How to properly remove and install fourth generation F-body engines from the bottom
For as many years as I have been interested in fourth generation Camaro's and Firebird's, people have argued over which is the easiest way to remove an engine from one of them. I personally find that the removal of the engine from the bottom of the car is the easiest, fastest, and least likely to draw blood. Below you will find photos of the removal of the LT1 from my 1994 Camaro Z/28 convertible. My brother and I have done this a total of four times now. I will do all I can in this article to show the proper way to do things to make them as easy and simple as possible. Any fool can do this with a little time, some basic hand tools, and a few special tools that I will show you later. There is even a tool you get to make for yourself. This is simple, and I am going to prove it. Please be aware that all the links to photos on this page are to full size photos. Dial up users beware.
The Patient, my 1994 Camaro Z/28
First lets go over the required tools. I don't recommend attempting this project unless you have ALL of these tools. Full set of deep well and shallow well metric sockets from 8mm thru 22mm. Full set of drop wrenches from 8mm thru 22mm. 4 jack stands, a full size cherry picker/engine hoist that you trust holding your car up. You will also need a special set of jack stands which I will show you how to make later. One section of chain at least 12 foot long with hooks on both ends, or a full size strap and a U-bolt to attach it to the hoist with. You will also need a fuel line tool to remove the fuel lines from the intake. Find a good strong steel cart for rolling the motor as well. The last special thing you will need are two steel wheels that you don't care about. I prefer to use them with tires. There are other tools you will need along the way, but those are the major ones. Of course if you have access to impact guns and a air compressor things will move faster, but you don't HAVE to have them to make this project work.
To start the actual removal you will need to jack the car up. I always start at the rear and jack the rear end up, until I am able to slide the steel wheels I told you to get above, under the back tires. The tires should fit nicely into the center of the steel wheels. This gets the rear of the car far enough off the ground to pivot when you start to pick up the front of the car without ripping the rear bumper off. Plus they are VERY stable.
Next jack up the front end and set it on a set of jack stands just behind the front of the door and at the front of the uni structure. Now its time to start pulling the stuff off. You need to remove everything that connects the motor and transmission to the car. You could of course leave the transmission in the car, but I find it easier to pull the motor and the trans at the same time and split them outside the car. So remove the driveshaft, torque arm if you still have a factory one mounted to the trans, unhook all the coolant lines at the motor, unplug all the wiring up top, as well as the brake lines that attached to the front cradle, and the starter. Pull the alternator to get to some of the AC compressor wiring. Take the tires off, trans cooler lines from the radiator, and whatever else is attaching the driveline to the car. Be sure and drain the oil, antifreeze, and tranny as best you can to minimize mess on the garage floor. The only things not to remove at this point is the bolts on the strut towers, the trans cross member bolts and the 6 cradle bolts. After making sure that all the lines, wires, hoses, or anything else that holds the driveline is disconnected, you are ready to move to the next step.
Now its time to use that steel cart I spoke of earlier. This is a picture of the one I use. Very simple, and very useful. Position it under the center of the cradle, and in between the legs of the engine hoist. This is how you are going to get the engine out from under the car without blowing out your back. I don't recommend you even try this project without a cart like this. Trust me.
Now its time to hook up the chain you have. I have done this two ways. I have hooked a strap to the strut tower brace, (if you have one), and I have used a chain. Both work well, but the chain carries an advantage. It allows you to pull the cradle without throwing off the alignment. This will save you about 50 bucks when it is all back together. So remove the battery tray/overflow jug, and the air box if you still have the factory one in place. Then wrap the chain around the front frame horns of the car like shown in the picture above and below.
If you did it correctly your chain will be all set and sitting on your intake like the picture above. Time to get the engine hoist under the car, and get the cart situated. Now is the time to pull the four bolts out of the trans cross member. Now for the fun part.
Get the chain hooked up to the hoist and start to pick up the car. Take your time and make sure that you don't have anything pinched between the chain and the car. Once the car is off the jack stands, pull them out of the way of the car and move to the next step.
Now lower the car down onto the cart until you show slack in the chain. You can now unbolt the four bolts on each side of the car holding the struts to the strut towers. Now is also the time to remove the 6 bolts that hold the cradle to the car. Give the car a once over one more time to make sure you have all the things disconnected that need to be, BEFORE you pull the bolts out of the struts and cradle.
Ok, now its time to construct the special stands I spoke about before. They are really simple and yes the look very red neck, but they work, and they work well. They are very stable and they give you the clearance you are going to need to roll the motor out from under the car. Go and buy a few 2x4 studs and cut them into 16 inch sections and start to nail them together in a Lincoln log stack. Mine are 11 layers tall. These are great for this project and I have found them to be useful in other projects because of their stability. Make sure that your jack stands will sit on them. You may have to make them smaller or larger, but they will do the same thing. Biggest thing is to make sure your jack stands can sit on them solidly.
Now the fun part, start to jack the car up by the chain with the engine hoist. I recommend having a few friends around to keep a eye on things up and down as you pick up the body. Just to make sure nothing is getting pulled or stretched. Continue to pick the car up, and yes it will get very high, until you could roll the motor out from under it. Once you reach a height that will work, stop and get your wooden jack stands.
Put the wooden stands under the car and place your metal stands on top of them. Set them for the height of the car and make sure the are solid and sturdy. Now is not the time to do things half assed. This has to be solid. Once the stands are set, let the car down onto them until you have slack in the chain. Disconnect the hoist and move it out of the way. You can now roll you engine out from under the car. Once it is out of the way, hook the hoist back up and lower the car down onto the wooden stands only. The car should be real close to level and easy to work on and under.
If done properly and you have power tools there is no reason that this will take more then 4 hours and it saves alot of bloody knuckles. Also makes detailing the underside of the car a breeze and cleaning a engine well is easy when you can sit inside of it.
I have pulled many motors and I cant find a easier way to do it then this. Just take your time, think, and don't cut corners. This is very simple and can actually be alot of fun. Good luck, and fast times.
Special thanks to: My brother Dan, and my head tool bitch Chris.