I picked up my 99 vert in mid august and a few weeks later I started getting low oil pressure... if you want to read up on my troubleshooting and oil pump replacement, click here...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...1808346&page=1

so now I'm pulling the engine, I'm curious if I have the resources to drop it down. Recommendations are to drop the entire spine, but I don't have a nice beautiful 4 point lift. I do have a large set of ramps like you see at a car dealership that would bring my car 28 inches off the ground. add a little regular car clearance, and jacking the car a little higher if required, i am hoping i can lower the engine down onto dolley or trasmission jack and back the car down the ramps out of the way... I have a front end loader to use. might sounds a little crazey but with a little enginuity it might be possible...

how hard to lift the engine up through the engine bay? would be my preferrred method but I understand its a lot of additional aggrivating hours.

Thanks,
John

 

I am aware that the lower subframe including lower ball joint assemblies (ie. wheels) must come off, to lower the engine, but is that true when lifting the engine??

 

WOW!! That really sucks!! how many miles on that car??

I know that they CAN come out the top (not the preferred method), but I think in your situation it may be your best option.

Good luck with it, I know the whole deal just makes you sick.

Andy

 

I just pulled mine last month. I didnt have access to a lift so I put the car up on jack stands, lowered the front cradle, moved the entire assy forward until it cleared the driveline, and then lifted the engine out the top with a crane. It was actually very easy.

It took about 8 hours but I took more off the front of the engine then I had to.

 

Thats how I did mine, pulled it from the top...


pics putting the new motor in...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1802749

 

Criswtx,
Great job and beautiful to boot.
My question, you stated you pulled the engine from the top, so tell me.
Do you leave the trans and spine in place and pull the engine forward and up? Or does the trans/spine need to be pulled to the rear to clear the bell housing?

 

I recently replaced my motor in my garage and it wasn't very difficult at all. You need a engine hoist, or cherry picker (hydralic jack based) and a good floor jack or two. You will need to lower the 'K' frame (only 4 bolts) and disconnect the sway bar and some other suspenstion components but it's no big deal; I mean you are pulling the engine...You can pull the engine from the top as long as the 'K' frame is lowered. I am not sure what is being refered to as the 'spine'; are folks refering to the torque tube attached to the transmission? The torque tube will have to be supported when pulling the engine so as not to have the rear drivetrain bind...putting in a new engine...also add a new clutch, flywheel, and slave cylinder.

by the way using a front end loader is no big deal. Hook a chain and an leveler and you are good. A garage 'cherry picker', though, is only about $200 from Summit.

 

If you don't have access to a 4 post lift forget about dropping it out the bottom. I did mine from the top, in my garage on jackstands with hand tools.

 

If I was gonna try this here's what I'd use as a reference guide:

http://www.cajundude.com/engineswap.htm

 

I replaced my engine over the summer and I went out and back in from the top.

However, I think it would be eaiser to take it out the bottom. You can leave on the front accessories and just drop it. The only things different than pulling it out the top is disconnecting the front brake lines. The steering should be disconnected either way as dropping the front cross member will put a lot of strain on it and could damage it. And you have to drop the front cross member to pull the engine out of the top. What you end up with when you get the front cross member down far enough to get the engine out (and I had to drop it more to get it back in) it is really off the car except for the brake lines.

Either way, you will have to drop the drive train some to get at all the bellhousing bolts. Then after disconnecting the drive train from the engine you will have to support the drive train or you may damage it. If you leave your car in place you can leave a jack stand on it. If you really want to move your car there is a brace that you can use, its in the GM shop manual, which I would HIGHLY recomend you getting before starting!

I have heard of people going out the bottom on Jack stands, I think they removed the rotors to help with clearence. However I have not seen it done. Next time I do it, I will try and go out the bottom, but can't tell you how to go about it on Jack stands. The GM manual only shows it going out of the bottm...

 

yes you can leave the rear in place. Just take the front cradle loose and lower is about 6 in, undo the torque tube, and pull the engine out

 

EXCELLENT LINK!!!

 

I thought you would disconnect the torque tube and pull the engine with the bell housing attached?

 

Loose the damn wing pan and it is a cinch cause you don't have to drop cradle to pick it from the top.

 

I left my drivetrain in, I had it out last year for a Level IV T56 and some bad **** 3.90's, LPE shafts and a DTE brace. So I left that all in there and yanked it out.

 

awesome... thanks guys. I'm gonna print all these documents out in color and try it next weekend. my question is this, it seems apparent that the front subframe has to be dropped... how high do I have to lift the car to access all this, The manual shows that the jack points for teh front ARE the subframe, but since this is being removed, I have to jack somewhere by the rocker panels... how high do I go and do i need to bother jacking the rear, or jsut leave the rear tires on the ground... I haven't really researched where a guy would chain to the engine, so if anyone can describe that part, much appreciated. When lifting the engine, I'm assuming it will be tilted. whats a ballpark angle that motor will be on, when I'm lifting ?? Thanks again.
John

 

You will need to put the whole car on jack stands since you have to remove the headers and mid pipes to get the tunnel plate off..I just did it high enough for it to be comfortable to work under..

 

Just wondering... before you can tilt the engine, and lift, you will have to slide it forward off the "shaft", just how far would that be?
And on the re-install how difficult is it to get the engine back on the "shaft", with out damaging anything?

 

Not much tilt if any. More of a straight on and off. Lower the cradle down about 6 inches and lift the engine enough to clear the engine mount studs, support the torque tube from under neath and slide the engine straight forward about 8 inches. Should come right out...