Engine Removal Problem

[BigBird]

This is on my '82 SX/4 with the 258 I6 and the T-4 Manual trans.

I'm having some problems getting the engine to separate from my trans. Bell housing bolts have all been removed, Clutch slave is removed, Starter is removed, Bracket to front diff is removed, Engine mounts are loose, The  engine still will not come loose from the trans. This is the first time I have pulled an engine from a manual tranny. Am I missing something? Feel free to state the obvious.

[mudkicker715]

Engine mounts are loose? So still on?

[eaglefreek]

The few times I've tried to remove an engine and leave the transmission in place, it was a struggle. It's even worse when you try to line them back up when reinstalling the engine. If I ever have to remove an engine, the transmission either comes out with the engine or removed first before removing the engine.

[BigBird]

Engine mounts are loose? So still on?

I left the driver side mount attached to the frame so it is holding up the front diff. The bracket from the engine to the diff is removed. The passenger side mount is disconnected completely. I can lift the engine up and down just fine but I cannot get it to sepperate from the trans.

[mudkicker715]

I support the diff with a strap  on both sides to shock mounts. Or i just pull the diff. Seeing as you got one motor mount in place, well that might be your problem. As said though i always pull  the motor with the tranny.. its possible with a tilt thing on the lift. The harmonick balancer needs to come off however imo. You need that extra wiggle room.

[AMC of Houston]

There have been many times over the decades that I have had to beat a sharpened big screwdriver between the engine and bell housing to get the alignment dowels unstuck.  They are a tight fit for a reason!

[mudkicker715]

Wow i never would have thought that especially with are warping plastic vave cover. Deffinetly a thing as i have seen corrosion salts on the dowels before. Btw lube and clean those up before reentry. A round wire brush works good. It makes assembly happier.

[BigBird]

Ok just came in from the garage. Turns out me and my buddy missed 2 bolts burried in grime. Got those out and used the hammer and screw driver trick to get it to come loose. However, it still won’t  completely come away from the transmission. They are moving seperately now so I know it has to be inside. I’m stumped and going to bed. 

[AMC of Houston]

Progress!  Can't think of anything else obvious; except I have seen the trans input shaft splines get kinda stuck in the clutch disk on occasion.   More brute force may do it.

[eaglefreek]

Maybe try loosening the transmission mount nuts but leave them barely on. Maybe the input shaft is in a bind and not allowing it to come out.

[BigBird]

Well it’s out. It wasn’t seized on the input shaft. I went underneath and took off the bolts on the flywheel and it still didn’t come out. Turns out that I missed the bolt on the drivers side engine mount to the front diff. 

[vangremlin]

Doh!  At least its out now, and if you ever have to do it again you could get it out in no time.

Don't know how many times I've done stuff like that myself, thinking there has to be something really odd wrong, and then turns out to be a case of "mechanic error" and it was something simple all along. 

[eaglefreek]

Well it’s out. It wasn’t seized on the input shaft. I went underneath and took off the bolts on the flywheel and it still didn’t come out. Turns out that I missed the bolt on the drivers side engine mount to the front diff. 

Don't feel bad. Years ago, I put a new engine in a Mustang SVO I used to own and decided to put a different camshaft in it after installing the engine. The cam shaft retainer is on the back of the head and tough to get to when installed in the car. Well, I dropped one of the retainer's screws right down an oil galley. I had to pull the engine back out to drop the pan to get the screw out. 

[AMC of Houston]

Yup; we've all made lots of bonehead moves over the years.   I'd give y'all some of my examples, but I'd be typing for days.............but every goof makes you a better mechanic going forward!

[Billman]

^^^what he said^^^