Pulling motor questions

[bobtodd]

Well, I pulled off my heads today to see if I had a blown head gasket and it's not looking like that was the case. Now that I have all these parts off I am considering just pulling the motor out and freshening it up. I've never really pulled a motor myself and am unsure of what's all involved. I'm sure I would have no problems doing it but have a few questions.
First off, how easy is it to pull the motor and leave the 5 speed tranny/bellhousing in the car? What comes out with the motor? Flywheel and what else? I've never messed with clutches, tranny, etc. Will the starter come out with the motor? I cant really get down to look at my starter because of the &%$ing long tube headers...which I might add are a pain in the butt!!
Is there any easy way to get to the bell housing bolts that go into the block?
If you've pulled a motor let me know some info.
Is it as simple as undoing the motor mounts and bell housing bolts and pulling it out?

[fast1990gt]

Remove the starter, unbolt the motor mounts and bellhousing bolts, lift the motor until the motor mounts clear and slide it forward. You may have to wiggle the motor and lightly pry between the motor / trans. to get it off the dowels. Slide it forward until the input shaft comes out of the clutch and lift the motor out. It's not too hard, I did mine this way. You may want to support the trans with a jack while you do this too. Just watch as you are lifting it out to make sure that you didn't forget to disconnect any wires or anything.

[bobtodd]

How hard is it to get the motor back in? Does the input shaft slide back in as easy as it comes out?

[fast1990gt]

Mine slid right in the first time with no trouble. From what I've heard it's not always that easy. Sometimes you get lucky I guess. Just try to rotate the splines the same as best as you can.

[markstang]

Its easy to take it all out & apart, the hard part is putting it all back together the correct way so it all works the way it did before you took it apart..... If you have the time & room & $ I would do it, somebody will help if you get into a jam.


Mark

[jdsgallops]

I agree with Dan, pull the tranny with it. Much easier to get it back in. I think he mentioned everything but the shifter.

[Greg@GLD]

See now as someone who has done this many times, I do not agree about pulling the trans with the motor. This is just my opinion of course, whatever works best for you guys, that's cool. I have it down to a science- I use the engine hoist and the floor jack together and raise the belhousing to the point where it touches the trans tunnel, and then I slightly slack the hoist. If you do this right, the engine EASILY slides forward, and out it comes. Then upon re-install, having the trans up high to the tunnel makes it a pretty easy job to lineup the engine and tranny input shaft. Ask Fritz, he saw me do this, I put my 347 in all by myself...

These are from like 5 years ago?

http://www.cobracentral.net/motor3.jpg

http://www.cobracentral.net/motor6.jpg

And this is recent...

http://www.midwestmustangassociation.com/vb3/photopost/data/506/1347-2.jpg

[bobtodd]

How easy is it to get at the bolts on the bell housing?

[Greg@GLD]

To me it's a piece of cake...

[fast1990gt]

It may be a little awkward trying to get at them the first time but after that it's a breeze. I've found that a stubby ratcheting end box wrench can be your best friend with that stuff. Greg, you did yours with the headers still in the car even? I'm impressed.

[Greg@GLD]

It may be a little awkward trying to get at them the first time but after that it's a breeze. I've found that a stubby ratcheting end box wrench can be your best friend with that stuff. Greg, you did yours with the headers still in the car even? I'm impressed.

Well, as I said, I've had lots of practice with this, have owned EFI mustangs for more than 15 years. The headers are a no-brainer- Just tie them back and leave the exhaust alone. Also, I think there might actually be a little more room behind the motor on an SN95 than a fox (you would think not) because getting at the belhousing bolts, especially the top 2, is very easy.

Not to beat on the suggestion to pull engine and tranny together, but... I also have never had to pull the radiator out when I pull the motor, and have never so much as scratched the core. When you pull the engine alone, it comes up and out pretty easy. Manipulating the engine and trans together requires more finesse and you also need to raise the hoist up very high.

And lastly, I HAVE pulled them together, I'd rather take my chances trying to line up the input shaft versus all the extra work required to pulling both, not to mention the extra mess!

[jdsgallops]

Greg you must be slow in your old age. :p A buddy and I pulled the engine and tranny in my 83 in 2 hours flat. I have heard of others doing it quicker than that. There really isn't that much more to disconnnect when pulling the tranny with the engine.

4 driveshaft bolts, 4 trans mount bolts, clutch cable, speedo cable, 4 shifter bolts, 2 wire harnesses, and 8 h pipe bolts

That is about 15 minutes of work that can easily be made up wresting the engine onto the tranny if it stays in the car. But like you have said it all depends on what you are use to. This is the way I am use to doing it and as many times as I have had to pull just the tranny I don't find it that much harder or longer to do.

Bob either way you decide to do it, the bellhousing to engine bolts are easy to get at either way.

[Greg@GLD]

Well, what comes with my slow old age is a desire to do a good job versus winning a speed contest. ;)
As I said in my first post though, it's all a matter of preference, and I prefer to leave the tranny alone. I do think your time estimates are a little on the "enthusiastic" side, and you neglected to mention that you would have to remove the h-pipe if you want to get the trans out without difficulty, not just the bolts themselves, plus upon re-assembly all these things have to be put back afterwards. I see it this way: I can get my motor out without disturbing anything backward of the firewall, including leaving the headers connected to the exhaust system. I'd venture a guess that your work area and your clothes are probably quite messy by the time you finish. Tranny fluid and exhaust grunge from removing and installing an H-pipe when you don't need to are going to be factors too.

We're not arguing though, we're sharing ideas. Right buddy??? :D :D :beer:

[jdsgallops]

We're not arguing though, we're sharing ideas. Right buddy??? :D :D :beer:

Of course Greg, the only way Bob can make the best informed choice for himself is to see both sides of the coin and then choose what will work best for him.
As far as my 15 minute estimate, on my rust free car, nope sure isn't. I was down to the bellhousing bolts when my buddy had gotten the rack pulled. Yep the trans almost as fast as the power steering rack. On a car from up north where you are gonna need a can of liquid wrench, yeah probably a little longer and a little messier.

[markstang]

On a car from up north where you are gonna need a can of liquid wrench, yeah probably a little longer and a little messier.


air tools help with the crusty ones,
we also need a warm place to work 8 mo out of the year. :HittingHe


Mark

[bobtodd]

we also need a warm place to work 8 mo out of the year.

I want my own heated garage. Who needs anything else? :) Have a bathroom in one corner and a cot to sleep on. I'd be set!

[jdsgallops]

air tools help with the crusty ones,
we also need a warm place to work 8 mo out of the year. :HittingHe


I have had my share of ones that fought with the air tools also.

As far as a warm place to work, if I still lived up there I would still be working on purchasing land to build a garage on with living quarters above it. :D