Engine Removal Predicament!

[LIVELY5R]

I've been at my friend's shop working on the monster & ran into trouble the past few days. We wanted to change the clutch & rear main seal and probably a whole bunch of other things that will break or go wrong in the process.
However it is all for not since we can't even remove the engine from the jeep! We have done everything the manual said to do & even watched a video but that sucker isn't coming out. Any thoughts on what may be holding it glued to the Transmission ?
Thanks in advance!

 

[Hedgehog]

I think you've got to give a little more information. What have you done so far? Are you trying to remove the Transmission and engine as a unit? Have you got the right tools for the job like a strong picker? Taking out an engine is relatively easy. Take off the front clip, unhook electric stuff, unbolt everything including the exhaust, hook up the picker and lift. I like to remove the mounts from the frame.

 

[caveman]

I have had engines stick to the bellhousing before. It's just like i forgot a bolt or two. And a few times that was the case. If you're absolutely sure that you have all the bolts out and the motor mounts unbolted, About all there is left to do is get in there with a prybar and start prying.

 

[LIVELY5R]

We unhooked all the wires, exhaust & everything else we could see. We are trying to detach the engine from the Transmission & then pull the engine out. I have seen pictures of doing this without removing the grill piece. We removed the radiator but not the grill piece. It just seems like its still bolted somewhere but we can't find anything. It is separated from the Transmission . About 1 1/2 inch but it's not budging after that.

 

[mstar]

just like hedgehog advised. remove front clip. has nothing to do with your
problem just makes it a lot easier. mike

 

[IOPort51]

I would guess you have a floor jack under the Transmission . raise it a little and try it and/or lower it a little and try it. If it is not coming out perfectly straight it can hand on the clutch splines or even the throw out bearing.

 

[rufus1138]

io hit it right on, the input shaft of the tranny is binding. wiggle and bang, try not to pry, and always remember what the mythbusters say, when in doubt....lubricate.

 

[Hedgehog]

The Transmission can be a balancing act. When I put in the 360 I used a strap on the front of the Transmission to hole it up. THought I was being smart. Then I realized that the Transfer Case was way heavier than the Transmission and it wanted to tip UP instead of falling down. Another lesson learned.....

I'm not kidding at all, remove the front clip. If you have a friend to help all you need to do is remove 4 bolts on the tub, the round bars and one bolt in the middle under the radiator. With the radiator out it's easy to unplug the lights. Then all you need to do is lift the CLIP and set it asside. Honestly it is easy and absolutely the way to go. Maybe this is part of the getting older thing. I used to work and work trying how to get a job donr without removing an extra part. Then the realization came that removing a few extra bolts can save hours and hours of work along with a few inches of skin. This is an instance of a little more = a lot less. Remember without the front CLIP you don't need to lift the engine as high, you don't need to worry about scratching the paint and ...... man there are a BUNCH more reasons to remove the CLIP..... You won't be sorry.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

When I, R&R a CJ engine.
Both front fenders and gill come off. Makes all else so easy----
LG

 

[Techlight]

I'm just finished installing a remanufactured motor in my 84 CJ7 with a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l . If there's an inch and a half all the way around...I'm with everyone else on the binding. If it's only on the bottom there is a top center bolt on the AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l bellhousing (ask me how I know, haha) and it's insanely hard to get to especially if your mounts are shot.

I'd pull the grill for sure...way easier. It's all of 7 bolts and some wiring to get it out of there...and your kinda there with the rad removed.

If I had to do it over again, I'd probably just yank it tranny and all the first time. That's where I ended up anyway since I had to replace everything the PO did to it. Way easier to just slide it all in too, assuming you have a buddy and a decent crane to help out .

Good luck with it! Hope it turns out well!

 

[Techlight]

This is of course assuming you're removing it from the bellhousing/engine. I'd say too it's easier to unbolt the 4 bolts from the tranny/bellhousing to reinstall it all...

 

[mtnwhlr]

I just remove the grill but as others have said then you don't need to raise it as high to get it out and with it not as high you will find it will come loose from the Transmission much easier. I have even removed the cross bar under the motor so the pan didn't catch on it. So it would be as low as possable.

 

[Hedgehog]

If I just removed the grill and left the fenders swinging without front support I'd bend the heck out of them.

 

[Techlight]

If I just removed the grill and left the fenders swinging without front support I'd bend the heck out of them.

You don't know how many times I had to tell my brother or one of my friends helping out to stop leaning on my fenders, lol. Luckily nothing bent! I think it would have been easier to work on if I had just pulled them...not really sure why I didn't.

 

[Hedgehog]

4 bolts on a side and easy to realign afterward ... There are also a couple other easily dealt with braces. I get the feeling that this is a lead a horse to water situation though. I'm sure it will all turn out fine in the end.

 

[Techlight]

How bout an update...the curiosity is killing me. This is me assuming the PO glued the motor to the tranny

 

[LIVELY5R]

Sorry for the delay, probably spent 15 hours trying to get it out. We talked to a mechanic who said that at times, when jeeps get run through water a lot & sit, the shaft/splines rust which make it hard to separate. So we got some pry bars & jacked the engine up & down and would tap the pry bars on both sides of the engine as it went up & down. It then popped & separated & all was good! Bad news is, in taking the engine somewhat apart to check the main seal & other things, we could see a small thumb edge chunk missing out of the cam
Im assembling my other friends to see if I should just do a total rebuild from the ground up since it is so worn out & needs so much work or just piece meal it together. I didn't want to do a frame off restoration for a few years until my little one gets out of college in 3 years.

 

[Bent]

push on the clutch while your buddy uses a prybar on it