[Che]

I'm going to pull the engine/gearbox from my Sierra hardtop today to install in the softtop.

Was easy on my soft top as it had no front clip to deal with, but the hardtop still has the front clip on - can I still pull the engine and gearbox out as one or will the grille panel be in my way?

[bob9909]

Dunno about pulling them out as one, but we pulled a 1L out of a tin top the other day, separated the gearbox from the engine and took it out first from below, then took the engine out by hand, there were three of us all leaning over the bonnet! leaning over and lifting doesn't work well for ones back! =P

[CairnsZook]

Yes, you can lift the engine and box out as one with front clip still on.
It's much easier with two people as you have to tilt and lift at the same time.
Make sure you drain the GB oil as it will end up on the floor.

These engine cranes are good, as they are on wheels.
You can lift - move forward - tilt - lift - move forward - etc...

[Che]

I should mention I have an engine crane handy and the old man to help - no hand lifting

[christover1]

Depends on your tools and space.

Engine and box out as one is possible..
If you have a good hoist,
and enough space for allowing box to drop down,
so it can be pulled straight up.

I don't have the room for that,
or a decent hoist,
so I always pulled box out separately

[Daves4wd]

Can be dine two people and a couple hours take the sump off and pick up and should be pretty easy also take off the gearstick and try to take the exhaust out and it'll make life real easy I did mine and left all of that stuff one but it was a block and sump made my life a pain the the ass

[Che]

CairnsZook, I hired a crane kinda like that, so here's to trying to get it out as one. If it's mission fail i'll just get out the angle grinder and cut off the grille panel

[CairnsZook]

You'll be right. Removing the radiator gives you more room too.
I used an old snatch strap wrapped around the engine and box to lift it. Try to pick a little forward of the centre of gravity to help the tilting as you lift.

Room under the car shouldn't be a problem, mine was very close to normal height. I did have to take one front wheel off to be able to manoeuvre the crane legs under the car.
I also shortened the distance between the head of the crane and engine as much as possible. My lifting height was restricted by a ceiling / kayaks etc...

[SierraDan]

It comes out as one easily!

[whincup]

definitely remove the radiator... but i've done it by myself, so it is possible with only one person, but its a pain in the ass...

[Jackson]

I don't know about other sierras but when I swapped motors in my 1ltr it was worth taking the front end off as it is only two body mounts, a couple next to the hinges and a few in the wheel arch. Heaps easier to remove and replace engine.

[shakes]

christover1 wrote:

Depends on your tools and space.

Engine and box out as one is possible..
If you have a good hoist,
and enough space for allowing box to drop down,
so it can be pulled straight up.

I don't have the room for that,
or a decent hoist,
so I always pulled box out separately

Leave the front wheels on the ground and jack the back of the car up often helps.

Trickiest bit is where you grab the motor from so it balances correctly on the hoist. By the time you get the balance right it's normally quicker to split them. Putting it back in I'd go one piece simply because I hate slotting gearboxs in while on the ground.

[SierraDan]

SierraDan wrote:

[masterA]

It can be a pain the the ass coz the sump might hit....much easier without the box

If you're going the the effort of taking the sump/pickup off might as well undo 5-6 bolts on the gearbox and take it out seperately

While the box is out....put some reduction gears into it hehehe

I usually put a small piece of wood (wedge it) under the gearbox and "stabilizer bar/crossmember" that sits under the gearbox so it sits there nicelly and doesn't move anywhere

With the radiator out the engine comes out in 2 minutes...quite easy...or give it a crack like SierraDan

[Che]

Fkn pain in the arse air conditioning made the radiator a cnut to remove... anyway ready to pull out once my dad gets back.

In the meantime... loving two camo zooks in the driveway

[Cozook]

Thats a Pakastani training camp!