Bob88GTA

iTrader: (2)

Need some members opinions. I have a 88 GTA 5.7 TPI with 192k miles. It runs like a top, totally stock with exception of K/N filter, Flowmaster, and the 89 PROM reprogram. I am the original owner. You can eat off the engine compartment.
I hate oil leaks for one! I developed one from the front main timing cover and also the rear main which is one piece, I believe. I also have the typical "smoke on start-up valve guide seals issue.
So I figured instead of going through the hassle of breaking the bottom open, removing trans and all that, then breaking the top half to do that job, that maybe I should just have the engine rebuilt an freshened up a little.

My question is should I pull engine with trans attached or pull motor from trans? Like to do things the easy way. I am having the trans and rear gone through also so every thing is fresh.

This is not by no means a daily driver. It sits covered in the garage.

Thanks in advance!

TX-SleeperC5

iTrader: (2)

I had my sons tranny rebuilt, removed / installed just to find out his motor was shot in his 87 GTA. So whe i got it home, i pulled the motor and left the tans behind in the car. I was easy enough to remove and reinstall with the tranny in the car.

Bob88GTA

iTrader: (2)

Thanks TX-SleeperC5. I pulled an 5.7 without the trans from a 89 GTA, wasn't bad. Just seeing if there's any advantage either way. The trans is coming out anyway

AutoRoc

iTrader: (1)

Pulling both is easiest. The key is to JACK THE *$$ END OF THE CAR REALLY HIGH UP. This makes the angle a lot better for the removal/install.

Bob88GTA

iTrader: (2)

That's what I thought also

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

You'll find plenty of support for doing it either way.

Really, it depends on what your pulling facilities are; how much room you have; how much mess you can tolerate; and such as that.

Personally I prefer to pull the engine by itself and leave the trans, but that's only because I hate dealing with a big heavy unbalanced thing dripping fluids. Others, as you can see, have their priorities in a different order, which is fine. There's not really a "right" way, only, a way that minimizes the things you dislike more than other things.

drdave88

iTrader: (3)

I'm with sofa, I hate having to deal with the back end of that thing, I prefer to pull the engine and leave the trans.... or if it's a manual, I will even pull the trans first, then the engine. I'm sure it would be a lot easier to bolt the engine/trans up outside of the car and slide it all in, but it's just my personal preference, even if may be more work.

Another note, I found that some engine pullers are too short to pull everything out the front, so I have to pull my engine with the puller coming in from the side of the car. That would make pulling the engine/trans assembly a nightmare.