Okay, I've searched and found nothing but "sorry, we can't find that". I'm looking to drop the engine and k-member out the bottom as one piece if possible. The engine needs to come out to replace the oil pan/gasket, lower end bearings, oil pump screen, and for a good cleaning. I want to drop the k-member so it can be cleaned up and painted. And the struts/springs/front suspension bushings/engine mounts are also going to be replaced. Which is why I'm looking to try to get everything out at once.

What's the easiest way to do this having nothing more than a floor jack? I don't have an engine hoist (or the engine would be coming out the top) or a transmission jack. The front springs are already out, just got those out an hour ago. From what it looks like, I'm going to have to remove the trans (not hard, it's 8 bolts and I've done it before), and the harmonic damper to clear the center link (tie rod ends are already disconnected).

 

You're never going to get it done with just a floor jack. How are you going to lift the body high enough to clear the engine?

 

I can get the engine down to the short block in about 2 minutes (or less)... The 3100 heads are loosely bolted on... Just enough to mock-up the valvetrain. And there is no intake or anything bolted on.

 

You need to get it high enough to clear the block, k and whatever's beneath it holding it up. Do you have acess to a lift?

 

Stripping to the short block saves what, about 6" off the top? Measure from the bottom of the K member to the top of the engine. That's at least how high you need to lift the car.

 

The car isn't moving right now... The rear axle and such has been out for 2 months for rear end body repairs and work back there (ALL of the suspension bushings are getting replaced at the same time). No lift here, either, or an engine hoist, or I'd get the engine out the top like most people do. I measured about 22 inches ground clearance below the center link at current height and about 19 7/8 from the top part of the timing cover, which is the highest part on the engine with the heads off (that stupid bolt hole that is supposed to be used to hold the timing cover on when removing the water pump that always gets in the way of the 3x00 intake that gets ground off when doing the swap) to the bottom of the K-member.

Ideally, what I was thinking of doing was dropping the front of the car so that the K is as close to the ground as I can get it, removing the bolts from the K and the nuts from the strut pistons, and getting the body back up and out of the way, similar to using a lift, and kind of wheeling the engine out from under there. Unless I'm stuck where I am.

 

I'm going to assume you have at least jack stands, not sure if you've removed an engine yet or not but I've tried taking shortcuts with it and it doesn't work, first off to drop it from underneath you will have to take the transmission out first, although it MIGHT be possible to take out the driveshaft unbolt the transmission crossmember and slide it back enough to get the torque converter out, but I wouldn't count on it.

Honestly you're best bet is to rent or buy a used engine hoist, only other viable alternative I can think of with what you have to work with is removing the transmission, and sticking the jack under the oil pan with a piece of wood to not smash it in, unbolting the engine and more or less pulling it the same way you would a transmission, but honestly man, I don't see the K-member drop method working too well in a car that wasn't meant to have it removed that way, and with very limited tools, but then Idk how to remove a K-member, so maybe its easier than I think, but even if it is easy you would need the right tools for the job. If you have the place to put it, invest in an engine crane, or a rafter mounted hoist in a garage would work almost as well, but you have to remember, sooner or later you have to put the engine back in...and trust me without a hoist it will be a bitch.

Edit: that idea would never clear the firewall, imo hoist is the only practical way...

 

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Seriously, engine lifts can be bought for like... $100. And returned if you complain that they were missing parts so you couldn't use it.

Even if you dropped the car on the ground, if you didn't remove the springs, the A-arms would just lift the k-member and motor back to the body as you tried to lift the body away.


This feel like deja-vu for some odd reason.... maybe my memory is better than a goldfish though....

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/v6/5...ow-f-do-i.html

 

I have 5 stands, and the car is sitting on 4 of them. Seriously, I don't know if any of you have been following my thread in the Body section "Need an Opinion", but, seriously, the only parts left attached to the frame of my car are the powertrain (nothing rearward of the trans tail) and the front suspension (minus the front springs), not counting the doors (no glass), t-tops, and hatch. And that blasted fuel vapor line I can't remove without yanking the transmission first as that bracket bolt is right above the top of the trans. The interior has been out for 3 months, along with EVERY wire in the car (minus the negative battery cable), and the entire HVAC system, fuel system, and brake system (except the front brake rotors and calipers). Everything is being removed, cleaned up, rustproofed, repainted, and reinstalled, if not outright replaced (springs, metal fuel and brake lines, shocks/struts, rear suspension components and all suspension bushings, brake hoses, weatherstripping, windshield, lots more).

I'd like to try to get the engine out this way now in hopes that, besides the replacement suspension parts and the MegaSquirt, I can save coin during the winter to buy or find someone with a hoist to get the parts back in again.

 

Its not whats been removed thats the problem but what needs removed...none of that is really going to make it any easier to remove the engine, maybe a little easier to jack the car up, but thats about it, no matter how light the car is, a bare block alone still weighs right about 114 lbs if memory serves, somewhere between 110 and 120. The other stuff being removed doesn't really make it easier...

 

I've already figured on the engine being about 200 lbs bare... Block is 105, BTW... Aluminum Bow Tie block is 47 lbs and GM advertises it as 58 lbs less than the stock block (or was that the other way around? Still comes out to 105). And then I figure about 2 lbs a piece for the pistons and con rods (have 2 assemblies in the garage), and about 40 or so for the crank and about 5 for the cam. Not sure on the oil pump, but I'm figuring that the whole deal is going to be about as bulky in weight as the rearend was, just a bit bigger in size.

It can't be THAT hard... I seem to recall pics of someone else having done the same not too long ago.

 

tbh ur btter off getting some friends over and liftin the block out of the car nice strong 4x4 with a chain hooked to the bare or short block and 2 guys on each side lifting it out but without a lift or a couple of flooe jacks ur not going to get it out the way u are trying

if u had 2 fllor jack u could jack the front of the car up with one stick another under there with wooden blocks on it jack the car up higher and then do the same with the first jack until its high enough but i wouldnt recomend that as ur jackstands wont go as high up as needed to support the car

 

I've had the block on a scale, it was 110-120, also each piston and conrod is probably more like 3-4 lbs, and cam more like 7-10 I think, but regardless of whos closer its heavy..