I currently have a 95 3100 Monte with a bad transmission that needs to be replaced. I would prefer to do some engine work at the time as well so I'd like to pull the engine and tranny as a whole, along with the cradle, and I'm guessing the front suspension. According to the Haynes manual they recommend engine removal thru the top, and trans replacement by supporting the engine and removing the cradle and trans from below. Seems logical the best way to go about it is going to be supporting the cradle with a dolly and lifting the front of the car high enough to roll the entire cradle assebly out the side. Is there any better ways of doing this, or a write up that has already been done outlineing pulling the engine and trans?

 

If you have one of those 2 post lifts that picks the car up under the rocker panels- then you could drop the cradle. If you're just using a cherry picker- IMO its easier to come out the top.

Is there any real reason you want to remove the cradle too? When I did my swap, I did it all out the top- and its really not bad at all.

 

No reason at all I want to have to remove the cradle, if it can be done out the top I would rather do it that way. I'm just normally used to having to drop it all out the bottom on other cars I own so I assumed it would be the quickest way on this car as well. Do you pull the engine first and then the transmission out the top? How difficult is disconnecting the engine and trans while still in the car, it looks pretty tight in there?

 

No- you can pull them together. It is possible to separate them, but theres no real need.

Only advice I have is the make sure when you go to put it back in that the powertrain is cocked (passenger side up, drivers side down, maybe 20-30*). If you hook your chains to the engine only, it will naturally do it b/c of the extra tranny weight all on one side.

The reason I suggest it is because that way you can tuck the trans under the master cylinder and abs first, then slide it over where it should be and lower the rest down.

 

Wow judging by the looks in there I never imagined that would be possible to pull them both together like that. As long as it can be maneuvered out of the way of the master cylinder and ABS crap I suppose it should work just fine. Would one of those load balancers for the engine hoist be what you need to get the engine at the correct angles for removal? Where did you connect your chains to the engine exactly to obtain the angles you needed to clear the engine compartment?

Also have one more noobish question on this. Since I haven't actually started tearing into the car yet (weather permitting), how is the best way to deal with the wireing harness upon removing the engine? I see a large bulk of wires going into the firewall on the passenger side up near the top, is this the only location where the harness passes thru the firewall? It is covered with a black rubber boot, behind this boot is there a simple connecter and bolt to remove to disconnect the harness from the car, or is it more complicated then that? Everything else seems to be pretty straight forward, just hoping there is enough room to remove the AC compresser from the engine but leave it connected to its hoses.

 

When I pulled my engine/trans, we removed the master cylinder and abs controller. Only took about an extra ten minutes and that way I wasn't worried about dropping the engine/trans on it during reinstall. Also gave us a bit more room to manuever everything going in and coming out.

-Riggs.

 

Its been awhile- I couldn't hook mine like normal, because I did not have the factory engine lift brackets- but I do remember I hooked it onto bolts going into the head. Even if you lift it by the normal 3800 brackets, it should give you the angle you need because the of the trans weight all being on one side.

my car is a 96, so it may be different for you- but on mine, that was the only wire set going into the passenger compartment. There was one ~10mm bolt in the back of that harness once you pulled the rubber back, and it just came right out.

 

Well all has gone well except for removing the lines from the master cylinder, mine are pretty rusted in there and even the proper size flare nut wrench rounded 3 of the 4 brake line nuts. Looking at the engine bay however, it looks entirely possible to clear the master cylinder when removing the engine and trans, so hopefully this won't be too much of a set back. Axles, ac compressor, and exhaust are coming off tonight and then should be ready to pull it out.

 

It will clear- thats what I said above. I left my master cylinder and abs in, and got the complete 3100/4t60 out and the 3800SC/4t65HD back in with no problems.

Sure its something else to work around- but if those lines are rusted, and you're starting to strip them- don't even bother.