# engine and trans removal



## dmassetti (Nov 3, 2011)

I have a '68 GTO with 400 ci engine. I have "0" compression in #7 cylinder and need to remove the engine. My question is, can I take out the engine and transmission all together? Or do I have to remove the engine by itself?

Thanks...Dave


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

You'll get differing opinions, but mine is that it's "not" possible (or at least hard enough that I couldn't do it). You might be able to do it if you "get lucky", but honestly the process is much easier if you separate them. Remember to support both the front of the trans and the rear of the engine before separating them.

I tried to re-install the engine and trans as a unit in my '69 and wasn't able to do it --- and that was with all of the front-end sheet metal completely removed - fenders and all. The problem was that I couldn't get the motor high enough/tilted enough so that the motor mounts would slide down over the frame brackets without the heads and/or the transmission hitting the firewall.

Bear


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## mrvandermey (Jun 15, 2011)

Bear....very interesting. Although I am not a mechanic and have not removed or installed an engine into a GTO, I would have thought it not only possible but actually to be the best way to go by installing/removing engine and tranny as a single unit. I am pretty sure the guy who sold me the engine I have pulled the engine and tranny out together, but since I was not there to actually see it, I can not completely verify that.


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## Matthew (Feb 11, 2011)

Dave, I know your question is about pulling the engine and transmission, but do you have another reason besides fixing number 7? Rear main leak? If you are just wanting to get compression back in number 7, you are taking the tough road. Just my two cents. Matt


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

i'm with Bear...much easier just pulling the block IMO. At the very least you will need to jack it up off the mounts to get the oil pan off to get to the #7 rod cap. Whats the compression on the other pistons?


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## 66goatframeoff (Nov 8, 2011)

It can be done but little awkward on the ground the angle coming out has to be steep.Not bad if you have a lift and an overhead crane.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

mrvandermey said:


> Bear....very interesting. Although I am not a mechanic and have not removed or installed an engine into a GTO, I would have thought it not only possible but actually to be the best way to go by installing/removing engine and tranny as a single unit. I am pretty sure the guy who sold me the engine I have pulled the engine and tranny out together, but since I was not there to actually see it, I can not completely verify that.


Well, I WAS there and I DID do it myself... or rather tried to... unsuccessfully. But then, what do I know? 

BEar


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## rvp986 (Sep 19, 2012)

Been there a couple times. Yes, you can remove the engine with the transmission, but you'll find the job much easier if you remove the front end (bumper, radiator, radiator housing, etc.) Is all that worth it? Your choice. Even so, you will catch the torque converter housing on the bottom of the firewall during removal (automatic trans.) Can be tougher than one thinks. If so, and you're removing said transmission, be prepared to loose the greater majority of the tranny oil on the shop floor, unless you plug the end of the tail shaft after you remove the drive shaft, of coarse. 

Bear is right. It's better accomplished in two separate maneuvers. He's also correct when you try to reinstall both. The only way I know, when it comes to re-installation, is to drop the motor and the transmission, (together), on the frame before the body is dropped down and attached, but that's most likely in a frame-off restoration and that's the easy way. Again, if your talking an automatic, they do make plugs to plug the tail shaft to prevent loss of oil. 

Now, for my question. I'm with the other guys on this one. Why do you want to remove the transmission? 4-speed or automatic? As one often says..."Why fix it if it's not broken". One would think you can accomplish your task on #7 without removing the tranny.

Just my thoughts...


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## mrvandermey (Jun 15, 2011)

BearGFR said:


> Well, I WAS there and I DID do it myself... or rather tried to... unsuccessfully. But then, what do I know?
> 
> BEar


I do not doubt you at all, in fact, I down right respect your opinion and experience. I am just saying logically speaking, I would have thought it would be easier to install/remove in one piece, especially with the front clip off. It is indeed good to know otherwise.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

mrvandermey said:


> I do not doubt you at all, in fact, I down right respect your opinion and experience. I am just saying logically speaking, I would have thought it would be easier to install/remove in one piece, especially with the front clip off. It is indeed good to know otherwise.


That's what I thought too, until my son and I fought with it for 2-3 hours trying to do it. They make it look so easy on TV 

What we ran into was, with the engine "high" enough so that the ears on the motor mounts could slide over the top of the frame brackets, we couldn't get the engine back far enough for them to drop down over them because the transmission hit the tunnel and couldn't go any farther back. When we tried tilting the engine to "lower" the trans, then the problem was the heads hit the firewall and we still couldn't get it back far enough. I can see that it might be possible IF you removed both motor mounts, suspended the engine in position using the hoist, then re-installed the motor mounts "in place".

That's almost as much work as just separating the motor from the tranny though. 

Bear


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

If your angry enough at yourself for installing the flexplate backwards one person can remove the cross member, lower the trans, remove and remount the flexplate and re-install in an afternoon...:shutme


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## dmassetti (Nov 3, 2011)

Thanks guys for all the input. I am removing the engine because of the comp. on #7 and the rear main and oil pan are leaking pretty bad. Thanks again for your help.

Dave


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## JVM225 (Jun 18, 2007)

Much easier to pull them out separately. My 68 has factory AC (which slowed me down a bit), and I just took the motor out last month for a few days to change the exhaust manifolds. Didn't want to take the chance of breaking the bolts holding the old ones in with the motor in the car.
Drove the car in to a friends shop at 9:00 AM, and had it all the way out by about 1:00 PM. 
Having the use of the lift made things go a lot faster and easier, but trying to pull it out with the trans would have been a lot harder even with the lift.


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