I know there is two schools of thought on this subject. Together & seperate. I pulled the old set out together and would like to go back in with the new package together, but I'm a beginner and going in may be harder than coming out. would it be easier if I drop the new crossmember for the 2004r? all suggestions welcome

 

The Last engine I did was on a 1967 pontiac lemans, I found it very easy to put the engine in with the trans already installed since a vette has such a long engine bay my vote is to connect the trans first then install

 

I use a spreader bar with the lift, much easier to control.

 

Thanks I was hoping to hear that. I have a load leveler\spreader. anyone vote for droping the crossmember?

 

Yeah, it's a b*tch to line up the engine with the trans in the car.

 

on all cars normally i think its easier to put them in together but with my vet i dont do it that way. i have done it seperately twice and both times i put trans in first then the engine. wiggle here and a wiggle there and its not that hard. cause the nose is so long i find it too hard together.

 

I have only pulled/installed separately. If you are going to put them in together then yes I would drop the crossmember.

 

Much easier to do both at the same time, while still bolted together.

 

Another vote for together.

 

Together, the only ones I'd do separate are aircooled VWs.

 

I've got mine out right now and pulled them seperately. I didn't want to have to pull the radiator out again.

 

Together... use the leveller - only way to do it IMO

 

LONG as you been around man, I surprised you say that....

most trannies are about a yard long from bell flange to output, and even IF no fluids to worry over, that damn shaft is down at an angle that in most cars will not allow the engine enough forward to clear the rad support, and in our sharks, that means we have to move the a/c cond coil too....disconnect the thing....PIA....if not, the angle of the dangle says we need jack the car about 2' in the air to keep from wedging the tailshaft on the ground.....

BTDT with other cars, and honestly I would never consider it with the vette....anyway, It's easier to just drop the BH off the engine in about 20 minits and save the effort.....starter coming off anyway, now much is it to release a converter?? or pop those 4 tranny bolts....

maybe we get used to doing things our own way, but I can't see what you doing as easier....

 

If you have the leveller it is by far easier to do attached.. My speed record was with this assembly



from the trolley you see it on here to resting on the mounts in the car - 15 minutes. - 3 people - 1 on hoist - 1 above guiding and levelling - 1 below to ensure tranny sits on mount.

You could get the motor in the car in 15 or even less, but you arent getting the tranny slipped in, through the clutch disc and throwout bearing, aligned and bolted together in that time from under the car.

Last week we installed the motor below into a friends 65 bel-air..from the time we had it hanging from the hoist - to sitting on the mounts...30 minutes (only because we forgot to fish in the drivers side headers and had to lift it back up) same 3 people same stations. The big block was installed with the TH400 attached.... it took us longer to attach the tranny outside the car than it took us to get it sitting on the mounts once we started lifting




You MUST have the leveller for it to be as easy as this...just shove your slip yoke into the tranny and there wont be any leaks.

Frankly, I will NEVER pull an engine tranny separate again if I have anything to say about it.

 

Okay now add in the time to put the hood back on and align it. +plus you take the chance of chipping the paint dorking with the hood.

I've also got it down to science separated. To even speed up things because I did it so often I went to header studs and quick disconnect lines off the tranny for the oil cooler

 

Yes in both cases the radiator was out...but not the A/C stuff which mounts to the front of the core support and not to the radiator...

I have done the vette (engine/tranny together) with the rad in...yes its tight - just dont have the balancer mounted and you can do it...and IIRC i didnt have the water pump mounted that time either... in any case I'm much rather install a water pump than try to mate engine and tranny under the car.


The bel- air we could have done with the rad in, if we didnt have that gi-normous pully already mounted to the balancer...

 

I'm not saying separate is wrong... if you got it down to a science, more power to ya...hood alignment is a piece of cake with a pilot hole and a pop-rivet...and anyone who lifts anything over the nose risks damage to the cars paint.

And I will happily concede that if the criteria is, nothing can be removed from the car except the engine.. then apart is the only way

 

thanks for the advise Eric I hope to install tomarrow.