Pulling engine w/ AWD Auto Tranny

[knochgoon24]

I'm just trying to get a good estimate on the time this job might take me.

I'm replacing the gaskets, painting the block, replacing the timing belt, and doing a bunch of other work. I planned on doing this next week before I head back up to school next Saturday, but I'm not sure if I'll have the time. Basically, I'm supposed to help build a garage next week, and could only work on my car during the evenings.

How difficult is it to pull an engine with an AWD auto tranny still attached? I still have a/c, power steering, cruise control, ABS... the whole works (every option offered ). I think I will have access to a engine hoist. If not, I have a 3 ton chain hoist and can rig something up.

What needs to come off and what can stay on the engine while I pull it out?

Also, what is the deal with the A/C? Will I have to disconnect stuff that will require me to recharge the system afterwards?

I'm guessing that I'll need new power steering fluid too if that has to be disconnected.

If someone could give me the basic run down of what needs done to pull it, that would be great, because the 2 people who I'd have help me have only worked on "classics". What's under my hood looks like a horribly complicated mess to them.

If time won't permit, the only things getting installed next week are a FMIC and a downpipe (old one won't pass inspection). The rest would have to wait for Thanksgiving break.

 

[ryanx99GS]

All the pulleys need to come off, altenator off. Radiator out. Power steering you can leave in, just disconnect the hose. I just unbolted the AC compressor and let it dangle in the engine bay. Driveshaft and transfer case taken off along with the axle shafts. That's how I did it. It could take as long as half the day, depends on how dedicated you are too it. Keep a close watch on the ac lines because you have to tilt it to get it out. Heres a couple pics on what I left on.

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[mesarius]

First off you will have to take the car to a shop to have the ac system legally and safely discharged because you will be disconnecting the lines.

When I pulled the engine and transmission out of my AWD talon a couple months back I first drained every fluid, disconnected all of the wiring, vacuum lines, front CV shafts, and removed the intake hoses and radiator completely. leaving the prop shaft connected because I didn't want to crawl under the car any more than I had to since the car died on the spot and there were fluids everywhere. Once everything was disconnected I unbolted the sub-frame and front motor mount, connected the engine hoist, removed the other three motor mounts and dropped the engine and transmission straight to the ground, pulled out the prop shaft, rotated the engine assembly 45 degrees clockwise so the pulleys were facing towards the driver's side headlamp, then pulled it out at an angle so the pulleys come out first and the transmission last.

Not including the time I had spent disconnecting the hoses, wiring, and draining the fluids since I did that on a separate day it took me about an hour and a half to pull the rad, drop the sub-frame and pull the engine. Including the rest of the stuff you have to do before hand it'll take a good half day to pull the whole assembly.

 

[knochgoon24]

Mesarius, so you did end up pulling it out the top? Just wondering since you already had it on the ground.

 

[mesarius]

Yeah, I pulled it out from the top since I only had a floor jack and jack stands so I couldn't get the car up high enough to pull the engine out from underneath. I dropped it to the ground so I could rotate the engine and transmission for the proper clearance with the transfer case and to get the whole assembly at a steeper angle when I was pulling it out. If you take the pulleys off like ryanx did then you might not have to drop the engine to the ground first since the whole reason I did it that way was because the crank pulley would get hung up on the side of the engine bay if I tried pulling it out without rotating, and with the sub-frame out I would have more room to maneuver the new engine back into place.

 

[knochgoon24]

Ok. It seems like I might get my friend and tackle this sometime next week. Thanks for the help guys. I think I'll try to leave the A/C connected like ryanx99GS, but zip tie it somewhere for support afterwards. Not too fond of just leaving it hang like that.

I'll have 2 jacks, 2 jack stands, a 3 ton chain hoist, and possibly a engine hoist available to help get this in and out.

Wow I have a lot to do next week...

 

[Boost Freak 3]

Im in the middle of it right now and its not easy. Its def tough your first time and will take longer.