05 chev work van 3/4 ton?

jaded13640 · January 31, 2015

Hi, my bowling buddy's van has an issue and I could really use some advice frome someone who's pulled the motors out of these things.

It's an 05 work van. I'm pretty sure it's a 3/4 ton but regardless, the motor needs to come out. 6.0 L engine.

Here's the deal, for whatever reason it was breaking off bell housing bolts. It's had different motors and transmissions here and there so my assumption is that at some point a mismatch occoured and the torque converter doesn't match the engine. ie, the engine is externally balanced and the converter is for an externally balanced engine or vice versa.

Either way, what happened is the shop he took it to, after the bolts fell out like 4 times, put lock tite on the bolts and cranked em down WAY TOO TIGHT. So of course the heads popped off of 5 out of the 7 or 8 bell housing bolts holding it in. And of course, being a van, you don't have direct access to drill and extract broken bolts.

So my question is this:

Which is easier, take the front end stuff off and fish the motor out through the front, OR....

Drop the trans and remove the body bolts and unhook the harness connections and lift the body off.

From what I've read and vids I've watched the body off method is the method of choice for experienced mechanics. But since I would have to drop the trans out anyway in order to gain access to the bolts and to verify it has the correct converter, I'm not sure which would actually be easier.

I've got the go-ahead to start on it and work lightened up a bit and it would be a great time to get it in there and get started. But I want to do my research first.

Which ever way you feel is best, let me know what does or does not need to be done to pull this off. The last van motor I pulled was one of those through the passenger door jobs. I try like hell not to work on vans at all but this customer has a whole fleet and if I want any of them I have to accept all of them. So I don't have the choice of saying, "no thanks, I think I'll pass on this one." I HAVE to do it and need to know the best way to go about it.

I have a full scale shop with a hoist and all the necessary equipment. So keep that in mind. I'm not doing this in my driveway with a floor jack and hand tools or anything.

Thanks in advance,

Wayne

jaded13640 · February 2, 2015

Nothing? Nobody's done this and can give me a little advice?

I don't want to just pull this thing in and start on it till I get some opinions.

Any and all opinions are welcome.

Thanks in advance,

Wayne

jaded13640 · February 10, 2015

Ok what the f? Unless this forum is dead, I should have gotten some sort of reply by now even if it said, "sorry dude, I don't know which way's better". But nothing? all this time and nothing?

I ran out of time to just wait for an answer over a week ago when I sent the last reply.

Instead of just viewing, start replying.

Either give some answer or some opinions or at least let me know the f'ing forum isn't dead!

doverarjim · February 10, 2015

What does Chilton's or factory say? Sorry been out of the shop business to long to give good answer. Good luck, with what ever you try.

jaded13640 · February 10, 2015

Well thanks for replying. I was begining to think this forum was dead. The online manual I have says to pull off the front of the truck and fish out through the front. The shops that do it a lot are saying it's much faster to raise the body off the frame. They're probaby right. I think the manuals assume most people that are in need of a manual don't have a hoist and are limited to a floor jack and a cherry picker.

What I was hoping was that someone would reply that's done enough of these snub nosed vans to be able to tell me if it's really that big of a time saver by taking the body off or it's more or less about the same amount of work.

I'm at a point where I need to just get it in there and do it being through the front or body off. The job isn't a rush job but at the same time, it's been sitting here a month or so and I want it done and gone.

So, I guess this is the last time I'll ask, has anyone that's done these vans have any info they can give me one the best way to go about this project?

The deal is it kept loosing bell housing bolts. Harmonics I'm assuming. The last time it happened they used lock tite and cranked the bolts to WAY too tight. So instead of them loosening up again, they bolts all snapped off. There are only three bolts left holding it in and two of those are through bolts. Four or Five of the bolts that thread into the block are broken off in the block. Being a van there's no direct access to the broken off bolts to extract them. I wish there was but there isn't. One way or the other, the motor has to come out and while it's out I need to verify that the converter and balancer match the engine. Something is causing the bolts to rattle out and that "something" is often a balance issue.

Thanks,

Wayne

KMGZ400 · February 10, 2015

Taking the body off may be the only efficient way to replace the motor. It really should not be hard if you have a lift to lift the body off of the frame... I watched a cab get taken off a 6.4... Was pretty un complicated.

sahls01gmc · February 10, 2015

To be honest, I'd just look at buying a new van. An '05 or slightly newer can't cost more then a few thousand, and you don't have to deal with the headache of taking the engine and trans out of this one.

Not ideal I agree, but how many work vans do you see out there on the road? A lot.....