topless94style Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 So its ready to come out. Im still unsure if I will take it out the top, or the bottom. Im going out the top because, i dont have anything to jack the car up high enough over the engine. Or, im going out the bottom so i dont have to fuck with unbolting the transmission and removing the brake booster and recharging the a/c. Leaning towards the bottom, but my questions are: Where are the bolts for the steering rack to be removed, and how hard is it? Whats the easiest way to remove the axels with basic hand tools? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joey b Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 just pull it out the top it isn't that hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 just pull it out the top it isn't that hard. i couldn't agree more. you don't have to unbolt the transmission until it's all out of the car, no need remove the brake booster or master cylinder for that matter. just unbolt the AC compressor from the the engine and leave it in the engine bay supported by bungi cords. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Whats the easiest way to remove the axels with basic hand tools? - raise front of car and set on jackstands. - remove wheels. - unbolt the sway bar end from the lower control arm. - remove 36mm axle nut. either have someone step on the brake pedal or stick a screwdriver through the brake rotor cooling vanes to keep the axle from turning. - remove cotter pin from lower ball joint and remove nut. - using a ball joint pickle fork and a big hammer, seperate the lower ball joint from the lower control arm. be careful with the fork so the ball joint boot doesn't get ripped up. - step on the lower control arm so it swings down a little, and pull the ball joint out of the control arm. the entire strut assembly should feel pretty loose now. don't pull the strut assembly outwards until the axle is completely out of the hub... - push the axle though the hub while you pull the strut assembly outwards. be very careful not to separate the CV joints while you do this, although if your CV joint is already bad it may not matter. after the axle has cleared the hub/strut assembly, lay it on the lower control arm. - using a 12" long 1/2" drive extension and a big hammer, place the end of the extension on the backside of the metal inner CV housing. smack it a few times until it comes out of the transmission. you don't have to hit it really hard or anything. again, make sure the CV joints don't separate. you're supposed to use a slide hammer, but i've had horrible luck with them (i have one). - the axle should come right out, along with some tranny fluid so make sure you have a catch pan under the car. - inspect the axle seals for damage, and replace if necessary or any signs of leakage. installation is reverse of removal. when you go to put the new axle in the transmission, you should hear it audibly 'click' into place. make sure you can't pull it back out with your hands. replace any transmission fluid you lost and torque everything to spec when you put it back together. also use new grease on the axle splines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topless94style Posted November 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Thanks for the help, ill try it that route. It just looks like a pain in the ass to try and get it around the brake booster if possible. Im assuming that i just have to do what i can to unbolt the downpipe then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Thanks for the help, ill try it that route. It just looks like a pain in the ass to try and get it around the brake booster if possible. Im assuming that i just have to do what i can to unbolt the downpipe then? i think your car has a bigger booster and not to mention you have the 3.4 DOHC which i didn't really think of :oops: but yeah i think it will still work to do it that way but hopefully someone else can chime in about it. otherwise just unbolt the downpipe from the rear exhaust manifold and let it hang...i use a 1/2" drive ratchet handle, long extensions and a 15mm socket and WD-40. the motor and trans will feel really loose in the engine bay after you disconnect the downpipe and dogbone motor mounts. basically after that you unbolt the lower motor mount and trans mount from underneath, disconnect battery, drain all fluids and disconnect fuel lines (bleed pressure first of course), disconnect PS lines, radiator & heater core hoses, tranny cooler lines, and any linkages going to TB, remove air box, transmission shifter linkage, unplug the firewall wiring harness connector, disconnect fan plugs, power steering plug, unbolt the ECM from the fender so it can come out with the rest of the wiring harness and engine, pull axles (the hard part), pull hood off the car and pull it out slowly with a hydraulic hoist while making sure everything clears the booster and master cylinder on the way out. it took me about 3hrs by myself getting everything ready to pull out, and then about 20min to actually pull it and get it on the garage floor. i think after you do it once you'll realize it's actually much easier than you originally expected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topless94style Posted November 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 RIght now the only things left to do is disconnecting the downpipe, the wire harness on the fire wall, the motor mounts the tranny linkage the fuel lines the axels and pulling the motor out. I will be going to where its stored tomorrow to finish the job hopefully it wont take too long, I have my girlfriend as an extra set of hands and she wrenches pretty damn good so it should go smoothly. If anyone else can help out with anything let me know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hosser Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Just curious, why are you pulling that bad boy out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EurosportZ34 Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 and what engine would you be swapping to? please say another 3.4 DOHC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topless94style Posted November 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Not swapping in another engine.........this one is just getting a little makeover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hosser Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 i want to swap in a new/crate motor, mine seems like it lacks the zip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93CutlassSupreme Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 , I have my girlfriend as an extra set of hands and she wrenches pretty damn good so it should go smoothly. wish i could find a girl like that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EurosportZ34 Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 lol....nice amen to that! so what kinda "makeover" are ya talking about.....??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topless94style Posted November 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 lol....nice amen to that! so what kinda "makeover" are ya talking about.....??? Well, im at a job right now where i dont make alot of money, so the first things that will be done are any and all general maintence that has to be done. Ball joints, head gasket, timing belt, new hubs cuz my bearings are shot and some engine bay cleaning. Ive been working on finding new jobs since school started, so hopefully I can land a good paying one and do the fun stuff: Turbocharged, a ton of tranny work, and some minor suspension mods. As I sit right now, I only need a few things to complete the turbo project. The tranny work will come second, and suspension last if time/money permits. I would LOVE to rebuild the bottom end of the motor, with lower compression pistons and the like, but thats not such a realistic goal as the other stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topless94style Posted November 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2004 I cant get this damn bastard out. Axels, electrical, mounts all removed. Down pipe, battery, and a/c compressor are out. WTF is going on? I started pulling the engine up, and it comes up a few inches, then the hoist pulls the engine AND the car together. I figured out the tranny linkage gets stuck on the brake booster, so i took it off.....i forgot. Now, nothing gets caught on the booster, and yet the engine STILL pulls the car up with it. All the mounts are disconnected, and my power steering pump has snapped. The hoist pretty much ripped the power steering pump off the motor, but the bolts are still holding on tight. FUCK This is pissing me off, and i know its pissing the guy off whos place im storing the car at. He wants it in the back of the shed NOW, but i have to pull the motor first. Anyone have any suggestions before i scrap this stupid ass idea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topless94style Posted November 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2004 Anyone have any ideas? I am in a pinch here, tight on money and i dont know what to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95 3-4 Posted November 20, 2004 Report Share Posted November 20, 2004 Is the bellhousing diconnected and spread apart enough to clear the flexplate ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topless94style Posted November 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2004 Is the bellhousing diconnected and spread apart enough to clear the flexplate ? I left the tranny connected, from what i can see its not hitting anything at all. I may restort to just dropping it out the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95 3-4 Posted November 20, 2004 Report Share Posted November 20, 2004 you have the front and both side mounts unbolted from the k member underneath......I think its easiest to remove the motor from the trans then just hoist the trans out, 6 bellhousing bolts and 3 torque convertor bolts, and the starter, much easier imo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted November 20, 2004 Report Share Posted November 20, 2004 i'm pretty sure he's pulling the trans out with the engine. i'm not sure what it could be....are the lower motor and tranny mounts unbolted from the subframe? it sounds like they haven't been unbolted if the car is rising while pulling the engine. otherwise i don't know...it's hard to say without actually looking at it. fuel line?s, throttle and cruise cables?, heater core hoses disconnected? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topless94style Posted November 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2004 I unbolted the engine from the mounts, ill try unbolting the mounts from the subfram, i dunno why i didnt before :oops: . Possibly could be the heater core hoses, but i dissconnected all hoses from the engine, ill try getting the hoses off the heater core. thanks for the help. I think for now ill just push it back in the shop until xmas break from school so i have more time to work on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 I unbolted the engine from the mounts, ill try unbolting the mounts from the subfram, i dunno why i didnt before :oops: . Possibly could be the heater core hoses, but i dissconnected all hoses from the engine, ill try getting the hoses off the heater core. thanks for the help. I think for now ill just push it back in the shop until xmas break from school so i have more time to work on it. any more progress? the lower motor mount and lower trans mount should have 2 studs each that point down through the subframe. they are really easy to get to from underneath the car; i think they are 15mm nuts. good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topless94style Posted November 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 I unbolted the engine from the mounts, ill try unbolting the mounts from the subfram, i dunno why i didnt before :oops: . Possibly could be the heater core hoses, but i dissconnected all hoses from the engine, ill try getting the hoses off the heater core. thanks for the help. I think for now ill just push it back in the shop until xmas break from school so i have more time to work on it. any more progress? the lower motor mount and lower trans mount should have 2 studs each that point down through the subframe. they are really easy to get to from underneath the car; i think they are 15mm nuts. good luck. No I cant get out there again til friday ill let ya know what happens. I got those nuts off no problem ill just have to crawl underneath and see whats catching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topless94style Posted December 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2004 heres an update, turns out what broke was the power steering pump braket the power steering pump is fine. Went to the dealer to find out how much the part was, turns out hte power steerin pump is part of the entire front of the motor, one huge braket for all the accessories. Dealers wants $400 . Probably will end up at the junkyard in the freezing cold to find that piece. So, is there anyway, now that im down to one bracket for the hoist to pull on that i can drop the motor out? Im tired of not finding what the hell the motor is catching on and im getting really pissed off at this new technology wires computers and front wheel drive shit. I want my old rear wheel V8 back. If I unbolt the steering and subframe mounts will the one bracket hold long enough to lower the engine underneath the car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95 3-4 Posted December 1, 2004 Report Share Posted December 1, 2004 There were 2 factory lefting on eyes on my 3.4 that made pulling out real easy, came out sqaure and true, the 3.8 I took out of the regal also had the factory lifting eyes, as do most gm vehicles made since like 1981 The k member does not look that hard to drop out complete, I dont think its the right way to remove the motor tho unless you are taking the whole thing out like a junkyard for use somewhere else or quick easy hot wrench out Like you I'm not really use to removing engines on fwd junk and this was only my 3rd time changing a fwd engine, but find it to be quite simple and rwd like, rwd's have snags too and on fwd there is no firewall/cowl in the way on the bellhousing side and the lightweight of these cheap v6's makes them easy to lift, jiggle and guide right back onto the dowel pins, on the 2 w bodies i removed engines from and the 1 I reinstalled the engine back into I left the entire engine harness on the motor without problems The first fwd engine I changed was a 92 Caddy 4.9 V8, there was more room in the engine compartment in that car with a v8 than the 3.4 has in its engine compartment, namely against the firewall but theres nothing on the 3.4 to disconnect back there except the exhaust which is done from underneath If you need a bracket for a 3.4 I have a complete 3.4 sitting here in the junk, shipping from 53402. Im sure this 3.4 is not going back in, I'm determined to make the 3.8 run, damn wiring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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