'96 Firebird Engine removal

**sandwalk1** · 03-02-2007, 08:04 PM

Hi all,,,I'm new to thi site so please excuse me if this question has come up before.
I have a '96 Firebird convertable with the V6,,,which is knocking badly and needs to be removed. My question is - what is the best way to do this? All my older cars have room to pull the engine from the top. This F body is more like working on a van the engine is recessed so far under the windshield lip.

I have never tried dropping a drivetrain out the bottom before and have limited equipment (a 7' A-frame hoist and a 2 ton jack are it).

Can anyone give me some pointers on the best way to go? I have the GM repair manuals and they don't make any mention of the best procedure which makes me believe it's not going to be fun.

Thanks all........!

**FORD RECOVERY EXPERT** · 03-02-2007, 08:07 PM

with the v6 it is possible to remove the front accessories, and go out the top., if you have access to a lift, then out the bottom is easier...

**sandwalk1** · 03-02-2007, 08:23 PM

Ha,,,no lift unfortunately. Would it make sense to remove the intake components as well as the front accessories and rad etc? Looks like it would have to be pulled at one heck of an angle?!

**FORD RECOVERY EXPERT** · 03-02-2007, 08:30 PM

the more you can get off it the better

**fordwhupper** · 03-03-2007, 05:13 AM

Can the LS1 be removed from the top with the intake and radiator, etc. removed beforehand?

**wnmech** · 03-03-2007, 05:14 AM

I asked the same questions about 5 months ago about my 2001 formula. I started unhooking stuff to pull it from the top but there wasnt much room to get to things. I found removing the whole engine and tranny was pretty easy from the bottom. Almost the whole harness comes out with disconnecting anything. You wont even have to remove the radiator or fan. What I did was put the car up pretty high on jack stands and I supported the transmission with a floor jack and supported the cradle with mo motorcycle jack and I made a chain sling and attached the chains with bolts to the shock towers and used my engine hoist and picked the body off of the engine and I then lowered the jacks and slid the combo out easily. There are only six bolts holding the cradle to the frame and the drive shaft and crossmember and disconnect the steering rod and front brake lines. You will be surprized how easy it is to remove from the bottom

**FORD RECOVERY EXPERT** · 03-03-2007, 08:16 AM

on the v8, you pretty much have to strip it to a shortblock, or get real good with a prybar.

WNMECH is right. I've had mine out several times thru the bottom, with a cherrypicker, and floor jack. i acctually built what is similar to a furniture dolly, you jack it up, and roll this under the k member, then support the body on jackstands, undo your k member bolts, and hoist the car up high with the cherry picker. then you can roll the engine tranny and front suspension out.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 03-03-2007, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by fordwhupper

Can the LS1 be removed from the top with the intake and radiator, etc. removed beforehand?

Yes, the intake and radiator have to be removed prior too, but it can be done.

**sandwalk1** · 03-03-2007, 07:35 PM

Thanks everyone!
Sounds like taking it out the bottom is the way to go. Might take a little more time to rig up some stands and so on, but will make life much easier in the long run.
I'm actually kind of intrigued to see just what the problem is with this motor. It has 100,000 miles on it and the owner was just out for a cruise. he swears it wasn't revving more than 1700 rpm when it seized up. It sat untouched for about 6 months before I had it towed to my place. I got it running but it sounded terrible. very much like a spun bearing and lots of blue blacksmoke out the pipe.
So,,,I put the front end up on jack stands which tilted the whole works at about a 20 degree angle. The wife came out and I fired it up so she could hear what a blown motor sounded like,,,and surprise,,,the things started fine, idled on all cylinders, and had oil pressure...it only rattles if you rev it.

So I'm not sure what's wrong,,,my first thought was the angle of the car allowed the whole crank assembly to slide back in the block and thus allowed the thing to turn without catching,,,worn thrust washers?
Then I figured that was probably unlikely,,,and it is more resonable to assume a broken con rod bolt or back to the spun bearing theory.

So,,,as soon as it warms up I'll start working on it and see what's what!

Thanks again to everyone for the help!