Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications General Mods Pulling motor.....how hard is it really?

Well, i did quite a bit of searching and just couldn't come up with what i was looking for. I'm planning to pull the motor on my project SVT here withing the next couple weeks and i'm wondering if i'm ready for what i'm getting into.

I've removed/reinstalled damn near every part on a tour with the exception if the enigne\trans and i'm mechanically inclined, I also have a frod service cd. So is this something that is causing me undo worry?

For those of you that have done it, how hard was it the first time?

Thanks in advance, tips are welcome.

Josh

You'll probably be ok, it helps to have a buddy or two around. Some say you dont have to, but just pull the rad and be safe because it would suck major ass if you are unlucky enough to puncture it when you're pulling the engine.

Probably have to unbolt and remove your hood too, and obviously all hoses and wires. IIRC we just disconnected the main wiring harness at the ECU by the firewall, and it stayed on the engine as it came out.

One person can do it in about 6 hours going slow and checking every thing. Drop an hour or so if you have a buddy helping you.
That's a good estimate for a first timer.

Difficulty is maybe medium. It's a straight forward pull really.

is it better to pull it out the top,
or if you have a lift drop it and the subframe out the bottom?

Definitely out the top. No need to mess with realigning the subframe that way.

Thanks guys...keep it coming.

I'm definitly taking it out the top, hood, bumper and lights are already off the car.

Are there a lot of specialty tools needed for things like pulling axles?

Well Josh, you're going to want an air hammer for pushing the axles out of the hubs. You're also going to need a slide hammer for popping the axles out of the tranny.

i went a different route,i went out the bottom,you cant really mess up the alignment of the subframe, theres really not enough play in the subframe bolts to put it on crooked,i was kinda forced too,i couldnt get the shift rods to come off of the tranny ...i did the whole job by myself,it took me about 4.5 hours to get it out of the bottom. i found dropping the subframe to be the easiest,esp if you want to change the lca's,dont have to worry about the engine catching on anything or puncturing the rad if you dont pull it...of course i'm the minority on this one

If you don't have one already, you need the tool for disconnecting the fuel lines.