do i have to remove the transmission to remove the engnine? or can i unbolt it and lift it out?
im thinking of now instead of the v8 swapped seven, getting a 86 gxl with 78k on chassis and a engine with no compression and swap if my 86 s4 into it and use its tranny and everything since mine is getting ruff between shifts. and then mine can go into project mode and i can port and rebuild the engine and then swap it in after my current s4 engine pops.

 

You can unbolt the tranny from the engine and lift the engine out by itself. Probably should put something under the tranny to support it.

 

i use a floor jack. thanks

 

In my opinion, it's easier to take the tranny and engine out as one unit. This makes it easier for me, because instead of lying under the car trying to muscle the tranny into position, and align the splines on the shaft, etc... It's already done. The tranny is no work at all to disconnect.

 

to each their own, i find it the opposite trying to muscle the tranny on and off the motor by myself. with the floor jack under the tranny, leaving it in the car, it will not move so you just have to watch the angle of the engine stabbing it in.

i just did one yesterday and it took all of 3 minutes lining up the engine to tranny versus trying to get the driveshaft into the tranny under the vehicle(easier to leave it in the car with stock exhaust). you also have to drain and refill the transmission, lower the exhaust if you need to, line up the crossmember, etc, etc, etc. in all honesty it is more of a pita removing it.

having done it about 50 times or so, i never pull the tranny unless i have to work on it.

 

I've always pulled the transmission with the engine. I've heard it's somewhat tough to match the engine up with the transmission when re-installing the engine.

 

it's only difficult if you don't bother to walk to the side of the car to see whether the engine is too high/low or offcenter from side to side. i've seen plenty of people just try to force it in without actually checking the angles, which is where the pilot bearings usually get crunched.

the gap between the engine and bellhousing has to be equal on all sides while pushing it in, also put a socket on the front shaft bolt and put the transmission in gear and rotate the engine from side to side to match the splines to the transmission input shaft.

with those little tricks it is MUCH simpler to avoid the other headaches associated with pulling the tranny.

 

thanks karack

 

Yup...one up for karack, especially if you have a helping hand to help with lining the engine up, much easier to unholy the engine instead of pulling the whole drive train...

 

Off topic... But wow pokemonpimp. What garden are you finding those rare super level 1 pokemon in your avatar at?!?!

 

That's a great idea! I'll try to keep it in mind. Thanks! ^_^

 

Or try to tighten down the bolts to pull the tranny into the engine. Smart.

 

Yep, just remove the starter bolts and the bellhousing bolts, and it should all be engine from there. Pretty simple. I'm new to it, and pull my engine out myself in a few hours.