3.4 rebuild..just a few questions.

[havikx]

hey guys. nice to be back. i need to do a rebuild on a pre-95 3.4dohc. i apparently bent a connecting rod and from what i'm told..its pretty much pointless to fix it without doing a rebuild because you gotta go so far into the engine. i dont feel like finding nor paying any mechanic to do a 3.4 rebuild.

 

is it pssible to take out the engine without a lift? i mean.. few people should be albe to lift it after a few top layer things are removed first right? and whats they next best thing from an engine stand? anything we should know before attempting this rebuild? i mean..at this point..i'm plannin on swapping it out for a 95 3.4lt so if we mess it up...it doesnt matter. for experimental perpouses i guess but if it works..no need for a swap.

 

any1 want to know anything while we're in there? thanx.

 

-Matt

[jeremy]

is it pssible to take out the engine without a lift? i mean.. few people should be albe to lift it after a few top layer things are removed first right?

 

 

:smilielol: :smilielol: :smilielol: :smilielol:

 

just do it the right way and get/rent/borrower a cherry picker

[GP1138]

..... Seriously??

 

Hernia?

[Aaron]

Well...maybe

 

If you have a few (3) jacks, you can take it out the bottom. But the 3.4l DOHC is too much to do by hand, WAYYYY too much. We had 3 of us, all 19yr old guys, built pretty well, and we could barely lift my crate motor, and it is bare, no intakes, exhaust manifolds, or accessories. And it was on a crate, right in front of us, not in a car.

 

Not happening.

[Robby1870]

feel free to try though...then post pics so I can laugh

[5speedz34]

Yeah, even the block w/o the heads is hard to lift.

 

When me and a few friends had to put it on a engine stand it was a PITA.

[havikx]

well how far can you strip a 3.4 without lifting it out? think its possible to reach the connecting rod i bent?

[Robby1870]

you can get it down to just the block with rotating assembly in it. Then getting that out would mean taking the block out. No one has a hoist you can borrown/rent? After getting a 3.1L/5spd combo down to just the block and tranny, it only took me 30min to get them both out with a hoist. I have no idea how I would have done it otherwise.

[MonteC]

Well...maybe

 

If you have a few (3) jacks, you can take it out the bottom. But the 3.4l DOHC is too much to do by hand, WAYYYY too much. We had 3 of us, all 19yr old guys, built pretty well, and we could barely lift my crate motor, and it is bare, no intakes, exhaust manifolds, or accessories. And it was on a crate, right in front of us, not in a car.

 

Not happening.

 

thats how we got a complete lt1 out of a 95 camaro. all of the lifts were being used and we needed to get the engine out asap, so we jacked it up and took it and unbolted the k member.

 

how much does the 3.4 block weigh?

 

i can pick up a short block sbc, the 3.4 short block cant be heavier.

[Aaron]

You cannot pick up a fully assembled short block by yourself, bullshit.

 

THe SBC will outweigh the 3.4 of course, probably significantly too. We had 2 people lifting the 3.4 short block, 2 19yr old guys built normally, and it was hard as hell.

[MonteC]

You cannot pick up a fully assembled short block by yourself, bullshit.

 

THe SBC will outweigh the 3.4 of course, probably significantly too. We had 2 people lifting the 3.4 short block, 2 19yr old guys built normally, and it was hard as hell.

 

you do know what a short block is right? block, pistons, rods, crank. and yes i can pick it up. not all hunched over a car, but with it out of a car yes, i can.

 

im sorry you are weak and cannot pick up a 3.4 short block, so please dont call bullshit on me, b/c i dont bullshit.

[gp90se]

Ive picked up a short block 2.8 couple years ago when I was in better shape, and ive watched a guys lift short block sbcs. You sure can take a motor out without a hoist on a w-body. Disconnect the struts, tie rod ends, firewall harness, radiator, amd 4 cradle bolts. Gunna need a bunch of people (5-6) to lift the body up over the motor, and roll the motor out.

 

do yourself a favor, rent a cherry picker or buy a used 1 from the want ads

[havikx]

well..it looks as if we can do it. we started to rip out everything we could. took out the batter to make room..windshield wash fluid container and the engine coolant container as well. we ran into a problem..

 

does any1 know how to take off the front cam carrier? the left side..near the computer..pulls up but the right side..near the battery..wont clear the part to the dog bone..where the engine hoist would lift. cant think of the name. any ideas?

[gp90se]

thinking of other side bolt, see aarons post

[Aaron]

Yah that piece has to be removed first. It bolts onto the cylinder head via 4 15mm bolts, they will be tight.

[havikx]

we counted 5 bolts. its a little too tight for any of our sockets and adjustables..

 

any ideas?

[slick]

Open end wrenches.

[GP1138]

Ratcheting wrenches. They're a lifesaver.

[Aaron]

There are only 4 bolts that hold the dogbone mounting bracket to the cylinder head, I'm positive.

 

Maybe you are counting the one that holds on the dogbone mount itself.

[havikx]

yes yes yes. 4. my bad. its a pain to get into that small little space with any sort of tool though. hmm..we'll figure something out. i'll take pics when i get a chance.

[Aaron]

yes yes yes. 4. my bad. its a pain to get into that small little space with any sort of tool though. hmm..we'll figure something out. i'll take pics when i get a chance.

 

Get the coolant line out of there and there should be amble room enough, good luck.