Hey all-

I am getting INCREDIBLY frustrated with my LT1 removal right now. I have it down to the long block with out the oil pan. All bolts/grounds etc, disconnected and all bell-housing bolts are removed. I CAN'T (even with a LOT of help) shake this damn engine out of the bay. I have the motor hanging on the picker right now, the trans jacked up, and in neutral. No motor mounts. I have been working with Scorpion. (thanks for the HUGE help) Next - I am looking at removing the trans, cause I have about 1/2 inch between the motor and bell housing, and it will not give up the GD motor. Any tricks that I should know about here? I know that the motor MUST be able to be removed with out pulling the ZF tranny... Any suggestions? 2 hours of shaking and wobbling did not get her away from the trans. Am I missing something? :confused: :confused:

 

Are you sure all the bellhousing bolts are all the way out?? I could'nt imagine the pilot bearing being froze to the input shaft??? Did you try (making sure the engine and tranny are on the same plane) gently prying the block from the bellhousing??? Sorry if I stated the obvious. :)

 

Yeah, tried that too. I am going to slide under there tonight and make sure for the Nth time that there are no misc grounds there holding the motor up...I do have one bell housing bolt there that I totally disconnected and pushed back, but it will not come out of the hole (no pun intended). I am an automotive engineer...I want the guys FIRED that made this design... (just kidding) :U

 

Is it hanging on the clutch/throwout bearing fork?

 

You have to drop the tranny to get it out. The tranny input shaft is about 6" long and you have to clear it. Takes a little extra time to drop the tranny, but it has to be done. The bell housing is attached to the clutch assembly by means of the clutch fork. To remove the clutch fork the tranny has to come off.

 

Well, I guess that I will be replacing the U-joints while the drive shaft is out of the F*ing way. GD, I am going to have a new car with an old paint job when this project from hell is complete....
I guess that I am just a tad scared of pulling the trans down. Builds character, I understand? :U

 

Sounds like you have been there-done that. But, (although it is not the FSM), my Haynes manual says to jack up the front of the tranny and the slide the engine forward on the hoist to detach it from the transmission. Plus, I think I remember a couple of guys leaving the tranny in the car.... Perhaps they had autos though..?? :)

 

I have R&R'd my engine about 6 times now (not that it means I am a perfect expert though). Ain't gonna happen with the ZF tranny in there unless you pull it all as one unit with the hood off.

The Haynes manual is notoriously incorrect/incomplete.

If they left the tranny in the car, they would have had to have had auto trannies or perhaps were not a ZF equiped manual. (I am not sure if the 4+3 transmissions can be left in place or not.)

Chris

 

Robey,
While your doing this have the car repainted :D that will certainly give you somehting to smile about, and you can refinishe the engine bay.. heck, you could have that car looking better then GM did the day it left the Plant in Bowling Green and have it running immensley faster too!!

ok, all fun talk aside, drop the tranny, grab a buddy and a 6 pack and have at it, you will waste time and prescious patience trying to do this otherwise. With the tranny out, you can inspect sevral other things and also replace anything worn.. always a good practice. and remember when your car is hard to contend with.. think back to all the abuse you gave it.. and picture the car laughing at ya.. this is what i do....and all i can do is smile and say fair enough, but your mine when your up and rolling again! ;) !!! best of luck with it! I'll be pulling my personal motor soon enough, and we can sit back and laugh when they are done!

best regards,
Chris Polanski
Next Generation MotorSports, LLC


[Modified by lcvette, 3:30 PM 7/11/2002]

 

Since you already have the bellhousing unbolted (if I read all of this right), the tranny is already 1/2 way out. Yank the catback of the exhaust, pull the driveshaft and the torque beam.

 

I pulled my engine with the tranny still in(6-speed).. just unbolt the b-housing from the tranny. Comes right out, hood on and all... :yesnod:

 

How did you get the clutch fork off (assuming this was on the '89 or '96)? Even with the tranny removed, the bellhousting will not come off the engine without removing (or at least loosening) the clutch fork. Better yet, how did you get it back on without dropping the tranny?

Trying to get the engine out with the clutch fork still installed is a sure fire way to either a) bend the ZF input shaft, or b) break your $70 throwout bearing.

I suppose you could just try and remove the tranny bolts and leave the bell housing installed to the motor, but it is a pretty good wedge to get it all out of there like that. Watch that wiper motor if you leave more than just the pressure plate on the back of that motor.

Chris

 

This is me and my vette = :boxing

Well, I am pulling the WHOLE exhaust. All bolts except for the one that is on the bell housing holding up the drive side cat that is completely unthreaded, but stuck in the hole cause there is not enough room between the firewall and the bellhousing to take it completely out. I think that I will unbolt the bellhousing and tranny, and see if I am able to "make" some room to get the exhaust/trans out of the way. While the engine is out of the bay, I will be doing some serious cleaning, replacing and tightening.

Hey stroker guys, or those of you who have done SERIOUS work to their engines: I have the resources to get a $2600 GM ZZ4 shortblock. If I do this, it means that I will have a fresh engine, that I know has not been beaten. The ZZ4 has a larger displacement, I know. I was told by GM performance that the top end "stuff" (sensors/intake/etc) will bolt up. I gues that they'd know, but if I go to a different displacement, will I have to have the ECM reprogrammed to change the fuel map? Can I go with this short block, and put my heads plus a roller cam on? I am a little nervous that I will not be able to bolt up all of the sensors on a ZZ4 block, or I will have to do SERIOUS modification to make it run correctly. I don't want to buy new exhaust. I like the stock (not mod crazy). I guess that I want to get the most cost effective solution to this problem that wont put me in the poor house like some corvettes can.
One would think that I am not the only one who would have a ZZ4 motor in this car with a ZF6. Any takers?

 

You can not relpace a LT1 bottom end with a ZZ4 crate motor.

 

Thank you. I am assuming that you tried this? Or, would I have to make some major modifications...?

Anyone have a low milage LT1 block 4sale?

 

I have not tried it, but the blocks are different.

 

(my guess is the reverse flow water jacket situation)
Rob,
I've done mine like 3 times now. Just save yourself further aggrevation and pull the tranny from the bellhousing. Then if you like, remove bellhousing from block. Yeah, you'll be a better person for it after. <read: it'll put hair on your chest> I've found that when I get really frustrated, it's better to step back, take a short break and regroup yourself and go back in with a fresh attitude and resolve. Has worked very well for me.
Ron, sounds like your transplant was cake in comparison. Way to go.

 

QUOTE]I suppose you could just try and remove the tranny bolts and leave the bell housing installed to the motor, but it is a pretty good wedge to get it all out of there like that. Watch that wiper motor if you leave more than just the pressure plate on the back of that motor.

Chris[/QUOTE]
:yesnod:
Yep, leave the bellhousing on...it comes right out, really!

 

Well, I guess that I will pull the bell housing with the motor. Only one problem. One of the exhaust brackets is mounted to the bellhousing. The one that I can't get outta there. The exhaust is almost down and out of there, and I cannot get this one bolt. I guess that I will unbolt the bell housing too and see if I get any room...

I am out of town till Wed morning, so I wont be working on her till that evening.
On business in Lake of the Ozarks.....FUN!