Just about to tackle the motor change and I was wondering if the gearbox has to be removed to get the motor out on an EF? If not, then does the sway bar need to be removed?

Thanks.
TW.

depends, auto or manual? ..

when replacing motors or boxes I always do it as one peice .

you can leave the auto box in there, but you have to drop it from the cross member, to get to the top bolts and then use a trolley jack on the box to bolt it up again to the cross member bolts.

if you want to leave the box in, you will need to stand it on bricks underneath the car .

I'd do it as a one peice, just need to get the car on chassis stands as high as you can . everything just slips into place.

no need to remove sway bar .

Thanks Au2Low,

Good point, Auto is the box type.
I assume you mean the gearbox crossmember, I have that off already.
I have it on ramps and jacks at the rear at the moment but I was planning
on taking it off the ramps due to the engine hoist lift height, I might try before I roll it of the ramps.

Cheers TW.

hey,

when we removed the engine from our ED, we

1 - removed the tailshaft
2 - removed the gearbox
3 - removed the engine

there were some other stuff that we also removed during these stages but essentially thats wut we had done.

but i think u would need to take your car of the jacks to get the clearance to lift the engine above the radiator support panel.

cheers

You need to definitely have the front of the car higher up to pull it out as a complete assembly because you literally have to tilt it at a 45 deg angle. Too low and the tailhousing will dig into the ground or knock the tailshaft plug out.

I have removed the engine from my ef when it was an auto, and manual. Either way I didnt remove the box. I used a trolly jack under the bellhousing to lift it a little, undo the engine->bellhousing bolts. Slide the engine forwards and out. Once out I cut a piece of wood the same length as the distance between the chassis rails, pushed the bolts back through the bellhousing holes and sat the bolt threads on the wood (so you can pull the trolly jack out and push the car around).

I didnt have to lower the gearbox to get to the top bolts either, just used a couple of 12 inch extension bars and a uni join at the top. Not the easiest bolts to get out, but not the hardest either.

we normally drop the whole lot out through the bottom. put the car on the hoist and lower it out on a forklift.
if you dont have this equiptment i would suggest just pulling out the motor itself. the bellhousing bolts can be a s**t but easier in the long run.

We pulled the engine out the top of my Fairmont with the auto still attached..

Thanks All.
With a hoist I found it very difficult to get out, the reach of the hoist meant
I had to have several attempts to get it out, a block and tackle would have worked OK though. After I got the crank pully clear of the apron, I noticed the rocker cover Stud had snagged the brake lines and had pulled them away from the firewall and bent them severely. They look bad but I think they are still OK. One of many repositions causes a kink in the Power steer rack tubing, again I think it is OK. I now have a leak in the joint on the back of the power steering pump for good measue.

I have lowered the AU motor without the box in several times while doing the KFrame mod without problem, so I think I will install the box after the motor is in for the final time.

Cheers
TW.