Anybody attempt it? I'm putting A/C back in the IROC this winter and really don't want to pull the motor to do it.

 

Good question, but I am pretty sure I'll have to pull my K-member for the pan replacement anyway...

 

thats how i did mine... in the car

 

Good to know...I figured it was do-able but I thought I'd ask to see if anybody did it.

 

With the engine installed?

Having done two, with the K-member in the car but engine out, I can't imagine trying to do it with the engine in.

Now, one member did remove the K-member without removing the engine/trans (switching to tubular K-member, if memory serves), so you might want to consider that option. The engine was held up with a bar across the strut towers & chain.

 

I have removed the k-member with the engine still in place two times. Once back in the early '80 I did it using a bottle jack under the harmonic damper. Sort of scary setup but it enabled me to R&R the oil pan easily. Second time a few years back using an engine support bar across the strut towers.

Mike

 

I'm assuming your swapping in a LT1 like me....I have a 89 RS I'm swappin a 95' 9C1 cop car LT1 into....its has a oversized a/c compressor....and iits mounted bottom right on the system...which means w/out modification i'd have to notch the K member. However...**** that ****....I found that swapping to a lt1 vette' acc. mounting bracket relocates the a/c to the top right...solving all my problems. I'm just saying whatever setup you have....just seriously research it before you do uneccessary frame mods.....good luck man!

 

Since his userinfo says:

Car: 1985 IROC-Z
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56

I assume it is not an LT1.

 

wasn't bad at all. I used a cut off wheel to make the cuts. clearly eng out would be simpler but i would do it again if the engine was in

 

Wow.

 

Negative. LS motor. And I'm not swapping it in, the motor has been in the car for 5 years.

Thanks everybody, I plan on doing it with the motor in and not dropping the K-member. I have a nice 90 degree cut-off wheel tool that I was planning on using, but I may snag a plasma cutter from a friend and use that if need be.

 

Just as a follow-up. I did the notch with the motor installed...wasn't hard at all. I pulled the bolt out of the mount on that side and jacked the motor up about 2 inches so it rolled up and over. I used a 90 degree cut-off tool. Took about 20 mins to cut it out.

 

Did you flip the cut out piece over & use it to weld the cut out closed? Or did you fab up a new filler piece?

 

Yeah I read a bunch about cutting it...but what about welding it back up? Ya'll did weld it back up right? haha.

I vote drop the k-member. Invest in one of these...Comes in handy plenty.



While the k-member is down, and your cutter/welder is warm, notch for the oil pan. You might not need the notch...but you might. And it'll save you a ton of time if you just do it all at once and get the k-member sealed back up and painted.

Just my opinion...can def see being able to do it in the car. At least the cutting out part.

J.

 

No, I didn't flip the part I cut out over and reuse it...I thought about it, and actually fitted it into the spot and was suprised how close it was to filling the hole. I wanted to add some extra bracing down into the k-member so I made my own pieces.

Lol..welding is the easy part.

 

I cant say I 100% remember how much room there was come to think about it. I never had the motor in place without the compressor pre-notch cutting. I suppose with the compressor out of the way, and even the bracket, you'd have a good bit of room.

Ide still rather do it with the kmember out but I hate doing things, especially welding, in tight spaces. And like I said, if I ever do another swap, ill be notching for the oil pan right off the bat. In fact...Ide probably ditch the A/C and just notch for the pan. haha.

Either way that gets the job done works!

J.

 

I 'spose I'll remove my K member and do it, It would be nice to have some one reweld it with skill, unless a little flux welder can do the job. I might go ahead and have mine powder coated as well. Must have AC lol

 

Oh, no doubt...I would prefer to do it without the engine installed too! However....I really didn't want to remove the engine this winter just to cut the notch in. That's alot of work for about 1 hour of cutting and welding..lol. I just wanted to post up my experiances in case anybody ever wondered how easy it was with the motor in.

 

No cutting/welding required:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Camar...item4cf36b0a6f

You will have to buy a new compressor.

 

Two members. Ghetto and I both That bar across the top is a miracle worker.

 

Certainly can't count on ARD to do it lol! I will probably try the bar idea or go with the PA racing K member. I'm just afraid the pan will be too exposed with a tubular K member, I already cracked 1 pan, a second would be brutal.