Engine swap questions on a 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 (Silverado) 5.3L

[Supreme Pizza]

 

  Hey guys, 

 

     So I'm swapping out the engine on someones 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 5.3L 4x4. It has low oil pressure, rod knock, and blows blue on startup. 

 

     Found a motor back East with less than 10% difference on compression numbers. 

 

     Any tips on getting the upper bell housing bolts? Haven't gotten there yet, but it looks like dropping the cross-member to lower the rear of the motor might help, or maybe pulling the intake? What do you guys usually do? 

 

     Also, am I correct in assuming that the plastic cover on the drivers side of the bell housing is the access point for the flex-plate bolt removal? 

 

     Anyone got a Chilton repair manual for this thing? I can always go buy one if needed, but I though someone might have one handy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

   

Edited July 3, 2018 by starman8tdc

[Supreme Pizza]

[mjm-1957]

Pull the intake for access to the bell housing bolts and get the starter out of the way for the converter bolts.

[Supreme Pizza]

Hi, thanks for the reply. My mechanic compadre checked with a flashlight and said that the bolts were not accessible that way. Have you accessed the bolts through the starter hole before?

[davester]

Normally, I go for the bellhousing bolts with a short socket (or a long one if they are also studs), an impact swivel (so it can angle a little, but not all over the place like a non-impact swivel), a really long extension (2+ feet long) and a ratchet and go at them from the rear of the transmission.

 

It was easier to do on my truck ('04 Sierra 3500, which has a 2" OEM body lift) than it was on my car (78 Impala).

 

It might also be easier to remove/install the engine and transmission as a unit, and then separate them once removed from the truck.

 

And instead of getting a fire-starter, do a short subscription to alldatadiy.com for the truck instead.  It will have WAY more detail on that specific truck vs the mostly generic info in the cheap Haynes/Chilton books.

[mjm-1957]

Tell your buddy to look again, thats how you get the converter bolts.There is no starter hole, get the starter out of the way and get a swivel 15 with an air ratchet and you can get to them.

[Supreme Pizza]

I was thinking about just pulling the trans and motor out as one unit. The core support and radiator are already out, the condenser would be easy enough to pull. Thanks for the tips guys. I will check all that stuff out. 

 

 

[Supreme Pizza]

Flex-plate bolts came out through the starter hole, but I did need to remove an access plate from that area to make it work. Upper bell housing bolts came out with several extensions. 

 

Thanks for the input guys. 

[Supreme Pizza]