Tips on pulling engine? Turbo Upgrades?

SchnellGhostTy

New member
Ok, so im new to the typhoon scene and am off to a great start! Coming from the euro tuning scene i'd say im used to problems and tuning issues. But, this is a good one even for me. Drove the Ty for three days before at least one head gasket blew on my way home. Now the engine was built along with the transmission supposedly by the previous owner 5K miles ago so at this point god knows what else was done so I just decided to pull the motor and start over doing it right myself.

Any tips on pulling the motor? Can the tranny stay in the truck while the engine comes out? Any other parts I should remove? Ect...

Also, any tips on what I should replace and check while im there?

Finally, the Ty has a modified stock turbo on it now but I would like to put something bigger like a gt30r or a gt35r. Are either of these sizes a good idea for a daily driver?

Thanks for the help!
 

Matt

Active member
Re: Tips on pulling engine? Turbo Upgrades?

One tip on pulling the motor is to take out both wheel wells makes it much easier to get at things
 

SchnellGhostTy

New member
Re: Tips on pulling engine? Turbo Upgrades?

Lol thanks guys! Its good to be back on a forum again. I guess I should have been more in depth before. I've had the thing for about 6 months just sitting in the corner but had only actually gotten to drive it three days last week. Now the previous owner had done a full rebuild at 88K miles which was only 5K miles ago now and had done a more race ready setup. It has forged pistons and rods, different heads with cams, arp studs ect. Along with the hard goodies he was really geeked out on software stuff so I have three different data loggers and tuning software to link'em all together. Now that I have to redo his mess though I just want to get the best dd setup I can/the truck is capable of. Im just in a bit of a pickle now that it has suddenly become my daily driver.
This may be a new record for longevity before failure with a new owner. Three days.

Before you start dreaming about bigger turbos (ie going faster), you may want to research strategies to making it last longer than three days. Things like Data Master, and data logging. Tuning issues, etc. There's now almost 10 years of posts in the archives. Lots of stuff to learn for you.

And BTW, welcome to the board.
 

KDBL1TY

Member
Re: Tips on pulling engine? Turbo Upgrades?

U can leave the tranny in place, ( helps on install ) get yourself a set of wobble extensions and sockets, harbour freight carries them if you cant find'em locally. Pretty funky angles if you are doing it alone (on your back) or not using a lift. Top two bolts on on bell housing can be accessed from top. Ratcheting wrenches ! Tag , bag and label ! Can't think off any other headaches.
 

pontiacws699

New member
Re: Tips on pulling engine? Turbo Upgrades?

I havent done it yet but from all the threads iv read it is a great if not required to label everything you take off including every bolt. It may seem like a PITA but these guys says it make it so much easier to replace them and goes alot smoother. were you located again?
 

BoostedSUV

Active member
Re: Tips on pulling engine? Turbo Upgrades?

I pull out the inner fender wells as mentioned, as well as the radiator and accessory brackets.. This allows a lot of access to everything. The motor will come out almost complete.. I've learned after a few attempts that the more complete you leave it, the easier it is. I unbolt the trans and put a heavy duty ratchet strap under it to hold it in place and then just slide the motor up and out. Because of the shape of the pan and the crossmember it is tricky to get the motor off the trans and up and out. You will have to mess with getting the correct angle to get it out. Its even harder to get it back in on the trans and frame mount pads. Other than that there's nothing really crazy you have to worry. Just unplug everything and start wrenching...
 
Re: Tips on pulling engine? Turbo Upgrades?

I needed to remove the front drive shaft to get at one of the bolts for the torque converter cover. Use a 3/8 12 tooth closed end wrench to remove the front part of the shaft. I used an extension to get enough torque to twist them loose.
 

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Re: Tips on pulling engine? Turbo Upgrades?

Who's truck was it? My experience has taught me that if something is in the way, take it off. Don't try to work around it, you'll just spend more time making yourself look like an ass.
 

Quickstop [UK]

Combating adversyty.
Re: Tips on pulling engine? Turbo Upgrades?

It's also worth checking your motor mounts at this point and thinking about the steering box upgrade/shaft replacement.

Rather than putting all screws into bags etc, I saw one member on here advocating the use of a big cardboard sheet and you punch a hole and label the hole and put the bolt/screw in there. I thought it was quite a good idea. Up to you though. I did that and it was pretty handy.

Have a spare coolant sensor to hand as they seem bad out the box, or at least mine was.

There are a lot of things you can do with the engine out :D $$$$$$$$$$$$

while you're in there........ ;)
 

Icarus-54

Donating Old Member
Re: Tips on pulling engine? Turbo Upgrades?

I've found the easiest way is to strip the engine down to the short block.Trannie bolts are right there and makes them easy to take out.Disconnect prop shaft,drive shaft,put jack under trans,drop cross member,slide trans back a couple inches,pull motor up till pan clears diff.,turn it sideways and out.Goes back in the same way(takes about 15 min.),reassemble motor.While you have the engine out ,you might want to cut the bottom of the firewall for more clearence.Give you more room for fuel lines and trannie bolts.
Jack
 

Don W.

Stab it and steer it
Re: Tips on pulling engine? Turbo Upgrades?

X2 on everything. I would add: remove the turbo, exhaust xover. dist (goes without saying but thought I'd put it out there). If you separate the turbo it makes it much easier to get to manifold nuts. When you start lifting go easy keeping an eye out for the stuff you missed. I have a lift plate that bolts to the lower intake. Works well since the upper intake has to come off anyway.

Enjoy
 

Quickstop [UK]

Combating adversyty.
Re: Tips on pulling engine? Turbo Upgrades?

X2 on everything. I would add: remove the turbo, exhaust xover. dist (goes without saying but thought I'd put it out there). If you separate the turbo it makes it much easier to get to manifold nuts. When you start lifting go easy keeping an eye out for the stuff you missed. I have a lift plate that bolts to the lower intake. Works well since the upper intake has to come off anyway.

Enjoy

Not to threadjack but this is cool - did you make it yourself? I wanted one but couldn't find anything that attached to our lower intake.

I HATE using the stock lifting eyes as it's hard to level the engine etc. Plus I'm worried about the weight on those small threads...

If you can get a lifting plate, I'd recommend that as well. Wish I had one...
 

Don W.

Stab it and steer it
Re: Tips on pulling engine? Turbo Upgrades?

Not to threadjack but this is cool - did you make it yourself? I wanted one but couldn't find anything that attached to our lower intake.

I HATE using the stock lifting eyes as it's hard to level the engine etc. Plus I'm worried about the weight on those small threads...

If you can get a lifting plate, I'd recommend that as well. Wish I had one...

I got the welder at work to make it for me. Using 6 of the upper intake bolts it's plenty strong enough. Works like a champ:

liftplate.jpg
 

MyGMCSyclone

New member
Re: Tips on pulling engine? Turbo Upgrades?

In the next week or 2 I’ll be pulling my motor also. I’m going to be replacing the tranny also so my question is can I pull both at the same time? I pretty sure I’ll have to pull the transfer case first. In either case i want to leave most of the motor together so I don't kill my back (already bad) with all the extra bending and what not.

Another question where is a good place to send the turbo to get rebuilt?

Thanks
 

Icarus-54

Donating Old Member
Re: Tips on pulling engine? Turbo Upgrades?

You can pull the engine with the trannie on it but you will have to pull the front diff.,which is no picinic,along with radiator ect.
Jack
 

MyGMCSyclone

New member
Re: Tips on pulling engine? Turbo Upgrades?

You can pull the engine with the trannie on it but you will have to pull the front diff.,which is no picinic,along with radiator ect.
Jack

Thanks for the info i'll be pulling them separately. I've R & R the tranny twice so I know how to do it now real good.
 
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