ok guys, i have pulled a number of engines but never a foreign car. i have everything underneath disconnected,i took the center link out,i have the top nut off the motor mounts,can't get the bottom ones off because of the angle of the hole that goes through the crossmember,tried to get the studs off the block for the bracket that bolts to the motor mount with no luck,and when i try to raise the engine,the valve covers are hitting the firewall as well as the studs on the backside of the head near the top just below the valve cover. i'm out of ideas but i kow you guys will give me one i haven't thought of yet. just so you know the engine and tranny are coming out together. i hope. thanks guys. i took pics but i am not sure how to put them on along with this email.

Did you remove the radiator?

Oh yeah, you gotta remove the radiator, disconnect the starter wire, separate the exhaust below the manifold, The motor mounts are a pain, but you should be able to pull the engine with them on.



You will have to have the car way up high in the air so you can tilt the tail of the tranny down and guide it forward while a helper is raising the engine and guiding it past the radiator support. Make sure you have the chrome piece of the shifter off so the shifter will clear the tunnel. A lot of people take the whole shifter off, but we never saw a need for it.
It takes patience and little steps to pull the engine out without damaging the firewall and radiator support. The oil pan should just barely clear the support.

thank you. i have a friend coming over tonight so with the advise you have i should be able to get it out no problem. did you have any issues clearing the motor mounts because i think that is going to be the toughest part. once i am past that i should be good even if i have to change the position of the chain. thanks again for your help.

it looks like you have your mounts conected to the motor. how did you get the nut off from the underside? as many times as i have tried,it looks like the angle of the nut and the hole are not in sync so i can't get a good bite on it to remove it. thank you

Are you accessing the nut from the underside of the crossmember?

yes. i used a 17 deep socket and an extension with a swivel and a bar on the ratchet and it won't budge. even soaked it with zep for 2 days. what a bitch. if i could get the nut off both sides it would be simple.i'm even using a leveler on my cherry picker.

Bummer. I don't know how to help you there.

Try putting the car in the air as high as your jack stands will allow, then lower the rear a couple of clicks so the front end is a few inches higher than the rear. At this point, everything needs to be disconnected/removed, i.e., driveshaft, tranny mount, cables, wiring, radiator, exhaust. This should allow the clearance you need between the firewall and the cam towers in order to clear the motor mounts. Also, removing the cam covers buys you another inch of clearance.

Biilo,
I share your frustration about the access to the lower engine mount bolts. On my 70 spider, the access holes in the crossmember are not in line with the engine mount bolts either, just as you described, making it very difficult to get a socket in place to tighten or loosen. I usually use a 6-sided 11/16" deep socket. Since it is slightly larger than the 17mm nut, there is a little wobble room to get the socket onto the nut even though you are coming at it crooked, but not too loose so as to round off the corners of the nut (6-point socket is better than a 12 point, to keep from rounding off corners).

Alvon

I used a 1/2 drive 17mm socket because it was just deep enough to clear the stud, then used an extention and was able to get staight onto the nut through the hole in the bottom of the cross member due to the thinner diameter of the extention.

In all the motor mounts i have pulled, this has never been an issue. use a standard 6-point 17mm socket with a 12" 3/8 extension. Not a perfect align, but does the job easily.

it's out. i will probably use straps when i put it back in probably without the tranny on it. thank you for all your input.now the fun begins.

From all accounts it is much easier to install motor and trans together.

i believe you are right. i think with straps i may have better control of it and that should minimize any problems.