Bruce, It's really quite easy. There are two(2) harnesses, engine & light harness, that come together at the firewall below the brake booster. They are formed to fit together with a bolt in the center. The bolt is a 7/16", I believe. Hope this explains it for you. Larry
Yarley, you must work for the government to make that much busy work out of something easy. p I've done this lots of times too, here's my take on it. 1. Do all of the stuff under the car first, while its still clean under there. Undo torque converter bolts (and slide it back), bellhousing bolts, starter, and exhaust. Trans stays in car. 2. Put car back on the ground, you shouldn't need to raise it again. 3. Undo all the stuff you can reach from the top, should be easy since the car isn't on jackstands. 4. Now is the time to drain the juice out of it. Aren't you glad you did step #1 right so you don't have to lay in antifreeze? 5. Lift chain in your favorite spot, bottle or scissor jack under the front of the trans. Pull the engine up a couple of hoist cranks, disengage bellhousing pins, disengage motor mounts, and clear the flywheel from bellhousing on trans. Takes two people to wiggle the engine a little bit to do this. Careful with the evaporator case, it does help to pull the valve cover. I also pull the rocker arm assy. As the engine comes up, the front of the car rises a few inches - this makes the front of the trans hang down a little bit, but its OK because you supported it with a jack or bricks or whatever. Common mistake with engine hoists - they are adjustable - the legs extend and the boom extends. Don't forget to extend them. IF YOU DON'T, THE WEIGHT OF THE ENGINE WILL PULL THE HOIST INTO THE GRILLE! The legs need to be out farther than the boom. 6. When you have the engine clear of the car, climb into the engine bay and and run some coat hanger wire from one of the upper trans bellhousing bolt holes, over the blower relay, down to the other upper bellhousing bolt hole. This will hold the front of the trans in position, use the jack under it to raise the front a few inches so it is in the normal position. This way you can have your jack back to do other things, and the car is now towable if you have to haul it somewhere for other work. I'm trying to remember how many times I've done this, its at least 6 or 7. It's down to a couple of hours job. Did it the first time by pulling the trans with it. Too much weight hanging off a chain, too big, too much mess of ATF running out the back. If the trans isn't getting overhauled too, leave it where it is. A couple of times I've used my wife as the 'helper' to help guide it out without hitting anything, she doesn't even get dirty. Much simpler job than a Rivi. PS favorite tool for the electrical bulkhead connector is a 3/8 deep socket, 3/8" drive. The bolt head is buried in the middle of the wires coming out. Edit: I used to chain across the intake manifold bolts, just picked a couple on opposite sides of the carb pad. That was back in the days of the iron manifold. With an aluminum manifold, I chain from the back drivers side head to the front passenger side head, hoist boom hook in the center. No load leveler necessary, the balance is good enough, even for my wife. No problem with the engine twisting over into the evap case, one hand (even the wife's) keeps it from twisting or tilting. I bolt to the heads so the chain doesn't gouge the aluminum manifold. I saw Jim Weise use a gizmo that screws into the carb pad on an intake, with 600 lbs hanging from aluminum threads, that's a little too sporty for me!
Better yet, remove the grille! it's only a few nuts and not worth the damage that you could do. Just be careful to hold the studs when removing the nuts so the don't come out of the grille.
Gang... I've pulled many motors and know how to do it, I was just curious as to any specific things to look for with the 'lark. Like the evap box. Thanks for that tip y'all. It is a 4 speed car, the trans comes down and the bellhousing comes out on the back of the engine. I always pull the wiring harness with the engine. Wiring it up on the engine stand is a breeze. And it is nice to already have the starter and all already attached and wired so I don't have to crawl under and do it. Jury is still out on the grille. All depends how easily the nuts move on the studs.
I have been pretty much away from the board for a couple of days and when I searched for new threads I thought, "Hey, this one looks interesting". Thanks for starting it Jeff! :TU: I just read this thread front to back a few times and wanted to add some information/questions based on all the great responses: - I just checked the grill studs/nuts. The two center nuts are actually only hand tight! No such luck on the outer pairs. I did spray them with PB Blaster just now. This may not be too bad, however, as the grill was replaced a year or two before the car went into storage. So, probably worth trying to get off. - I do want to pull the Muncie. To detail, if nothing else. I'd love to find a replacement to store the numbers match, but I don't think the budget will allow that at the moment. I'm figuring a good detail of both the tranny and the tunnel before the motor/tranny go back in. - I just took a look at the inner fender on the passenger side. Although not too bad, it will require repair panels. I'm sure the core support will need the same. I probably don't want to saddle the guys volunteering to come over and help with that level of disassembly, but it's looking like that will need to happen over the winter. Core support, inner fender, and the heater core while I'm in there. Complete detail of the engine compartment. I'm thinking that I ought to have the AC system vacuumed out as a precaution if any of those pieces will need removal with core support/inner fender work. Although it hasn't even been turned on in 20 years, it did work long ago and might have some freon left in it. - It looks like there's somewhat of a split on whether to pull the motor alone or the trans/motor together. Until it was specified, I think many of you that responded to yank just the engine assumed it was an auto car. Not that you know it's a 4-speed, does that change your opinion? - There will be lots of photos taken! Although I have a decent memory, I'm not even gonna try to convince myself it's close to that good. Last thing I want is a box of miscellaneous bolts when I'm done. I may even get my dad to come over and videotape it. No reason not to try to get lots of video detail and audio on the sequence of disassembly so as to help on reassembly. Thanks for all the helpful responses to this thread. I want to especially and publicly thank Yardley for not only getting this thread going, but for having so much energy around getting this going. You'd think it was his car based on his level of effort! That defines a true enthusiast in my book. THANK YOU JEFF! We're still trying to figure an exact date to get this done, but I'm thinking the weekend after Thanksgiving right now. Larry, if you're available and want to come on up, I'd love to have you! Bring that super digital camera with you! Thanks again for all the help, guys!
Ken, when you say the weekend after Thanksgiving, are you referring to November 29/30? Or Dec 6/7? I mentioned to you earlier that the weekend on Nov 29/30 I can't make it. I commited some weeks ago to attend the annual Thanksgiving Hot Tuna show (haven't missed it in YEARS!) with my bud. So I'm commited. Hope you mean the 6th/7th, because I want to be there. And I'll gladly stay to help pull the fender and core support! No sweat! out
Jeff- I was thinking 6th/7th based on your commitment Thanksgiving weekend that you had metioned to me. Hot Tuna, eh? They still touring? I saw Aerosmith/Kiss last night. Excellent show! I talked to Tom T this morning and will be going to his shop today to pick up an engine hoist and lifting plate from him. The logistics are starting to come together! :TU:
Awww, c'mon. Hot Tuna will ALWYAS be touring. Jorma and Jack have been bandmates and friends since High School, back in the 1950's! They still speed skate together with their wives in Scandinavia every winter. When they play you can tell they really are good buddies. And they really do like to play. Jorma Saves! Here is a link to his Guitar School "Fur Peace Ranch" http://www.furpeaceranch.com/
Hey !! Count me in if we're gonna Yank Ken's chain.....even If there's a motor attached to the end !! Ken - do you have Air tools ??? Better yet - Heat in your garage ??!!??
Hey Alan- C'mon and join the party! It's looking like it will happen the weekend of the 13th. That work for you? Nope, don't have air tools, but I do have a compressor. So bring 'em if you got 'em. And I bought a kerosene heater yesterday to give us some heat. Wow! This is turning into a party! I hope we find time to actually pull the motor!
I'll bring tools and another kerosene heater. 2 should make it cozy in there so we enjoy ourselves. Alan, I'm probably staying at Ken's. Possibly the in-law's (I expect I'll be too hammered with all the bench racing we'll be doing after we're done, so it'll be Ken's). He's got room to crash. Join us! I've never wrenched on a GSX before, or anything as rare, so I'm stoked...
Hey Bruce, Every Thanksgiving Hot Tuna plays at The Keswick Theatre in Glenside, PA (northwestern suburb of Philly). They traditionally played on Thanksgiving eve - Wed, but decided on a Saturday show this time). A great place to see a show, let me tell you. Maybe 800 people fit in there, possibly 1000. great seats and great acoustics. http://www.keswicktheatre.com/
Alan,since when do you worry about air tools and heat? Last time I saw you pull a motor you wrapped a chain around your headers attached the other end to a tree removed the grill and core support ..... and let reverse handle the rest. WATCH-OUT....'CAUSE TUFBUICKS ON LINE....WORDS DON`T FAIL MENOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ron M...On-line...I can't believe my eyes! I thought you said you didn't need a computer??? Good to see you here :TU: PS - I'm still laughing over the 'You just got your ass whipped by your grandpa' story at Berwyn :laugh: Sorry guys - I have a little bundle due any day (literally) and there's NO WAY I can even consider going to CT for a day anytime soon. Good luck all!
