Dropping Engine from the Bottom?

[michaelmiller85]

In the past i have always pulled the engine up, but was wondering if it would be easier to simply drop both the engine and transmission together?

Michael

[stefan]

from the bottom? the car would have to be really high up

[jglutz]

Recently completed an out of car full rebuild. put the car on jack stands and pulled the tranny (5spd) out from the floor and the short block out from the top. Though it's always nice to do the full overhaul outside...on the festiva, there are nothing in the way.

I have a hoist and engine stand...but on this car...I was in and out before I could have got the equipment set up....it would have just been in the way.

I lifted the short block with my left hand in the water pump hole and tied a rope between the upper two transmission mounting holes.

I think it all depends on how much room you have to work with.

[Pu241]

If you have a lift I think dropping it out the bottom is an option!
If not, you really have to get the car higher than I'd like to have if from a stability point of view!
It can be done but how safely, if you don't have a lift!

[FB71]

I have a lift, and I always drop them out the bottom. Much easier in my opinion. If you don't have a lift, out the top is more realistic. However, I have done them out the bottom without a lift. Put the fron on stands, remove wheels, take loose calipers, tierods, strut mounts, all engine and trans connections (wires hoses etc), slide a jack under the trans crossmember, pull the engine mount and crossmenber bolts loose, lower the engine and trans down. Now, here's the fun part... I'm a big guy, so I just picked up the front of the car, and walked it over the engine and trans.

[jglutz]

Now, here's the fun part... I'm a big guy, so I just picked up the front of the car, and walked it over the engine and trans.

Dude....if i could do that, I wouldn't be hanging out on ff.com....I'd be collecting $$$$$$ from some russian web site....or....at least going to happy hour at the holiday in on a friday night.

[FB71]

:laughing3:

I used to go find "Tough Man Competitions" at different bars anytime TDY'd somewhere (Temporary DutY'd). One I remember fondly was at 'Club 32' near Alpena, Michigan...

Of course, that was another lifetime... (or so it seems)

[jglutz]

I remember the "Landing Strip" in Romulus, MI. any corner bar in grand rapids then cheeta's and jason's accross the river in windsor.

[FB71]

YES!!! The Landing Strip!!! I've been there! Funny, we also have a Landing Strip here in Middle River, MD, near Warfield Air Base / Glenn L. Martin State Airport. Heck, Martin State still has a taxi ramp into the cove for seaplanes! AND, they have an operable Albatros!

[jglutz]

All life's problems can be solved at the landing strip!

[neanderpaul]

Here I am dropping the engine from the bottom.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=HZ-KRo6lrE4

[FB71]

:laughing3:

world's strongest redneck!!!

[5.0zone]

I've never pulled mine out the top.
Didn't look like there was enough room between the frame rail and crank pulley (mine has AC) to get the clutch/pressure plate out of the bell housing.
So I've always dropped mine out the bottom. The last time, I didn't have a lift available.
So after taking everything loose, I put a couple of 2x4s and a large piece of cardboard on the ground under the engine and lowered the car till the cross-member was on the ground.
Then I removed the bolts to the cross-member and the engine.
Using a floor jack I raised the car as high as I could get it and pull the engine and trans out from under the car.

[michaelmiller85]

If I'm needing to simply pull the transmission out, i'm switching it from auto to 5spd, is it easiest to drop everything together?

[neanderpaul]

My buddy dropped and replaced a festiva trans from the bottom in about 2 hours.