I have a 1985 firebird TA with a 305 and a T5. I have a 350 I just put together to toss in it. Before I dig into it though I wanted to consult the third gen gurus on what are the things are a pain in the butt on these cars? I have done a lot of swaps on C10's and mopars and they all have things that are a pain to deal with. Should I pull the engine and tranny? Should I pull the tranny first? Can I pull just the engine pretty easy? Thanks.

 

if youve done swaps in other vehicles, then a 3rd gen is the same. its a bit harder with the core support not removable like a truck, but still that same. i always like to pull motor and trans, this way i can replace the trans seals easier. and while the trans is out, get it freshened up--and swap out the converter for a looser one

 

I've found engine and trans together works about the best. It's necessary to remove the usual suspects obviously. Rad, distributor and accessories make it simpler too. The engine alone, I've found still means the trans crossmember has to be dropped. Getting the trans to engine bolts isn't the easiest either.

 

I found pulling the engine and transmission together to be pretty easy, but to be fair I haven't tried pulling just one or the other. You can do it without removing the front bumper cover, but it helps. If you're working in a garage make sure you have enough overhead clearance; the car itself raises up quite a bit without the weight of the drivetrain in there so you'll need more space than you might think.

Pull the distributor cap or you WILL crack it on the firewall if you pull the everything at once. Label everything as best you can. A long prybar and help from a friend came in handy getting everything lined up properly when reinstalling. There are a few grounding points on the back of each cylinder head that seem to give people trouble. Also, on the reinstall watch out for your wiring; it's really easy to get it caught between the engine and firewall/trans tunnel and tear it up.

Best of luck!

 

with a manual trans I'd pull them together. Easier to install the trans to the engine with them out than fight underneath. the t5 isn't very heavy either.

with the smaller hoist you can pull them straight out the front once the bumper cover is removed.


http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...ps47ecf24e.jpg

 

I just pulled mine a few weeks ago, my hoist hit the bumper cover so I had to take it off so I didnt damage it. That probably depends on how far your hoist can safely reach. I left my tranny in although I have a 700R4. It is very useful to have a buddy and some pry bars for separating the engine and tranny with those dowel pins if you are leaving the tranny in, they can be tricky I have found.

Other than that, its probably similar to the other swaps you have done. Good luck!

 

I've done it both ways, but I usually pull just the engine and then crawl into the engine bay to change the transmission seal. I will say this though, long tube headers add around two hours to an engine install in a third gen.