Engine Removal

[Jeasen]

I have a 1992 Typhoon with a cracked #1 cylinder wall. I pulled the intake and the cylinder head on the drivers side to inspect the damage, Besides the cracked cylinder wall on #1 cylinder the piston is also broken and part of the piston is missing and I can see a part of the top ring. I removed the bolts from the top of the transmission and put the truck on my two post lift to unhook the bottom transmission bolts and the motor mount bolts so I could pull the motor. I stopped short in my tracks when I could not get to the bottom transmission bolts and could not even see the motor mounts. It was obvious that pulling the typhoon motor was going to be much harder than pulling other motors that I have experienced. Has anyone written up a how to pull the motor on a sy/ty? I want to pull the motor not disassemble the vehicle. Is there an easy way to do this?

 

[proptop]

Sir,
Not to Laugh at you but that/your post just made my day. Nope the only way that I have found to do it is. Step one: Walk in shop and cut your hand because you will be bleeding before this is over. Step Two: If you have a cussing jar go ahead and load some money in it. Step Three just have some patience, roll up the shirt sleeves and get to it after a couple of hours you should be seeing some progress. Step Four: Stop have a few beers and pace yourself. Good luck.
Bob

 

[Sparkz#0535]

Why cant you get to the lower bell housing bolts from the bottom? You should be able to get to them without issue. As for the motor mount bolts drop the lower heat exchanger for the IC and remove the exhaust crossover pipe. When you have all the bolts out the engine comes out with the bellhousing coming up first and the crank pulley pointed down.

 

[Goodgollyjosh]

Some people just pull the whole front clip. I'm not suggesting that this will make dealing with the motor mounts easier but it will certainly help with engine removal whether you decide to pull trans with motor or leave them separate. Side note: the pic is not of my truck. Also, not sure about differences between Sy's and Ty's with regard to engine removal but hopefully this helps. I find dealing with the bell housing bolts much easier once the cross member is removed and then I can tilt the trans at will and access all the bolts easily. But agreed, I do find it strange that the bottom bolts are giving you trouble. The bottom driver's is particularly tight against the body but nothing a wrench or shorty socket can't reach.

 

[DaveP's Ghost]

You already have the heads off. The motor mount long bolts can be accessed from above. Just don't forget to put the bolts in with the nuts forward or they won't come out again unless the manifolds are removed first.

If the engine is still complete:
Remove the lower heat exchanger which makes it easier to:
Remove the exhaust crossover which has to be off because the trans cooler lines go through it. Easier to take the crossover off than to remove the lines.
Remove the front drive shaft, makes it easier to:
Remove the T-case brace, which the lower trans bolt goes through, and to:
Remove the lower bellhousing / torque converter cover, makes it easier to: (Remove the torque converter to flexplate bolts)
Remove the starter, makes it easier to:
Remove the RH motor through bolt.
Remove the LH motor mount through bolt (made easier by removal of lower heat exchanger and front drive shaft).

The two lower bellhousing bolts on the RH side can be a bitch if the original downpipe brace is still present and attached. The two bolts have studs on them for the brace. They are a bitch. Unless the truck is a low mileage garage queen, I usually don't reinstall the stud/bolts, brace, or the bolt to the downpipe.

I leave as much as possible on the engine for R&R. Makes it quicker and easier.

You have to lift the transmission bellhousing until it touches the top of the tunnel, or you can't slide the engine forward to get it out. The book says to remove the transmission, then remove the engine. I've done it both ways. It's easier to install the trans after the engine is in, and it's easier to remove the engine after the trans is out. I only remove the trans if there is a reason to, such as I'm going to work on both units at the same time.

TLDR, but maybe someone will find something useful

 

[Mikeysy15]

I feel for you .Sometimes when working on the truck I like to shortcuts and you end up taking longer . I’ve learned the hard way . Sometimes it’s better to take other parts off so it’s makes the job easier . Dave P and Bob are both right.
Patience and maybe freeing up space is always good

 

[Jeasen]

I want to thank everyone for their replies. The information provided will be very helpful for me to use while removing my Typhoon motor for the first time. I did search for information about pulling the motor and did find some info about removing the front clip like the picture that Goodgollyjosh posted, thus my reference about not wanting to dismantle my Typhoon. Now that I have a better idea of what needs to be done to get the motor out I will look at the job in a different light. The instructions provided by DaveP's Ghost will be very helpful, thank you.

Would it be helpful to raise the front part of the body off it's mounts or is this not necessary to pull the motor? While sitting here thinking about it it would sure give one more room to raise the front of the transmission up and to get the motor mounts up off the frame plates. Is this necessary or just more work that is not needed to get the motor out? BTW the passenger side head and exhaust manifold is still on the motor as well as the turbo exhaust housing and down pipe.

 

[DaveP's Ghost]

The turbo can stay on. the downpipe has to remain in the chassis. Remove the 3 nuts at the turbo / downpipe flange. Slide the exhaust aft.

I have never lifted the body for engine R&R, with one exception: If you want to remove or replace the engine AND transmission (T-case must be off) as a unit, i.e. bolted together, you must raise the body. NO amount of "tilting" will allow the engine pan to get over the differential tube before the top of the trans hits the top of the tunnel. Lifting the body on a SyTy is fussy because of the cladding. If you don't have to raise it, don't.

A last detail that hasn't been discussed are the fuel lines that come up over the rear of the engine. There is a clamp to the LH head that needs to be removed, but you have that head off, so this has been addressed. As the engine comes up, the hard lines need to be pushed aside so they clear.
At least you have a Typhoon where the supply line is only a few inches long. The Syclone supply line is much longer and really makes this lines-thing fussy. When you go to reinstall the engine, be sure the hard lines are in position as the engine goes in. It is VERY difficult to get the lines in after the engine is in.

 

[Jeasen]

Thanks again for your reply DaveP's Ghost, With your previous instructions for engine removal and your reply about raising the body off the frame has helped my understanding of the process tremendously. I am sure I will have a few more questions once I get started but for now I am armed with enough information to get a long way through the process. I plan on leaving the transmission in place and pulling the motor only. Now I just have to go out and get started.

 

[wildphil]

Yes at times you need to remove other items to be able to access what you need to work on or to make the work easier. Other times removing other parts may make the job a little easier but take much longer to complete. I am always trying to find the fastest way to do the work without damaging anything of course. Once in awhile there is only one way to complete a task. But that is usually not the case. If you do a job enough times you get faster at it and can usually find ways to make the job to go faster. Unfortunately most of the repair jobs on SyTy's you don't want to do them enough times to get good at them.

I don't even remove the hood when I remove or install a engine in a SyTy. While removing the front end on a truck would give you all kinds of room to work. There is no way in hell I would go through all of that work just to have a little more room to work.

 

[Jeasen]

Just wanted to let everyone know that my engine is out and now is mounted on my engine stand. I want to thank everyone again for their help. I have the passenger side head off and from what I can see the number one cylinder is my only problem. But it is a really big problem, it is cracked really bad.

Attached is a picture of the cracked number one cylinder wall and piston. The piston is at the bottom of it's stroke. You can also see the broken ring land on the piston. I would like you opinions, can this block be sleeved and be useable? I never had this kind of problem before so this is all new to me.

 

[Goodgollyjosh]

Yes sir, should be no problem. They'll bore that out, usually around .350" over, till they hit water, leave step at the bottom for sleeve to sit on, heat block, chill sleeve, slide it in, it'll be tall so they'll machine down about .005" from deck, skim cut the deck till everything is nice n flush, bore will be smaller than 4.000" so they have to bore and hone to bring it back to stock. Good as new.

 

[proptop]

Yep what Josh said. I would also check the crankshaft to.
Bob

 

[proptop]

I forgot to state this also. Check the rod too.
Bob

 

[proptop]

Just went back and looked at the damage. Would recommend looking at the bottom of the bore into the main web. I bet the main web is cracked and maybe/along with the crank. Hate to say it but might be time to find another setup. Won't know until you get everything apart and magged.
Bob

 

[atkonkler]

Just wanted to let everyone know that my engine is out and now is mounted on my engine stand. I want to thank everyone again for their help. I have the passenger side head off and from what I can see the number one cylinder is my only problem. But it is a really big problem, it is cracked really bad.

Attached is a picture of the cracked number one cylinder wall and piston. The piston is at the bottom of it's stroke. You can also see the broken ring land on the piston. I would like you opinions, can this block be sleeved and be useable? I never had this kind of problem before so this is all new to me.

Been a long...long time for me here. How did it all turn out ? Or did you get another engine?

 

[Jeasen]

Been a long...long time for me here. How did it all turn out ? Or did you get another engine?

I have not been feeling all that great so I have not been working on the Typhoon much. My motor is back together and I am dressing it out at this time. I hope to put it in in the next few weeks or so. I will let everyone know when it is in and running. Thank you all for your help.

 

[Isthatthingstock99]

I have not been feeling all that great so I have not been working on the Typhoon much. My motor is back together and I am dressing it out at this time. I hope to put it in in the next few weeks or so. I will let everyone know when it is in and running. Thank you all for your help.

Cant Wait for the Update! Get well soon!

 

[Jeasen]

Happy New Year everyone.

Well my motor is back in my Typhoon. The transmission is bolted back up and the motor mount bolts are in place. The only thing left to do under the truck is hooking up the front driveshaft, the exhaust and the remote oil filter lines. Then I will finish the upper part of the motor: build oil pressure, install the distributor, upper intake, new plugs, plug wires, vacuum lines, radiator and so forth.

My Typhoon has not run for close to 10 years. I tried to see if there was any fuel left in the tank by hooking 12 volts to the pigtail on the firewall but got nothing but a spark. Tried several times but nothing but a spark. I could not hear the fuel pump running but I did not want to leave it hooked to the battery while I went to the back of the truck to listen. What do you guys think?

Now that the hard work is done I am looking forward to getting the truck running. Wish me luck.

 

[DaveP's Ghost]

Cobble a 15 Amp fuse into your power wire to the pigtail on the firewall. If the fuse blows, the pump is shot. If the fuse does not blow, you can go to the rear of the truck and listen for it running. The idea of the fuse is to protect the truck's wiring if the pump is drawing more than the wiring can support safely while you go to the rear, listen, etc.

EDIT/ADD: Take the battery to the rear of the truck. There is a 2-cavity connector ahead of the license plate. One gray, one purple wire.
Disconnect it and apply +12V to the gray wire, ground to the frame. Now you're at the rear of the truck, and if the pump runs, you should hear it. Plus if any wiring burns up, it will only be the in-tank pigtail or the sender pigtail, both of which are easily replaced.

Happy New Year