Topic: motor being pulled

[98gtstang]

does the motor in my 98 need to be pulled from the bottom? ive heard they do but looking at the engine bay i think it can come out from the top, but other ppl tell me otherwise and say they need to come out through the bottom.....can anyone input on this for me? 

thanks

[Soaring]

I've never heard of pulling an engine from  the bottom.  The factory put it in from the top, so you shouldn't have any problems getting it out from the top.  Be sure to take the hood off before you yank it. 

[mustang245]

You shouldn't have a problem pulling the motor from the top as long as you take your time and be careful. Like Soaring said make sure you remove the hood and anything else that will get in your way.

[98gtstang]

thanks guys    ill give it a shot and see how it turns out

[Soaring]

Let us know. 

[98gtstang]

well the motor is out, i started on it saturday morning about 9 30 with my dad and around 2 took a break. then started back on it around 4 30 with 2 of my friends and we finally got it out around 2am. everything went pretty good besides the two bellhousing bolts on top of the trans. they were a pain in the ass to get a wrench on but fianlly got it.

and after i was done working today i took it over to the guy who is gonna be tearing it all down and building it. ill keep in touch with the progress of how its comin....ill try and post up some pics too

[Soaring]

When you put it back in,  be sure you have the bellhousing and tranny hooked up to the engine.  That way, you don.t have to deal with those two bolts after it's in.  Next time, pull the engine and tranny as one unit. 

[mustang245]

Soaring makes a good point. taking the tranny and engine out at the same time makes things easier because everything slides out relatively easily.

[Soaring]

You have to have some help though.  The angle of the engine/tranny has to be tilted with the transmission almost hitting the floor while you pull the cherry picker forward so you can clear the tunnel.  Once the tunnel has been cleared by the transmission, then you can go straight up and out. 

[98gtstang]

well i was thinking of doing that but in the chiltons book i have all it showed in there was 5 bellhousing bolts. that kinda struck me as odd but then i thought well maybe there was. but once we got tearing into it and took the 5 bolts out the motor was still hung up and then i knew there was more than five bolts. but now that i know it will be a pain in the ass to put those two bolts back in im most likely gonna pull the trans and put it back in as one unit. i should of just done it in the first place but that was the first time i ever pulled a v8 and didnt know what to expect. that just goes to show that you can never always go by the book with some things haha

[Soaring]

Chiltons is a good book, but has a lot of stuff that isn't tried and true in all cases.  Just use your thinker to get it out and in. 

[98gtstang]

the motor has been torn comepletly down to the bare block, after a few more things get checked it'll be time to start the engine build 

[97,01 mustangs]

When going in with engine and trans car has to be on jack stands so the trans dont hit floor i just did it two days ago but my cherry picker did not go up high enough so i had to use a chain hoist.

[Soaring]

Most of the time a chain hoist is necessary.  Just use your thinker.