So i'm removing my engine for the first time to do a engine swap(look at my other post for more info) I have just a few questions that the haynes manual doesn't go over.

1. Do i just drop the motor or do i unbolt the tranny as well?
2. do i have to remove the front engine cover to remove?
3. can someone link me a post to removing drive shafts to front wheels or give me a brief summery

 

Drop the entire subframe with the engine and transmission attached. Unbolt the struts from the knuckles, take off the brake calipers. Leave the shafts in the hubs. It is the easiest way. This has been covered before in detail, so search around and you will find more infos if you need any (You honestly shouldn't or I wouldn't recommend doing it).

Front engine cover? I assume you mean something else there.

 

I went looking all over the forms and couldn't find anything on removing the subframe do you have a link?

I ment the timing chain cover

 

Four bolts for the subframe, you can't miss 'em.

No need to remove the timing cover.

It should look something like this:

 

engine is not coming out without the subframe out. its a headache to do it that without dropping it too.

do it exactly how he said to do it. everything can be left on the motor and taken off after the engine is dropped off... just disconnect your exhaust and remove the downpipe or mid pipe, remove the intake, fuse box, disconnect all wiring/grounds from the chassis to engine(leave the harness attached to the motor, disconnect the steering shaft from the column, remove the axles from the hubs, remove the ball joints from the hubs, disconnect the sway bar from the shocks, disconnect ac lines from the condenser, remove upper charge piping if you have it (lower can be removed after the engines out but dont forget to disconnect it from the intercooler), disconnect the radiator and overflow(ratchet strap the radiator to keep in the car unless you wanna remove it) place your jack stands under the subframe, unbolt the subframe, lift car and that's the basic idea. if you dont have a lift remove the bumper and headlights, radiator, intercooler or heat exchnger, and ac condenser and pull it out like the car above. im sure I forgot some small stuff here and there but again if you have to ask you should have the aid of someone who knows what they are doing. im not trying to be rude but 9x10s out of 10 someone messes it up going back in or taking it out.

 

its doable, but you need to be positive that you can jack up your car high enough and either have an engine hoist that can telescope over the car like what 1panel2nv has or have a nice trick setup for dropping the subframe on. in my case we had access to a lift and a forklift lol.

the GM build book goes over everything! i followed it step by step and it got me through the process with ease. and i'm no mechanic.

 

Thank you everyone for you help you guys are awesome!

 

You shouldn't have to remove any A/C lines (I didn't). I got a piano dolly from harbor freight and used a pair of strategically-placed 2x4's to hold the subframe.

 

You do need to undo the ac line from the firewall iirc. It connects to the line going between the trans and engine

 

oh you lucky sob with that nice full size garage lol

 

rice, your not gonna have him go disconnect a ac line while its under pressure are you?

 

If you remove the radiator and crash beam, the car doesn't need to be lifted high at all and you can get the hoist nice and close.

 

One of the differences between lifting the engine out and dropping the cradle is that if you drop the cradle you don't disconnect the AC lines. Unbolt the compressor and tie it to the front and let it hang. The AC lines go over the top of the engine.

 

I never disconnected my AC lines removing from the top. lol

 

Yeah that's if you do it that way. I drop everything together. There's a million ways to do things.. as long as the job gets done

 

I guess if you disconnect the tranny (which would make sense coming out to top) then you wouldn't have to disconnect. Moral of the story: no need to disconnect either way!

 

It's easier to drop the motor with the transmission. Plus it's easier to align them. The trans alignment is where 80% of these so called failed throw out bearings come from. People just sucking the trans and engine together instead of properly aligning it