Hello all!

I am at the point where the tranny, exhaust, and engine mounts are the only thing left, I am planning to pull this thing out this week. Where is the best place to disconnect the exhaust? I have read also that dipping the tranny down a bit under the truck will let me access those upper tranny bolts? Any help is much appreciated, I'm hoping to get some knowledge from anyone who has gone through this. Thanks in advance!!

Jeremy

 

You can reach the 3 nuts on studs at the manifold that connect it to the exhaust pipe. I used about 2' of extensions. You may need to go in through the front drivers side wheel well to reach one of the nuts. the other 2 can be accessed from below with the extensions if you remove the heat shield on the transmission.

I did not have to drop the tranny at all to acccess the bell housing bolts. I had enough room to get a 3/8" drive ratchet on there and got the top bolts out one click at a time. Try to spray down as many of these bolts as possible. you don't want to break one off.

Don't forget that the starter has 2 bolts holding it. One goes in from the front and one from the back. If you have your rad out you can access the one that goes in from the front with the 2' of extensions.

You may want to get your steering out of the way. It is not nesessary for removal but makes it a lot easier and i could not get my engine lined back up with the tranny with out removing it. If you remove both tie rods and take get the idler arm free you can swing it out of the way. These can be a pain to break free once the castle nuts are off.

 

Thanks for the info! I will be working on these today. I already have the starter out, power steering is unbolted and pushed aside, and the AC is unbolted from the engine, but it looks like one blot will have to slide out once I can life the engine a bit (it wont slide all the way out due to the frame).

Any advice on getting the tranny separated from the engine once all the bolts are removed?

Thanks again in advance. The new engine arrives tomorrow, I hope to have the old one out and the new one in place by Saturday.

 

Once i knew i had everything unhooked (double check the fuel line) I just jacked it up a little, so that the engine mounts seperated from the frame and kinda wrestled with it til the transmission input came out of the flywheel. If this doesn't seem to be working you should get underneath and very carefully using a prybar you can figure out what is still hanging on. You might want to put a floor jack under your tranny and get a little better angle on it as you life the engine. that way to won't drop when they break free.

You're almost there!

Getting the new engine to line up and slide into place is going to be the fun part, you'll want a helper or two for that. Then the vacuum lines

 

Old thread I know but just felt like sharing my pain for a few of yall. Got the **** engine ready to come out and it just keeps hanging on.... I'm sure it will let loose soon but for now its kinda pissing me off. Now back at it.

 

Guess I just needed to complain about it to yall because it came on out 20 minutes later.

 

Hi guys. My son and I are removing a 3vze from a 92 as well. (threw a rod) anyways I've got another engine to put back in. Did you have to remove the bolts to the torque converter to get the motor out out does it just come out with it?

 

I just pulled a 3.4L a couple weeks ago. FSM said to pull the converter bolts which are a pain when you're by yourself. When I pulled the engine, the TC came on with it just kind of stuck to the flywheel until it was free and it fell down. Makes me think you wouldn't necessarily have to. Not sure but If I don't hear different, that's how I'll pull my next one.

 

Thanks. I appreciate the info. I'll just have to take it off once it's out and install it on the other before the install....or should I try and put it on the trans then try and put the bolts in once I get the engine in?

 

This may help: http://web.archive.org/web/201408160...39removala.pdf
I've never disconnected the transmission myself, but since the FSM advises checking the torque converter installation to the transmission before installation, that implies that to remove the engine you first disconnect the torque converter from the flywheel through the converter cover.

Let us know how YOU do it.

 

IIRC, the TC bolts to the flywheel, which bolts to the crank. The TC slides onto the input shaft of the tranny (and that shaft actually provides is the power source for the internal pump).
I have a printed FSM hidden somewhere, I can look later this pm if you're stuck and need it.

 

Thanks guys. If its not to cold tomorrow I may try and pull it. Ill let ya know how it goes. If its not to hard to get the TC bolts out then maybe I try and do that too and leave it on the tranny. It looks like the TC should be installed on the tranny prior to installing the engine to. Thanks for the link!

 

I pulled a 3.0 vze last week, TC intact.
The only way I saw of getting to the bolts to the TC/starter ring was thru the starter slot, didn't work for me. No trouble pulling, after, I took the TC off the starter ring, starter ring off and bolted to my engine stand.