Im in the process of removing the engine from my car and am down to unbolting the tranny and the engine from the motor mounts. I already have the torque converter unbolted but im having difficulty getting the bolts from the engine to tranny out.

Anyone have any advice on the best tool to get this job done?
Im thinking i might go get one of those wrenches with the box end that is a ratchet if i dont get any ideas.

Thanks, Jon

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________________________
88'Camaro
305 TBI

 

I have a 3 foot extention and a swivel 9/16 socket. Works great.

If you don't have access to the long ex., try taking out the dist and getting the top bolts with a box end wrench, the lower ones you should be able to reach with a smaller ex. and socket.

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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R

GO #3

 

The only way to go is to use CHROME sockets with built in swivels and a 3 foot extension for the top two bolts.

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84 Camaro ZZ4 with HOT cam. 1.88 60' (12.98 @ 105MPH E.T.)
Other Mods: You name it and I have probably changed it.

2001 Dodge Ram Quad Cab 5.9L 4*2

ASE Certified Auto Tech
LIVE AND DIE BY THE ALMIGHTY BOWTIE!

 

I know exactly what bolts you're having trouble with. The roughest one is the second up on the left side. It is a PITA! I have a set of "GearWrenches" that are the racheting type you are talking about, but they have like a 5 degree rachet in them, making them better in such a tight spot. They sell them at Sears for like $50 or so a set. They are pretty durable, and they have a lifetime warranty similar to Craftsman.

Good luck!


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Working on:
'84 Z28 LG4 305 with 200,000 original miles!
Added dual elec fans.
145 MPH IROC Speedo
Building 430 HP 350
using primarily GMPP parts.
Block is in shop!

ASE Certified Master Tech

Starting to look like the Kicker poster child!

 

Those 2 top ones are real easy from above after you pull the distributor. Use a short 9/16" combo wrench.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

I had to do the same thing this summer. It's not a fun job!! First you have to unbolt the motor mounts. Support the transmission with a jack and undo the crossmemeber (also a good time to switch the transmission mount which WILL break on you).

The top two bolt are easiest reached from the top which is a cinch with the hood off and the ditributor out. The bottom two bolts shouldn't be any problem with a socket wrench. Now the two in the middle are the hard ones. With the engine attached to the crain you can lower the jack on the transmission to give you a little more room between those bolts and the firewall. I ended up spending about a half hour each with just an open end wrench. Some patience is needed and some bloody knuckles is the result but you can get to them that way. It might also be a benifit to get the enhaust out of there for the passenger side bolt.

Trust me it's a whole lot easier to get them back IN with a nice clean engine, and some clean threads on those bolts.

 

Support the tailshaft of the transmission with a floorjack and remove the crossmember. Make sure not to lower it too far or you'll break your distributor cap. You can remove the cap if you don't want to chance it. Before I acquired a nice long extension, I just put several shorter ones together. Use the long extension with a universal joint and a short six point 9/16 socket. 3/8 drive pieces work best for clearance. I usually put a 1/2 to 3/8 adapter on the end of the extensions and use a 1/2 breaker bar to break the bolts loose initially. Then I put an impact wrench in its place and spin away! You'd be amazed at how quick those stubborn bolts come out!

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89RS w/350 TPI; 69RS/SS w/450 HP 350/Muncie 4-Speed "Too weird to live, too rare to die."

 

I also fought those for a while. I tried using a 3/8" lonnnnng (2 feet?) extension on the socket with a breaker bar, so I was turning the bar at the back of the tailshaft.

After a long night of nothing happening, I noticed the extension was twisting up with my raw brute power. It was too thin of an extension... it was just the long version of the short guys that come in a socket set. My dad drove me to Sears in the morning, where I bought a lonnnng 1/2" extension with a 1/2" socket. When I got home, it took me 5 minutes to break the top 3 bolts free. If only I had the thick stuff to begin with...

Then I cursed Lee Myles for about an hour for overtightening those bolts. I had already cursed them a day earlier for stripping out my crossmember bolts. Anyway, make sure you get a thick 1/2" extension, not a thin 3/8" one.


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

Two comments:
1) I like using the extra long extension from below for the top bolts. These extensions do twist, though. You can apply the same torque to them, they just twist alot. The main problem is that when the bolt "breaks" loose, the spring loading of the extension smacks your arm/hand into nearby sharp/rough obstacles. So apply pressure gradually and allow the bolt to come loose the same way.
2) For the middle bolts, a six-point, integral u-joint socket works best. It will fit into a tighter space than a regular socket with a separate u-joint stuck in. To gain even more access, grind the end of the socket down so that it is just barely deep enough to fully engage the bolt head. Then you can use this socket when setting the timing! It will just fit under the distributor and past the other garbage (on a TPI, at least).

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'87 IROC 5.7l TPI - original owner!

 

Good point PJ. I forgot to warn him about the rebound from the extension once the bolt breaks loose! I just make sure to have my arms and knuckles clear of any threatening looking parts of the car when they break loose. hehe. Nothing like good old NJ rust to make those bolts hard to get loose eh Tom? I've never had them tight enough to twist up the extension that bad! Having a one piece long extension helps on the flexing problem. I was fortunate enough to inherit a nice 36" long Snap On extension with a wobbly style tip from a buddy who owed me some denero.

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89RS w/350 TPI; 69RS/SS w/450 HP 350/Muncie 4-Speed "Too weird to live, too rare to die."

 

Air powered tools are the way to go.

 

DON'T use power tools. I've stripped bolts doing that.

I use the long extension and wobble sockets. It can actually be easier to pull the engine and tranny together

 

Thanks for all the help guys, i took everyones advice and came up with some ideas. I've got pretty much all the bolts loosed to some degree except for one which is on the lower side. I think im gonna take the impact to it to get it started, that or a good breaker bar (the sucker is tight).
Other than that i think i got it all under control.

Is there anything special i should look out for before i go about pulling the engine.


Thanks for all the help

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________________________
88'Camaro
305 TBI

 

Before you go to pull the engine make sure that EVERYTHING is diconnected. There's some ground straps on the back of the heads that are hard to see and easily forgotten. If you try to pull the motor out with those still on you'll rip a nice hole in your firewall.

 

Well it turns out that i cant get that one bolt out that i was having trouble with. I took out the y-pipe so i could get in without a universal on the socket but still cant budge it. I sprayed some liquid wrench on it before i came in today hopefully that helps, but if it doesnt any suggestions?

I use my impact on it but dont have a universal joint for it, so it just shears off the normal ones. Ive went through two already.

Can i take a torch to it and heat it up abit or will i risk damaging something? (i'll just use a small propane one).


Thanks again guys

 

A propane torch won't develop enough heat to do any good. It doesn't heat up half as good as a set of gas torches would.

At this piont I would try a bigger bar with a good socket that fits well.

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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R

GO #3

 

Well i have a set of acetalyne cutting torches, i can get the sucker as hot as i need to, im just scared of melting or burning something.

I'll see what i can do, maybe a 1/2" socket with a pipe on the end of the breaker bar might do it

 

Hey Farm Kid, that's the exact tools I had to use to get some of my bolts loose the first time I removed my tranny. Just make sure to use a six point socket. There's a much greater risk of rounding off the bolt head using a twelve point.

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89RS w/350 TPI; 69RS/SS w/450 HP 350/Muncie 4-Speed "Too weird to live, too rare to die."

 

Pat, it wasn't so much the NJ rust, but the Lee Myles guys that re-did my trans a year and a half earlier! Everything was overtightened. My "pro" air ratchet couldn't break those things free; $70 down the drain (I bought it just for the job). My impact gun wouldn't fit up there; I need to get a butterfly one eventually.

FarmKid, you might also want to try a trick I use when I change tires- you know, where you get 4 lugnuts off, but the last one won't budge?

Thread in some easy-to-reach bolts, and tighten 'em down. This should relieve some of the stress on that remaining bolt. Right now that one left-in bolt has a ton of force on it. If you tighten some others in, you'll distribute that force away...

With the "last lugnut on the wheel" situation, I put the rest of the lugs back on TIGHT. Then I break free the original offender, and then remove them all. It's a pain, but handy to use on the side of the road.


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!