Just purchased an 89 Formula 305 TBI and going to swap out the eng and trans. I have a 383 Stroker and a built 700r4 I am going to put in this car.

I have a lift and have removed a few engine's from 4th gen cars and pulled it all from underneath... Wanting to know how many ppl on here have removed then eng & trans by dropping the k member and lifting the body off of the k member with the eng still attached to the k member?? Would like to see a write up of it done this way if anyone has made one..

If there is anyone that has done it both ways which way would you consider the easier route on the third gen??

I will be taking plenty of pics along the way and plan on doing a write up on my swap. Thanks for any advice in advance...

 

its about the same difficulty as pulling through the top. its the same proccess as any other drop out. disconnect everything on the engine and trans from the body, unbolt the kmember and lift the car up. the only ony real difference between 3rd and 4th gens for this is the 3rd gens you have to remove the coil spring before bolting the strut from the body. 4th gens use a coil over strut that just bolts in as one assembly.

 

Thanks Travis,

Removing the coil springs was the only thing that I had noticed that I would have to do differently from the 4th gen, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything before I got started..

I have dropped a few Northstars out of late model Caddy's in this manner as well so I really don't think I will have many problems doing this...

Pics will follow in the next week or two!!!

 

That'd be ALOT more work.

Not sure why making extra work for yourself is a good idea?

Pull it out the top, the easy way.

 

I like to do things the hard way!!!! Actually looks like it would be easier to unhook wiring, coolant & fuel lines, exhast, etc.... Then take the 6 or 8 bolts out of the k member and set the k member and trans tailshaft on some stands and lift the body right off of all of it but then again maybe I've been working on Northstars for too long!!!

Doing it that way I can leave the radiator in the car and all of the accessories on the engine, I myself would rather remove all the accessories from the engine with the eng out of the car..... I can also pull the eng and trans at the same time without having to tilt the eng & trans 90 degrees to get them out together..... My cherry picker is a POS and I don't have a load leveler so it just looks like it would be easier for me..... I could very well be wrong but either way the job will get done and if it is a major pain in the *** I will know better next time!!!!

 

Ive never removed my radiator to drop in an engine.. And dropping the k-member means you have to mess with the brake lines... I hate brake fluid so that is enough for me to pull it out through the top by itself. I bolted on my accessories after I dropped mine in but I didnt have to. the A/C Compressor stayed in the car and the power steering pump stayed in the car. You'll either have to remove the hoses or remove the pump, it's your call on which you'd rather do. If you just remove the PS pump lines you can pull the whole thing out with accessories on it. So that really only leaves the alternator....

Load levellers are cheap on ebay.


EDIT: I just raelized you're wanting to drop the trans in through the front too... I've always just put the trans in from the bottom with a transmission jack. My cherry picker isnt long enough to roll it straight on, I had to drop it in from the side, so I couldn't put the trans in attached to the engine anyway. I guess if you've got teh trans attached you might need to pull the rad... not sure since I've never done it that way.

 

yea, ive pulled the engine out of my car a few times now, and its always been through the top without the trans. if i was gonna pull it with the trans, id drop the kmember. ive lost count of times ive been under the car fighting with lining up the trans (which the t56 aint exactly a light trans). a few hoses and brake lines isnt that much more work than disconnecting the trans.

 

If you have a post lift, it can be easier to drop the engine/trans out the bottom.

Most engine lifts won't reach far enough back to lift engine/trans out together unless you remove the front bumper or put the hoist on the side of the car.

One advantage of dropping the engine/trans out the bottom is you can do a better job of cleaning & repainting the K-member while you're at it.

 

Done it both ways and will NEVER pull one from the top in a 3rd gen again

If you're familiar with removing an engine, out the bottom should be doable in less than 4 hours

No, you dont have to mess with springs, or even take the wheels off unless you just want to. Personally, I find it easier to leave them on to aid in rolling it out from under the car

 

Thanks for all the replies guys, I am pretty dead set that this is going to come out the bottom, I think it will be a lil quicker seeing I need the trans out as well. I could do it either way, I have a nice trans jack for the lift and my cherry picker would get the job done but seems like it would be easier to just drop it all on the ground.....

Pocket, Thanks for the pics..... I intend on dropping it out this weekend, I will take some pics along the way.... The LSx looks great btw, maybe one of these days but for now I will have to make do with a carbed 383!!

 

yea, i dunno what i was thinking with the springs. i had a brain fart i guess...

 

In the case of my 383 swap(not a thirdgen)it involves a sub frame kind of like the K-frame.I intend to use it while it is out like a test stand wheels on.I will provide,gas,power,temporary mount for the rad,temporary oil,temp gauges.In other words everything it needs to run for break-in and check for leaks.A heck of alot easier to find stuff there while it is out and accessible.I feel it is worth the extra work.

Oh yeah in my case the tranny is mounted in the frame too.