3.8 removel: Out of the top or bottom?

[Gorn_96]

(1996 3800 with 5 speed)
It is my understanding the motor can come out the botom or the top. I am looking for opintions. Pros and Cons. I would love to hear from some who has done both compair the processes.

A few facts:
I do not have a lift.
I do have have a cherry picker engine hoist (cheap harbor freight one)
I do have a low profile dolly the can handle a lot of weight.
My garage has a nice level floor.
I need to install a replacment 3.8

[kristen]

Re: 3.8 removel: Out of the top or bottom?

well are you taking the tranny out with it?


if it's just the engine....top


if it's both....bottom

[Meatyshells]

Re: 3.8 removel: Out of the top or bottom?

i say its pretty easy to drop everything out the bottom. You dont have to take anything off the engine when pulling it from the bottom. Basically all you do is disconnect all the wiring, the 8 bolts from the shock mounts. Unscrew 2 brake lines, then the 6 k member bolts and you're all set. new engine can go in with everything on it, headers and everything.

You will have to raise the rear of the car a little bit with jack stands, then tie the cheery picker to the car, put a jack under the k-member/trans, and unbolt the k-member. Lower the jack, then raise the front of the car up with the cherry picker. Get some woodblocks/bricks to set the front jack stands on so you can move the cheery picker out of the way, and you can wheel the whole thing out. If you leave the wheels on, the engine is actually not all that hard to move/maneuver.

[Meatyshells]

Re: 3.8 removel: Out of the top or bottom?

http://www.z28.com/forum/showthread....engine+removal

this is the guide i used, its for an ls1 but you get the picture.

[RadRacer]

Re: 3.8 removel: Out of the top or bottom?

I pulled mine from the top with the transmission; pull intake manifolds, exhaust manifolds, front accessories (at least the pulleys) and disconnect all the wiring, fuel lines, vacuum hoses, etc. If you take your time when pulling it out, you can leave the radiator and fans in; install is basically the exact opposite.

[Pewter2K1]

Re: 3.8 removel: Out of the top or bottom?

yea, my engine and trans went out through the top...i actually used a john deer tractor with a boom... just gotta get everything off the top and front... get it as far forward as you can get it.... then tip the whole thing vertical and manipulate it out of the engine bay slowly bringing it back horizontal... took about 30 mins to get it out

[Meatyshells]

Re: 3.8 removel: Out of the top or bottom?

best thing about pulling it through the bottom is you dont have to remove anything at all :)

[Gorn_96]

Re: 3.8 removel: Out of the top or bottom?

I don't think my cherry picker will lift the front of my car. Like a said before it is a cheap harbor freight one. I may just look around to see if I can find a better one.

[Guest]

Re: 3.8 removel: Out of the top or bottom?

I began to pull mine from the top in my 98 bird, tore the upper intake off, unhooked tanny, etc. After some encouragement form another board, I decided to giv it a shot from the bottom. I had already unbolted the tranny, but if I had to do it again, I would most likely leave it attached and then swapped it outside the car. I placed the rear of car on car ramps for extra height, used a large fllor jack and two of the samll compact ones. I unhooked the front suspension at the upper ball joint and removed lower shock bolts. Some people pull the shock/spring assembly from top, just seemed easier to me to remove lower stuff, leave springs/shocks in car. Once I got everything unhooked, I then unbolted the 6 bolts from kmember, lowered main jack under kmember, then I lifted from end of car using cherry picker and chains around lower rad support. Once I got it up high enough to roll motor out, I placed concrete block under both sides with a 4x4 al the way across just in front of tranny. That supported car until I got my motor/new kmember swpped out and ready to go back in. It's super easy to get ex manifolds on along with plugs, new wires.
Here's acoupl pics.
Shoot me an email if ya need me answers.... k5blazer87@msn.com

[Richardcoelho]

Re: 3.8 removel: Out of the top or bottom?

soo what are you planning to do?

[dobie]

Re: 3.8 removel: Out of the top or bottom?

I haven't done a 3.8 but I did the 3.4 both ways (top twice, bottom once) and taking it out the bottom is way easier but you will have to disconnect the steering shaft and bleed the brakes after the install.

[eazy_e6996]

Re: 3.8 removel: Out of the top or bottom?

bottom is the easiest and simplest but make sure you get it blocked up good cause it wont be any fun if it falls on you. your cherry picker should pick it up, the body sans motor and trans is very light

[Gorn_96]

Re: 3.8 removel: Out of the top or bottom?

Out the bottom it is, I decided on a 2002 out of another Camaro with 50K. This will allow me to use all those other parts we don't think of. I will also try to fab up the manifold off the 2002 since I do not have headers.