Engine drop from the bottom
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 79
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Engine drop from the bottom
Friends
I have an 87 and a 95 vette. Recently removed the engine and trans
from the 87 and rebuilt the engine, trans and new suspension spring.
What a pain in the butt that was. I removed the front frame cradle
which houses the mono leaf spring. I tried dropping the engine in from
the top and bringing the trans (auto) from below. I just could not
connect the two. I then pulled the engine out and bolted the engine
to the trans, removed the hood and dropped the engine, trans from the top as one unit. Super pain in the butt.
I want to do the same to my 95 and had me wondering if I could just
drop the engine and trans from below provided I drop the front chassis
cradle as well. Anyone here ever done this and is it possible.
Thanks for the help.
I have an 87 and a 95 vette. Recently removed the engine and trans
from the 87 and rebuilt the engine, trans and new suspension spring.
What a pain in the butt that was. I removed the front frame cradle
which houses the mono leaf spring. I tried dropping the engine in from
the top and bringing the trans (auto) from below. I just could not
connect the two. I then pulled the engine out and bolted the engine
to the trans, removed the hood and dropped the engine, trans from the top as one unit. Super pain in the butt.
I want to do the same to my 95 and had me wondering if I could just
drop the engine and trans from below provided I drop the front chassis
cradle as well. Anyone here ever done this and is it possible.
Thanks for the help.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Mission Viejo CA
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 105
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From: Ball Ground Georgia
When I took the engine out of my 87 last year I removed it through the bottom as one piece including the front crossmember, transmission, C beam, and the rear suspension assembly. Pretty much the opposite of how the factory put the car together. I did remove the hood, but it could have stayed in place. I do have a two post lift which makes this sort of thing pretty easy. If I ever need to pull the engine again, I'll do it the same way.
Last edited by Rod Schneider; Jan 7, 2016 at 10:21 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2015
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When I took the engine out of my 87 last year I removed it through the bottom as one piece including the front crossmember, transmission, C beam, and the rear suspension assembly. Pretty much the opposite of how the factory put the car together. I did remove the hood, but it could have stayed in place. I do have a two post lift which makes this sort of thing pretty easy. If I ever need to pull the engine again, I'll do it the same way.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 17,982
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From: Lansing MI
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 105
Likes: 15
From: Ball Ground Georgia
What I meant was, the removal process was the same as the factory installation process, only backwards since I was taking stuff off, not putting it back on at that point. When I put the engine back in, it was nearly exactly the same way the factory did it, from the bottom in one chunk........
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 15,926
Likes: 579
What I meant was, the removal process was the same as the factory installation process, only backwards since I was taking stuff off, not putting it back on at that point. When I put the engine back in, it was nearly exactly the same way the factory did it, from the bottom in one chunk........
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Race Director
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Lansing MI
What I meant was, the removal process was the same as the factory installation process, only backwards since I was taking stuff off, not putting it back on at that point. When I put the engine back in, it was nearly exactly the same way the factory did it, from the bottom in one chunk........
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 79
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Well I'm old school and my 87 was my first C4. With my 95 that's how I'm going to install it. This is why I love this site. Thank you everyone for your help.
Racer
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 265
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From: Grand Rapids MI
When I took the engine out of my 87 last year I removed it through the bottom as one piece including the front crossmember, transmission, C beam, and the rear suspension assembly. Pretty much the opposite of how the factory put the car together. I did remove the hood, but it could have stayed in place. I do have a two post lift which makes this sort of thing pretty easy. If I ever need to pull the engine again, I'll do it the same way.
Last edited by 84Z51J; Jan 11, 2016 at 10:38 AM.
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When I took the engine out of my 87 last year I removed it through the bottom as one piece including the front crossmember, transmission, C beam, and the rear suspension assembly. Pretty much the opposite of how the factory put the car together. I did remove the hood, but it could have stayed in place. I do have a two post lift which makes this sort of thing pretty easy. If I ever need to pull the engine again, I'll do it the same way.
Thank you for the post I suggested this to someone a few weeks back and only got naysayers
My buddy and I have been parting out C4 & C5 this way for years. surprisingly fast and simple.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 105
Likes: 15
From: Ball Ground Georgia
I think it took about 4 or 5 hours. Whatever you use to raise the body needs to have good control. There are some tight clearances, mostly between the engine accessories and the frame. I had a friend helping me and we bumped up the lift an inch or so at the time to make sure everything cleared and that we hadn't forgotten to unhook anything. The only downside to this method (as far as I'm concerned) is that the front brake lines have to be disconnected to drop the crossmember. So, you have to add brake bleeding on the "to do" list when it all goes back together......
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 134
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From: Osceola WI
With all the issues I have read about getting those C-beam bolts out and since what I want to do is go through the entire suspension with Poly, overhaul my 4+3, and give the motor a refresh I think this is the way I will go. From that point disassembly of the drivetrain from there would be a piece of cake. I can even see using that as justification to buy a hoist 
Clean up and painting would really finish this thing off and I really don't see a downside. I have the air tools to make most of it quick work. Big project though, good for pictures on the wall!
Clean up and painting would really finish this thing off and I really don't see a downside. I have the air tools to make most of it quick work. Big project though, good for pictures on the wall!