A little help with engine removal...
 

So last weekend I decided to finally pull my engine so I could replace the head gasket that went back in March. I started taking everything apart, and everything was going more or less OK, until I got to the point where the engine had to separate from the transmission so it could come out. Here is the car as it currently sits:

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...lmostthere.jpg

I removed everything holding the engine and transmission together, but I can't get them to separate no matter what I do. What am I missing here? Is there some kind of trick to this that I don't know about?

Re: A little help with engine removal...
 

Did you separate the engine mounts from the crossmember?

Re: A little help with engine removal...
 

Yeah, I have it so that when I hoist the engine up I can move it around. It's completely free of the car , but won't break free from the transmission.

Re: A little help with engine removal...
 

you unbolted the flexplate, right?

Re: A little help with engine removal...
 

It may help to loosen your tranny mount. I suspect the transmission is restricting the engine from lifting enough to clear the bushing studs from the crossmember. You need the studs to clear so you can slide the engine studs (threaded into the bottom holes on the backside of the engine) out of the bellhousing on the trans.

Re: A little help with engine removal...
 

Yep...got the 4 flexplate bolts, both starter bolts, the nuts on the studs at the bottom, and the remaining bellhousing bolt on the top passenger side. I have a full set of the factory service manuals, and went through the procedure top to bottom, and made sure to remove every fastener it refers to, but there must be something I'm missing...

The tranny was upgraded to a 4:44 less than 2 years ago, and the car has probably seen ~10k miles since then, so it shouldn't be seized in there or anything like that. I just can't figure it out.

Re: A little help with engine removal...
 

This is a good idea, thanks...I haven't touched the trans mount. Will try that next. I probably won't be able to get to it until next weekend though, unless I start taking vacation days - which I just might, if it's nice out.

Re: A little help with engine removal...
 

BFH, flathead screw drivers of various sizes, and prybars... Even if the engine and trans were apart just months ago, unless you put antisieze, and even if you did, it still will sieze back together. Its just what happens when you mix aluminim and steel

Re: A little help with engine removal...
 

If I am not mistaken, there are studs between the engine and tranny.
I assume you removed the bolts, but the studs are holding them together?

Re: A little help with engine removal...
 

I tried banging on them and prying them a little bit, but not too hard because I didn't want to damage the parts - plus, I wasn't sure if there was something still holding them together. I'll try again and put a little more force on it when I attempt this again.
Yep, there are two on the bottom - I pulled the nuts off of those. The transmission is just supposed to slide off once the nuts are removed, right?

Re: A little help with engine removal...
 

If you got the 2 nuts on the studs, and the 2 long bolts up top, you got them all. Lower it back onto the engine mount, and use a chisel to start a crack, then screw drivers and pry bars to spread the crack.

Re: A little help with engine removal...
 

what hocrest said. Sorry, it`s just a little hard to type out long responses on my phone. Don`t worry about making marks on the bellhousing. It`s not going to do any damage that affects anything

Re: A little help with engine removal...
 

Well, it's finally out! Thanks to all who responded. A bit of SiliKroil and some wacking on it with a knife edge sharpened chisel and bigass hammer did it. Used a lot more force this time, since I was sure there really wasn't anything else holding it together.