Engine removal can't get top bolts loose from transmission!

[BEEK]

what works for me is a 19mm swivel socket, where the swivel is built into the socket and a 24" extension, its easy from there, i have removed 100's, the early tunnel , 78 and earlier is smaller and is a little tighter

[BNelsonAz]

what works for me is a 19mm swivel socket, where the swivel is built into the socket and a 24" extension, its easy from there, i have removed 100's, the early tunnel , 78 and earlier is smaller and is a little tighter

So you come at it from underneath? Can't seem to see how anyone uses the long extensions other than that way!

[fiat218]

Could it be possible to get the bolt from coming thru the shifter part,you will have the console out and so forth
Could a person go thru the tunnel hole?
Prolly not huh?

[BEEK]

from underneath, drop the rear of the transmission, and it opens up pretty good in there. again the early ones a more of a bear, because of a tighter tunnel and the exhaust routing.

[azruss]

dropping the back of the tranny is the key here. that buys you room. I tried taking both engine and tranny out at the same time and never had enough travel on my cherry picker to do the job. The late model tranny tunnels are pretty open and free. I use a 19mm short socket, 3/8" swivel and 2' of extension. It is a little tricky getting the socket to stay in place. If you feel like you have gotten to the point where you want to take a shotgun to the car, your son, or yourself, give me a call and maybe we can find a time to get together and i can help you with it.

[BNelsonAz]

from underneath, drop the rear of the transmission, and it opens up pretty good in there. again the early ones a more of a bear, because of a tighter tunnel and the exhaust routing.

Ahhh This must be the part that I was missing during earlier posts. I'll try this on the weekend!

[BNelsonAz]

If you feel like you have gotten to the point where you want to take a shotgun to the car, your son, or yourself, give me a call and maybe we can find a time to get together and i can help you with it.

Lol thanks Russ! I just might take you up on that before sockets start to fly!

[michaelj]

I just pulled my engine three times, but it had no hooks. I bent a couple 19mm box and open end wrenches to an angle that would work and they came out like butter. Passenger side was cake, drivers was tough, needed two bent wrenches and alternated them. took a while. But I don't know what those hooks are all about. From underneath I have also pushed up a couple long extensions with a toggle on the end by the socket and had someone guide it on. That worked great and I would think you could do that with the hooks in place.

[76was124]

...It is a little tricky getting the socket to stay in place..

I wrap the swivel with some masking tape to give you control over the socket/swivel angle. Once you get it on the bolt, and turn the socket, the tape breaks free. I think I read that in a post years ago....sorry I can't credit the person who was the source of the idea!

[Exit98]

George (NJFiat81) and I did mine when I replaced my clutch. And he'll tell you we are no mechanics. We had a bunch of swivels and extensions, and while it was a little fiddly, we did fine. Letting the trans hang definitely gives you some more room, but you need the guy on top to get the socket on the bolt. Same deal putting it back together.

I do remember somebody posting on here a long time ago that he drilled a hole from the interior through the firewall directly behind the bolt so he could get it from the inside. Some folks are just more creative.

[narfire]

but you need the guy on top to get the socket on the bolt. Same deal putting it back together.

That makes it so much easier...

[fiat218]

George (NJFiat81) and I did mine when I replaced my clutch. And he'll tell you we are no mechanics. We had a bunch of swivels and extensions, and while it was a little fiddly, we did fine. Letting the trans hang definitely gives you some more room, but you need the guy on top to get the socket on the bolt. Same deal putting it back together.

I do remember somebody posting on here a long time ago that he drilled a hole from the interior through the firewall directly behind the bolt so he could get it from the inside. Some folks are just more creative.

No beer

[bradartigue]

I tried taking both engine and tranny out at the same time and never had enough travel on my cherry picker to do the job.

In terms of hours of work I just don't see it being a time-saver to do just the motor. I put the front of the car on jacks as high as I can and alternatively raise the engine hoist and lower the car. I have a harbor freight hoist that does the trick. This is very easy to do with the head off, I find (esp with the 2000) the head can really screw up a firewall paint job and jam things up. I prefer an overhead hoist or come-a-long to the cherry picker but do not currently have a setup where that works, so the jacks and engine hoist it is.

[76was124]

I find (esp with the 2000) the head can really screw up a firewall paint job and jam things up.

If agree with that, first time I tried to put it back with the head, trans (and shifter) on, I nearly severed the wiring harness on the firewall and messed up the paint on the metal piece that runs across the top front of the engine compartment .

I had a picker and a leveler, but the angle of entry scared the dickens out of me. I ended up jacking the back end up high and keeping the nose down, until I had the trans though the engine bay opening. I made darn sure the front wheels were properly blocked though! So I can also see the advantages of a hoist.

[BNelsonAz]

All,

Thanks much for your help. It ended up being a hybrid of all methods. Dropped the back of the transmission down, no problem, got the top bolts out, no problem. It got nasty after that, trying to get the input shaft to let go of the engine.

Long story short, the transmission ended up coming out with the engine anyways. Then while hanging on the cherry picker, it popped neatly off. I'm just going to let that go for the benefit of my sanity....

So good news is it's out. Bad news is there's big chunks o' metal in the pan.

I'll continue this on another thread about metal grindage. Many thanks for all y'all's help!