synchro

I am taking the engine out the bottom
My question is this

Is there anything at all preventing me from putting the cross member back in and having a rolling chassis to move around while the engine is being rebuilt.
I need to get the car out of the garage while the engine is out.
I cant see there being an issue, but thought I would see if anyone who has done this removal has any info on it

shoebox

If you want to put the k-member back in, there is no problem with doing so.

qnitro

Yep... what Box says... I dropped it out the bottom WAY EASIER... and pulled motor off than put k memeber back on, to push around drive way...

Venomous360

Out the top, with the Trans atached Ive done it both ways and would do out the top again if I had too. Out the top is alot easier if you take out the bottom Motor mount on the driver side and the top motor mount on the pasg side. And remove the stearing shaft. Remove the Intake leaving the heads on and that gives you all the room you need to get it up and out the top. I didnt even have a levaler and it worked great.

Hal Fisher

Venom, I thought taking the intake off would make it easier. So you could leave the tranny on but did you have to remove the radiator?

Hal

synchro

Due the abundant information on the removal of the engine out the bottom, I think I feel pretty confident that is the way to go in my case.

Steve in Seattle

Top... way easier.

shoebox

Not everyone agrees. There was already a post before yours that said out the bottom was way easier. The OP is already taking it out the bottom. There are enough top vs. bottom threads. Which is best is just personal preference.

Steve in Seattle

lol... yeah I know. Just personal preference really.

Seems like less work to unbolt the transmission bellhousing and headers then cherry pick it out with a 90* spin.

No hood removal, no intake removal, no K-member removal, no need for a body lift or multiple-jacking efforts, etc... Do it in a low-ceiling garage bay and out the top is the only real choice IMO... but either's possible.

If you're doing a K-member replacement at the same time, out the bottom would probably be worth the effort though. (or if you're using a 2-post lift it's probably easier).

synchro

Well I got a happy hooker from a local f-body guy. So we took the engine out the top. took us 8 hours, and it was not a lot of fun. We left the tranny on. But I still think the bottom route might have been longer. I dont know. all I know its out, and I am ready for bed.

96SSIndeed

i pulled one out of a 95 z28 at the shop the other day through the top. We dropped the trans, took out the radiator, and pulled it out the top. the only problems we had was the edelbrock lt4 intake was hitting the cowl, but after pulling the big crank pulley it came right out, shorty headers and all. i would say after the radiator and exhaust was removed, it took 2 of us about 3 hours to pull it from the top, thats including dropping the trans. mind you we had a lift but that only made the trans removal easier in my opinion.

synchro

I had long tube headers, so that took a bit to get off. and I think if we had taken the tranny off the engine removal would have been a bit quicker. leaving the tranny on made it a bit more interesting to pull. Hopefully putting it back in wont be as bad.

Rich2279

I have the 'Happy Hooker' lift plate and am in the process of pulling it out the top. Having a problem getting to the trans to engine bolts. I want to leave the tranny in there. Did you have to lower the trans at all?

Injuneer

A4 or M6? Do you mean unbolt the bellhousing from the engine? Tilt tailshaft down, being careful not to force the oil pressure sending unit into the cowl. You can push up gently on the front of the engine to tilt the tailshaft down more.

synchro

Umm, well I never took the tranny off. I left it on. It made it easier to tile the engine back to take it out. I presume you have an auto? As to get to te M6 bolts should be quite easy. The bell housing ones might be a bit more difficult. I would guess you would have to to drop the rear mount and the drive shaft to tile the engine back to get to the top bolts.

edit, listen to Injuneer.... I didnt even think of the oil pressure sending unit