I am pulling my front cover to set the end play back in spec and replace the thrust bearing. With the motor in the car does anyone have some tips on removing the front bolts? There is a lip on the pan and is preventing the box wrench from seating on the bolt, and the stearing rack is stoping a socket :-/

 

try to loosen up the motor mounts without removing the nut and jack up the motor (between the motor an trany)and that should give you enough room for use a 1/4 ratchet
or a 10mm
just takr your time it might take a few minutes per bolt. thats depending on your patience.

good luck.

 

Dont tease me ;-) If I do that I will end up taking the pan off and ordering a baffle and who knows what ells. If no one has some secret by morning I will just go with that anyhow and jack the motor up.

 

use a wrench, aim it very much ont he side and u can get all of them
thats how i did it

it doesnt need to "catch fully" for it to loosen the oil pan botl since they arent tight

 

i just did this yesterday. i was able to get most of then with a 10 mm socket on a 6 inch extension and ratchet wrench. thats under the car between the rack and the sub frame. but i found that it you have a 10mm gear wrench or rachet wrench. and i could get most of them if not all of them from the top in front of the car. i found that way to be the fastest and easiest . Gl . thats a job i wouldnt want to do again for a while

 

I have done it with a 10mm socket , universal, and an extension. You don't need to lift up the engine....but since you are already supporting it some how since you are removing one of it mounts...i guess it would be easy enough to lift it up some.

James

 

It is a pain but not impossible. For some bolts I used a 1/4 inch socket and driver. For others, I used a small ratcheting "box" wrench. When it was time to put the front bolts on the best thing I did was hire my neighbor's 15 year old kid to do the job. Kids are much more nimble and flexible and this old man's back can't handle the awkward angles and contortions anymore. That's my limiting factor.

 

Use swivel 10MM socket. 1/4" drive works MUCH better then larger sizes, and you will likely have to disconnect at least one engine mount and jack the engine up an inch or so.

No matter how you look at it, the job is a pain in the ***.

I believe these are the exact steps as published in the Haynes manual.

 

Allright thank you guys. Yea no matter what way it is a PITA thats why I was seeing who has found a unique way that worked :-). Allright off to go get it done.