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My Junkyard Engine/Transmission Removal Process


wstefan20
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Well, I've had several people ask me about this, so I figured I'd finally spill the beans and hopefully this will help someone out.

 

First off, I'm sure I'll miss things on the first post so I'll be updating as I go. Also, if you have any modifications or suggestions, please comment and I'll be happy to add/modify things!

 

As far as pictures, I'll be going to the junkyard in a few weeks to pull and engine so I'll take detailed pictures then.

 

All in all, I've pulled several engines in about than 30 minutes using this method. Before I start though, I unfortunately have to preface that I am in no way responsible for you hurting yourself, others, property, or your firstborn child as most of this method is extremely risky if you don't know what you're doing or don't keep your wits (and fingers) about you. 

 

See below this list if you just need the transmission

 

RED is for those wanting to pull the transmission too

 

1. Go to the next door car trunk and grab the spare tire cover (or two) and lay them under the car you want to rip the heart out of

2. Get under there and use that 10mm ratchet to remove the transmission inspection plate cover

3. Use a screw driver to "pry" the flywheel and turn the flex plate until you see the first torque converter bolt, from there repeat until you remove all three (think it's 15mm)

4. Right by the cover, use a pick to remove the transmission cooler line clips and simply pull them to remove the lines (careful they will drip)

5. use a long extension and 13mm on an impact (recommended but not required) on the passenger side to remove the two bolts holding the bracket to the differential housing cover.

6. easiest way to do this is to climb on top of the engine and use a deep 13mm socket to remove the two remaining bolts to the bracket attaching the engine to the transmission. You won't be able to see them, but you should be able to feel them. Some people prefer doing this through the wheel well, but there's so much in the way, I find it easier to reach from above.

7. While you're up there, remove the upper radiator hose (or if you don't care or are in a hurry like me, just cut it)

8. Remove or cut the lower radiator hose

9. Remove or cut the fuel lines

10. Remove the coolant overflow bottle (on later models where it's by the belt)

11. Cut or remove the drive belt (15mm counterclockwise on tensioner if you care)

12. You can ignore this step and just cut these lines when you pull the engine, but I usually do it this way: using a thin wall deep socket 13mm remove both power steering pump bolts at 12 and 6 o'clock and either pull it up and strap it to the side out of the way, or my favorite, just cut the lines.

13. Remove the 15mm bolts from the upper engine mounts and remove the dog bones. 

14. If you care about the wire harness, spend the next few minutes unplugging the maf, tps, map, iat, fuel injectors, egr, etc. sensors to remove the wire harness, or as I usually do, Just cut the big bundle of wires coming from the middle of the fans to the engine, and the rear going down to the bank 2 o2 sensor, (for transmission folks, cut the bundle going the transmission stuff too).

15. This is a tricky step, use the longest extension you can imagine with double swivels on each end with a 18mm socket and carefully thread it from the passenger wheel well to the bellhousing bolt right where the power steering pump was under the exhaust manifold between the engine and transmission (a very bright head-light really helps here) and using a very long breaker bar or if your impact is strong enough, remove this bolt (I usually start it with a breaker and remove quickly with the impact)

16. Remove the Air box assembly (if you need help with this, stop reading and find something else to do....)

17. Optional, but it's usually so quick I do it anyhow: Using an extension remove the exhaust crossover pipe using a 13mm deep socket (rear has a cover then the bolts). You can remove the throttle body if you wish, but you really don't have to.

18. Loosen but don't remove the bell-housing bolts

19. under the car, using a wrench and ratchet, remove the ground bolt connected from the bellhousing to the starter wire

20. Remove the two bolts securing the starter to the engine 15mm? and either cut or remove the remaining wires going to it and remove.

21. remove the upper engine (/transmission mount bolts if you're removing the transmission)

22. Go to any car and pull the seat belt out as far as it'll go and cut it closest to where it comes out and cut the far end and remove the clip (you'll use these to lift the engine

23. Tie these around both lift loops in front and rear of engine together in the center for clipping to the lift. 

24. Remove the throttle body cables if the throttle body is still on

25. If you haven't already, disconnect or cut the evap line

26. Place the engine lift in place and hook up and put tension on the straps

27. Oh, if you care about the axles, remove them. I'm not detailing it here because I don't care about them...

28. Remove the bellhousing bolts we loosened earlier

29. Using a long breaker bar 18mm loosen the four subframe bolts (on 04+ you have some "extra" brackets on the front)

30. I cannot stress safety on this step enough!!!! I prefer using an impact with a swivel so I can keep everything out of the way, but remove the rear subframe bolts and then the front. That last one might drop the subframe a foot or so so be careful!

31. As you've noticed, the subframe is still attached because of the struts. Now CAREFULLY remove the six strut tower bolts and the subframe will drop to the ground, hopefully breaking the cv joint with it.

32. If you don't care about the transmission, Carefully use something long to "kick" the transmission off the engine. 

33. Gently lower the engine/transmission near the ground and use a pry bar to pry the transmission off the engine (we'll come back for it)

34. Pull the engine up and out! Sweet success!

35. wrap another set of "straps" around the transmission and just lift out.

 

For those just wanting to pull the transmission, perform steps 1-6, 10-12, last part of 14, 15-21, 22-23 and 26 isn't expressly required, but I recommend it for safety, 27-32 and just drag it out like a greased pig!

 

As a note, there is another method that I've used on occasion when I really don't care about any of the accessories, is to essentially do 1-4, 13, 16-21, 29-31, to drop the transmission and engine to the ground, then separate the transmission from the engine on the ground and remove. This method is EXTREMELY dangerous, and I only use it if I can't get access to a lift and need the transmission (engine is too heavy to "slide out" without a LOT of help), but it works so I'm mentioning it!

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You're a barbarian. Deliberately damaging components to remove the engine? Stealing parts from other cars?

 

Ideally, this entire thread will be deleted.

Haha this made my day! I'd love to think I'm a junkyard Conan! XD

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I see both sides of it. At one time I was much like Schurkey, unbolting and unplugging everything. Then the self serve yards came and the reality it the cars only get 90 days. If I have to break a few things to save as many parts as I can then so be it. (For the record I always apologize to the car)

I do a road trip to go to those places so it's fast-fast-fast first.

 

Engines here on our forum it's a good idea to not cut the harness to the engine management. A lot of us are converting a first gen so the extra 10 minutes to unplug it at the firewall and tranny makes it easier on us.

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Yup. That's why I always notate optional steps to save parts! Using the first method with all optional steps won't damage other components. You've got to keep in mind that here in Missouri, there's over 70 grand prix's in just three local junkyards within 20 miles of me. That's not including the hundreds of other w-bodies. There's really no reason to be careful. Again, this is why the title is MY removal process. You do what you want and what makes sense. What I want people to see is that there are other ways out there and you can be creative. I remember it took me two cold winter days to remove my first engine the "haynes way", and it's 2 degrees outside now! I want people to know there's other methods that work and there's lots of steps you can skip to save on time. I wish someone had showed me this when I started and saved me a lot of wasted time and energy.

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Not any worse than the way the wrecking yard guys do it.

Hehe actually the guys here just use a saws-all to cut the entire front off the car, tie a strap to a fork lift, unbolt the mounts and just cut all the lines until it comes out like ripping a heart out of a dying animal! So yeah. I think my method is a bit more humane....

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Oh, tulips too, if you are after a tranny it only takes a minute to use a chisel or drift pin to knock the cv boot off. If you snap a rubber glove over the tulip the tulip plugs the output shaft holes and the rubber gloves keeps the cv grease from making a mess in the truck. More importantly we need the tulips with the correct spline for a swap.

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Nothing in here is really different then any high turnover pull a part yard I've ever been to...

Yup! But that's the point. What a lot of us more "seasoned" members don't realize is while this may be "common knowledge" to us, there's a lot of us out here just getting into things and only have the Haynes manual as reference. I was one of them not long ago. This guide is intended to help those who haven't pulled an engine like this before so they don't end up like I did in 2 degree weather for two days trying to pull an engine the "haynes way" watching all the regulars laugh at me (trust me, not fun). So if there's nothing new here for you, good job, but for every one person who knows this method, there's a dozen (at least) who don't and who this should help. I think as a community, we forget about being a "noob" and to help those who are. That's why I write how-to's. :)

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