Jimmy engine swap...

Jim-bo · November 15, 2006

I'm currently in the process of swapping the engine in my 1996 Jimmy (4x4, 4.3 Vortec)... I've got to the point of disconnecting the bellhousing from the engine, but I can only find 4 bolts, one of which is apparently impossible to get at. Am I right in thinking that there are actually 6 bolts? If so, where the *!@# are they, and how do I get to them, and the one at the top on the driver's side? Apologies if I am being stupid... This is the first time I've swapped an engine!

OK... I was being stupid... I've found all 6 bolts (if there are only 6?!) but I still can't figure out how anyone would ever get to the top one on either side... HELP!!

Wingnut · November 15, 2006

I've always found it easier to yank the engine and transmission at the same time...BUT...You can get at those top two bolts with a couple of u-joints in your ratchet extensions, an extra wrist, two extra elbows, and 12 new curse words.

Jim-bo · November 15, 2006

I've always found it easier to yank the engine and transmission at the same time...BUT...You can get at those top two bolts with a couple of u-joints in your ratchet extensions, an extra wrist, two extra elbows, and 12 new curse words.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks Wingnut... Is there enough clearance on a Jimmy to get the engine out easily with the tranny attached?

It has been suggested that I should drill a couple of holes in the firewall to access those bolts... good idea or not?

Wingnut · November 15, 2006

I don't know the answer to either question there...I've never pulled a motor out of an S-series truck. I've yanked a couple of transmissions out of Toyotas though, and I got to those two top bolts by unbolting the motor (at the motor mounts), supporting the transmission with a jack (remove crossmember, etc), and jacking the rest of the truck up, effectively dropping the engine/transmission a couple of inches, leaving just enough room to get a long extension up in there to bolt/unbolt it.

Just watch all the wiring and stuff attached to the motor so you don't break anything.

Hopefully somebody will chime in that has experience pulling a motor out of your specific style truck.

silverad03 · November 16, 2006

I looked into dropping the transmission myself in my former S-10 Extreme to have it rebuilt (figured I'd save a little $$ dropping the tranny myself) and after doing some reading/research and talking to some people the best way I heard to get to those problem bolts on the top corners is to loosen the cab mounts on all four corners and ever-so-gently jack the cab up on one side just enough to get to the bolt on that side so you can at least get a wrench on it... that was enough info to make me decide to put it off as long as I could and I ended up selling the truck later.

I would imagine if you jacked the cab up very far at all though you are gonna run into all kinds of problems you would never dream of when you get the motor back in there and go to drive it. I would only jack it up barely far enough to squeeze a wrench on there.

Jim-bo · November 16, 2006

Thanks for your help guys....

I think given the potential problems of jacking the cab I'm going to drill 2 socket sized holes in the firewall.... that way if I ever need to get the tranny out at a later date that will be a whole lot easier too! Seems like A bit of a design flaw to me....