GT engine removal

["Gary G. Erickson" <erickson@teleport.com>]

Dwight Varnes wrote:
 
> Now, I've been told it is possible to remove the engine from a Coupe GT
> through the top, but that it's difficult due to the tight clearances.

Dwight,

The big key here is whether you are planning to remove the transmission
first, or if you want to remove the engine/tranny as one whole unit.  I
know that the manual says that you can remove/install the whole shebang
from the top, but they don't tell you that you need about a 15' ceiling
in order to get your hoist high enough!  <grin>

When I was pulling the engine out of my GT in preparation for the turbo
transplant, I removed the tranny in the traditional style (from the
bottom) and then took the whole engine out the top, intact.  There's no
reason, IMO, to bother pulling the head or anything else.  Just make
sure you've gotten all the assorted wires and ground cables disconnected
before you start winching it out of there.  BTDT.

And as an aside to Phil, the whole engine (with turbo installed) goes in
as a whole quite nicely if you have a helper to guide the engine down as
you run the hoist.  But, due to the angle that it sits at once it's in
there, I wouldn't try to pull the head w/o disconnecting the turbo and
downpipe first.

Let me know if you have any specific questions.

HTH & YMMV,

-Gary

'85 turbo GT Coupe
'84 4kq