Leave tranny in car swapping engines?

[jimtash]

I want to float this idea by some of you just to get your opinion. I'm thinking of stripping the engine down to the basic shortblock minus accessories, belts, timing cover everything and pulling it out while leaving the tranny in the car. The heads will be swapped anyway and I've removed and installed them while the motor was in the car so that's no issue. What worries me though is the tranny lining back up with it during the install and of course it will be just the basic shortblock going back in. Thinking of loosening its mount while using a jack to tilt it up a little before mating the two pieces. I also have a load leveler for the engine to tilt it in the direction it needs to go.

I've pulled an engine out of this car before so I know what's involved and believe me when I say being able to leave the axles in the car while doing the swap would be cherry.

What do you all think? Or has anyone ever attempted this? All the extra pieces such as the radiator, power steering pump, alternator, everything should be gone or out of the way so this might actually be feasible.

 

[91PDXmocha]

Unless you have done it before on a SHO and know all the tricks , id honestly just pull the motor and trans together . Replace everything you want nice and easy out of the car . Then drop them both back in . I think it will take you twice as long to do it leaving things attached and fighting everything to line back up . Just my 2 cents .

 

[lowc]

id pull them out as a pair also and do the motor work on a stand

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Definitely pull them and put them back in together.

 

[Cujo627]

I'm gonna pretty much repeat everything else everyone else said. Save yourself some headache, pull the pair together. As far as leaving the axles in the car thats not gonna happen with the intermediate shaft. The driver side you could just pop the cv and lower ball joint out.

Only other better way to do it is pull the harness off the firewall and the subframe/shock tower bolts. Set the assembly on the ground. Then lift the body off the entire assembly.

 

[Bob Gervais]

Side note. If there's a tranny in your car, Liberty's probably going to be paying you a visit or three.

 

[ShadetreeSHOguy]

Mmmmm trannies :swing:



To the OP, doing the 3.2 swap, and other stuff. Leave the motor and trans attached. Much easier.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Side note. If there's a tranny in your car, Liberty's probably going to be paying you a visit or three.

James Huber likes this.

 

[Bob Gervais]

James Huber likes this.

Oh, hai!:swing:

 

[jimtash]

You guys are nuts!

Don't know if I should send out thanks for the replies or links to other sites.

 

[93rev2sev]

Leave the tranny's alone. They're car parts, too!

Pull the trans with the engine. Your thought about leaving the axles attached presents other challenges. You would need to move the transmission about 4" in order to get it clear of the flywheel and clutch cover and that's harder to do with the axles in the way.

 

[rubydist]

if you strip it down to just the block, you will have no problem pulling just the engine and leaving the trans in place.

the challenge is when putting it back in, you need to leave the front accessories (including crank pulley) off so you can get the engine far enough to the right to get the pressure plate past the bellhousing to get it in.

I've done it both ways, and I prefer just the engine.

 

[220ksho]

I left the tranny in and pulled mine with almost everthing still on the engine. It would have been a lot easier to remove the accessory pulleys, but it came out.

see pics....

https://www.msu.edu/user/grondin1/html/engine.html

 

[jimtash]

I left the tranny in and pulled mine with almost everthing still on the engine. It would have been a lot easier to remove the accessory pulleys, but it came out.

see pics....

https://www.msu.edu/user/grondin1/html/engine.html

 

[WorldTravler]

Swapping 95 MTX to 91 +

Idea: I want to revive my old College (body totaled) 95 MTX by fixing a 91 + that I saved from the scrap yard!
1st SHO project similar questions & more.
Plan: Swapping motors from the wrecked 95 MTX to the 91 MTX +

Car Status:
95 motor has 125K, new clutch assembly at 85K
91 + motor sounds like pistons are knockin

What would be smartest and hopefully easiest way to get my + on the road!?
1st) to take off all the accessories, leave the wiring harness on the 91 motor and remove it mated to the tranny
Is it possible to take it out the top?

2nd) leave as many accessories as possible (& still good) on the 95 motor w/ tranny mated and take it out the top also?

The mechanic who I'm looking to work with says he'll take both of them out of the top. Anybody near SC interested??

Thanks in advance!
WorldTravler

 

[lowc]

first you need to find out if the subframes are the same (i think they are but never asked)
if they are I would just drop the whole thing with the susp. still on and just roll it to the new body. and yes you can pull it out the top

 

[220ksho]

If the 95 was totalled, I'm assuming the subframe is suspect. Therefore, would use the existing subframe in the 91.

 

[operdot]

The mtx subframes are the same between 89 and 95. There are two types of subframes from GenI and GenII SHOs, an mtx and an atx.

I would pull both of the subframes out and isnspect for rust around the corner mounts, since these frames are stamped out of 1/8" steel (unpainted from the factory) they tend to rust away quickly

Rust free mtx subframes unobtanimizing quickly.

 

[WorldTravler]

Thanks guys,

I plan on using the 91 + subframe - Atlanta, GA born and raised - the body is clean! That's a big reason why I bought it - the 95 was a FL car and then up in WI rest of its life and sat a few winters there
Plus the 91+ has blue Tokicos front and back!! Man those things ride low like .5" clearance from the tires. It only had 115K on the body so those still seemed good. Did those come stock?

What main components will I need from each car? More specifically what compatibility issues will I have between the 1st and 2nd Gen? Do I use the 91 motor harnesses, but keep the 95 AC, compressor, belts, 95 starter, 95 alternator, etc? I'm keeping the '95 universal spindles - future upgrade

I apologize for soo many questions in only a few posts... lots on my mind...

 

[Cujo627]

Thanks guys,

I plan on using the 91 + subframe - Atlanta, GA born and raised - the body is clean! That's a big reason why I bought it - the 95 was a FL car and then up in WI rest of its life and sat a few winters there
Plus the 91+ has blue Tokicos front and back!! Man those things ride low like .5" clearance from the tires. It only had 115K on the body so those still seemed good. Did those come stock?

What main components will I need from each car? More specifically what compatibility issues will I have between the 1st and 2nd Gen? Do I use the 91 motor harnesses, but keep the 95 AC, compressor, belts, 95 starter, 95 alternator, etc? I'm keeping the '95 universal spindles - future upgrade

I apologize for soo many questions in only a few posts... lots on my mind...

PM'd.