bottom end work in situ

[wengr]

What can be done without removing the engine? Big end bearing I would guess, what about mains? And can you get the pistons out from the bottom, or is it more trouble than just pulling the engine?

[azruss]

Even to get to all that, you have to pull the pan. that means you need some space between the cross member and the motor. Even then, the cross member will cause you grief when trying to do rods and mains. A lot easier to just pull the motor.

[DanD]

I can pull a motor about as fast as I can change an oil pump in place. I wouldn't pull an engine to change the pan or oil pump, but for anything else I would. It is easy to check your rod bearings if you have the pan off. It is pretty easy to crack the pickup to the oil pump if you smack the pan right, so changing out the pan is something that happens, and checking the rod bearings is a natural extension of that. But you have to get in there with a combination wrench to get the pump off to pull the pan, so it isn't really fun. I'd probably use a ratcheting box wrench these days.

Not exactly the same as rebuilding your engine through the tail pipe, but it can feel about like that. Smunching your oil pan can also cause odd oil pressure issues without breaking the pickup. The pickup is near the back of the sump though, so hitting a curb with the front of your pan doesn't usually affect it. Deep ruts and huge pot holes are the enemy.

[bradartigue]

You'll have a bad time trying to work on major internal assemblies from underneath. They were designed for servicing from above, and really with the engine out. Fortunately it's a very easy pull even with the transmission attached, just remove the head first so it is easy to maneuver.

[wengr]

Thanks guys. I did the head, light resurface and new gasket about three hundred miles or so ago, so I was hoping to avoid pulling it back off. I now have a rapping noise when revving up, not so much at idle, or even at any steady rpm - but loud while rpms are increasing. Seems to be coming from the rearward half of the engine, (nearer the windshield). It's always something.