy to steady things and that will cost you a beer or two so that might be a drawback also. Hey, beer is valuable!

Just my two cents worth, but sure wish I knew when I did my engine swap a few weeks back. Would have shaved a few hours off the pull.

jb78L-82

I just went through this removal/install with my L-82. I removed the engine alone separating it from the 4 speed since the engine builder (he did the bottom end of the engine) told me that is how he would do it. I put in a new Ram clutch before the reinstall. I chose to separate the 2 components for the following reasons:

1. Removing the engine only is easier to maneuver over the fender.
2.Removing the engine only requires less height of the package over the fender
3. Big one: leaving the tranny in the car, enabled me to leave the shifter and transmission rods on the side of the tranny undisturbed. I did not want to have to mess with the shifting rod adjustments on the reinstall.

The 4 bolts holding the bell housing to the tranny were not that bad to loosen-just the 2 up top near the firewall-not that hard and I have A/C.

The biggest problem for the the reinstall was getting the tranny aligned with the engine/clutch/tranny shaft. I spent hours trying to align the tranny to the engine UNTIL I read on the internet that there is a trick. I could get the engine/tranny aligned up to about 1-2 inches from each other but no further.

The trick: Once you have the combo as close to each other as possible, hook up the clutch fork, the horizontal clutch rod off the driver's side of the engine, all of the clutch linkage. Once this done, have a helper step on the clutch as you gently push the engine from the engine bay side-the combo will slid right together. Tighten the 4 bolts to the bell housing.

I wish someone had told me about this trick.

DannyBlake10

Just pulled one and put it back in a 79 L-82
take the hood off.
unbolt and take the time to lable everything if you dont normally r&r engines and arent super familiar with every little wire and hose

there was enough room on ours to get the top 2 bell housing bolts free with a box end from the top and the rest from the bottom

you might also be able to get a long extension and a swivle up from under the car to get the top two bolts.

once all undone start pulling her out. if it doest move don't force it, theres probably something hooked

also, we left the p/s pump and a/c compressor (if you have you kept it) in the vehicle. plenty of room and we didnt wanna undo all the hoses and make a mess.
you can also leave the radiator no problem

as far as putting it in, just make sure you have the proper clutch allignment tool. and you should have an issue

the only issue i had (which i wasted an hour on) was the dowel pins between the block and bell housing (as it was an aftermarket block and housing) were just a hair different size and wouldnt let the block and housing mate. took a micrometer and a dremel and got the perfect fit. DO NOT USE THE BOLTS TO PULL THE TWO TOGETHER!

aside from that
good luck and have fun getting greasy!

KJL

Instead of unbolting the transmission from the bell housing, why not just unbolt the bell housing from the engine? (I understand you replaced your clutch also) Then aside from getting to all the bolts which in my situation wont be that hard, the only thing that requires alignment is the input shaft into the engine and clutch. Understandable getting a torque wrench on some of the bolts will not be possible which is how it was done regardless when I initially installed the new trany and bell housing. Also not crazy about the idea of having to disconnect the hydraulics, drive shaft and shifter.

7t9l82

i used to pull engine and trans together and put them back the same way. it was always easier for me that way. everyone has their own ideas.

tyancey00

I have always pulled the 4 speed with the motor. I found it much easier and faster. both in and out. I am sure opinions will vary...

KJL

Interesting. I would just think intuitively that there would be more to disconnect to remove together. It I had an overhead lift maybe so. I have limited vertical room to work. With my automatic, I just unbolted the bell housing and torque converter....bell housing was no more difficult to unbolt than just about anything else I ever worked on.... and disconnected everything else and easily pulled the engine with my hood still on, then easily bolted it to my engine stand. to me at best it would be a wash. I supposed the difference would be in the installation not having to screw with aligning the trans with the clutch.... I think I will opt to leave the trans in place. Not to mention I have a hydraulic clutch witch would have to be disconnected and bled etc. not fun.

VCuomo

jfurcht

Just did it. Hood off, radiator and radiator support out (8 easy bolts), shifter handle off.
Engine and trans together out and in. No adjusting the shift linkage required. 3 guys, 2 hrs and beer. Taking out the radiator and support gives you lots of room and no worries.

hugie82

Remove the hood completely, they're light and easy to unbolt. Just have a friend help. I pulled the motor on my 74 vette with the 4 speed still attached. There's usually insulation over the trans and take picks if you have the reverse light switch mounted on the trans. I remember the linkage was complicated. Other than that, it's easier than most cars!

workn@it

Second that radiator support bracket, Lots more room.

PeteZO6

For reasons 1, 2, & 3 above. But I unbolted the bell housing from the block. The clutch linkage didn't have to be removed. The engine came out and went back in easily and I did alone, no helpers.

As for the trick, I didn't need it. Once the engine was in place and level, I moved it back and rocked it back and forth just a bit so the spline slipped into the clutch disc. When the bell housing was close to the block, I got the dowel pins into their holes and it was a done deal.

I can't see any reason to pull the tranny when you just need the engine out.




Engine coming out. I did this by myself.

mrscott25

Glad it worked out for you.

What was the purpose of the pull in the first place? Gonna put something cool in its place?

jb78L-82

i actually though about reinstalling with the bell housing attached to the tranny instead of the engine like when it came out BUT the A/C evaporator makes it very tough to get to some of the bell housing bolts in the car. Thanks for the tip.

LeMans Pete

Pete,

That is a thing of beauty. Where did you hook to on the rear of the block? If that is the rear engine pick point, was that not too far under the firewall for access?

PeteZO6

Pete,
Thank you!
To be honest, I don't remember where I attached the chain on the right rear. As you can see, I used the Chevrolet supplied bracket held on with an intake bolt on the left front.
Looking at the car and the engine, I'm thinking I either used an intake bolt (probably a longer bolt) or I used one of the bolt holes in the end of the head. There was no interference with the firewall. Also, no A/C like jb78L-82 had to contend with.

Pete

KJL

I am going to remove just the engine, question, because the engine needs to be moved forward to clear the transmission input shaft, did you unbolt the mount from the block ( 3bolts per side) so it could easily slide forward or did you remove the clevis bolts in which case you would have to lift the engine over the mount to slide forward? The first time I did this it was with an auto trans so not the same issues with torque converter.

PeteZO6

It was too long ago to remember specifics like that. I'd say take the path of least resistance and decide as you go. I know that's not much help but I think when you're under the car you can scope it out and decide.

Pete

KJL

Yea, I am starting the process and starting to wonder again everything I did. This one has me stumped however. I am beginning to think maybe I remove mount from engine when I pull it then when I re-install the engine, re-couple the bell housing to the block and insert some bolts, remove the mounts from the chassis and lift the engine/transmission a bit and then bolt mounts to the block and then drop into place over chassis mount points and insert clevis bolts.