Pulling the engine for this and that

[lalojamesliz1]

Hey guys,
I really need to hurry and do this while I'm off work right now..... I originally planned to pull it from the bottom but it seems easier from the top. After I remove the power steering vac switch and pull the harness from the firewall and unplug everything to isolate the engine I just lift it right? I know it sounds easy.

I've pulled a couple engines but from classic mustang's. I have the engine lift/cherry picker, load leveler, nice fat chain but I don't have a lot of space since I'm sharing my 2 car garage with my non running 69 mustang and my driveway is a small hill so I can't really just take it out so I can have space.
I'm pulling it for a timing job and to replace my TOB and clutch possibly

[BayAreaAT®]

It'll Save you lot more time and work pulling from bottom with the trans and harness. Done this way too many times..lol

[lalojamesliz1]

It'll Save you lot more time and work pulling from bottom with the trans and harness. Done this way too many times..lol

How do you lift tg e front of the car? By removing the front bumper and lifting from the crashbar?
When you lower the engine, what do you rest it on? I thought of the caster wheels on tge crossmembers bit id have to buy those.
When i had the exhaust done, they made one solid pipe from the downpipe to the muffler. I would have to cut it and use a clamp type exhaust connector. This is the primary reason for wanting to pull it.

Any other advice on pulling it from the bottom?

[lalojamesliz1]

It'll Save you lot more time and work pulling from bottom with the trans and harness. Done this way too many times..lol

How do you lift the front of the car? By removing the front bumper and lifting from the crashbar?
When you lower the engine, what do you rest it on? I thought of the caster wheels on tge crossmembers bit id have to buy those.
When i had the exhaust done, they made one solid pipe from the downpipe to the muffler. I would have to cut it and use a clamp type exhaust connector. This is the primary reason for wanting to pull it.

Any other advice on pulling it from the bottom?

[ChrisD]

I jack it up. Under is way easier, it is a pain out the top but not impossible. I do it from the bottom every time now, too many times to count. Put the engine down on some cardboard or plastic so you can slide it, and also doesn't raise it up. I've used a dolley like thing but then you need the car up a few inches higher. When you slide it out use the wheel well gap to get the clearance.

[lalojamesliz1]

I jack it up. Under is way easier, it is a pain out the top but not impossible. I do it from the bottom every time now, too many times to count. Put the engine down on some cardboard or plastic so you can slide it, and also doesn't raise it up. I've used a dolley like thing but then you need the car up a few inches higher. When you slide it out use the wheel well gap to get the clearance.

I thought the engine/trans would be too heavy to just slide it on something. I guess I could put very little sand or something huh...
Do you just jack up the car as high as you can with a floor jack, put the stands and then lower the engine?
You guys say it like you guys do it every other week

So disconnect the engine lines and other stuff connected to it besides the harness, support the engine with the lift from the lift hooks and unbolt the crossmembers and then lower it right? Am I missing anything?

[lalojamesliz1]

My wife just tossed a 4x8 sheet of 1/4 plywood I had not long ago too

[FC Zach]

Don't pull the bumper cover off (unless you want to). . . I slid the east/west motor mount bolts in place after lowering the engine and hooked the chain to each bolt on the frame rails to raise the car above the motor with the engine lift. From there I supported the car above the motor with stands to get the lift out of the way for sliding the motor.

The castors are a great trick to wheel the trans assembly around once removed from the engine if need be (good luck removing the trans ). I bought cheapo pieces that collapsed as fast as a cheap lawn chair, so I suggest getting some that can handle a little weight.

When you go about removing the trans, if doing by yourself I suggest the missile-silo-method. . . again, good luck.

[lalojamesliz1]

Don't pull the bumper cover off (unless you want to). . . I slid the east/west motor mount bolts in place after lowering the engine and hooked the chain to each bolt on the frame rails to raise the car above the motor with the engine lift. From there I supported the car above the motor with stands to get the lift out of the way for sliding the motor.

The castors are a great trick to wheel the trans assembly around once removed from the engine if need be (good luck removing the trans ). I bought cheapo pieces that collapsed as fast as a cheap lawn chair, so I suggest getting some that can handle a little weight.

When you go about removing the trans, if doing by yourself I suggest the missile-silo-method. . . again, good luck.

Thanks for the tip on lifting the car. I had to separate a gen3 engine and trans years ago. It was a PITA but I was able too. I didn't have to put it back together though. I've seen pics of the missile method. If my 17 yr old son and I can't put it back together I'll deffinetly do that.

[FC Zach]

I've seen pics of the missile method. If my 17 yr old son and I can't put it back together I'll deffinetly do that.

LOL, I meant just to get them separated. Maybe it was just mine but I fought with it for longer than I'd care to mention, the 'MSM' saved me a lot of grief and I was upset I didn't try it sooner, maybe yours wont give you trouble like mine.

[lalojamesliz1]

I've seen pics of the missile method. If my 17 yr old son and I can't put it back together I'll deffinetly do that.

LOL, I meant just to get them separated. Maybe it was just mine but I fought with it for longer than I'd care to mention, the 'MSM' saved me a lot of grief and I was upset I didn't try it sooner, maybe yours wont give you trouble like mine.

I thought that was a typo.....
Do you have to worry about the timing cover or gears or anything on that side when using the MSM? What bolt holes do you use to secure a chain to the trans when doing the MSM?
Before I forget to ask, what about the driveshaft? Do you just pull pull out the slip yolk as your lowering the engine or do you unbolt the driveshaft to separate it?
Thank you for your help

[ChrisD]

You guys say it like you guys do it every other week

So disconnect the engine lines and other stuff connected to it besides the harness, support the engine with the lift from the lift hooks and unbolt the crossmembers and then lower it right? Am I missing anything?

LOL. Well we have a very strong community here in Calgary, and there's always someone pulling a motor for some reason it seems! I help when I can. And then I've pulled my own quite a few times now too.

You have it more or less. Pull the harness out of the firewall, disconnect trans cables, fuel lines, exhaust, cross members, axles, driveshaft, etc etc and drop it down.

[lalojamesliz1]

You guys say it like you guys do it every other week

So disconnect the engine lines and other stuff connected to it besides the harness, support the engine with the lift from the lift hooks and unbolt the crossmembers and then lower it right? Am I missing anything?

LOL. Well we have a very strong community here in Calgary, and there's always someone pulling a motor for some reason it seems! I help when I can. And then I've pulled my own quite a few times now too.

You have it more or less. Pull the harness out of the firewall, disconnect trans cables, fuel lines, exhaust, cross members, axles, driveshaft, etc etc and drop it down.

Am I supposed to unbolt the driveshaft to remove it or does it come out on it's own when I lower the engine/trans?
Can I remove the crossmembers to remove the midpipe if I support the engine? I need to find a spot to cut it so I can pull the engine from the bottom since it's 1 long ass piece from the DP to the muffler. It's a 3" SS mandrel bent system

[lalojamesliz1]

Lube the shaft for the throwout bearing with multi-purpose grease right?
I have some valvoline mp grease. It says it's for bearings, linkages,chassis, suspension ect.

[___Scott___]

The ST185 engine bay is a little bigger than the ST165 so maybe it's easier to get the engine out the top. It's possible either way, but easier to get it out the bottom. This thread should give you an idea how high the front of the car needs to be lifted to get it out the bottom:

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=51507

Drain the fluids first. Remove the radiator. I unbolt the drive shaft and take it out, then unbolt the lower ball joints and pop the axles out and bag them to keep them clean. I use the fingers cut off nitrile gloves to stretch over coolant ports to minimize the mess that would otherwise occur.

One of the more time consuming steps is pulling the harness through the firewall. It's tricky to snake it up behind the heater box even trickier to put it back in. I strategically wrap it with electrical tape to hold the connectors "just so" to make it easier but it's still a pain.