Does anyone know if it is possible to remove an '03 engine without removing the upper intake and coil assemblies? RAVE says to remove them, but I've seen an engine out of an '04 and they weren't removed. Maybe it was just yanked out with little regard for the engine or vehicle, or maybe you can finesse it out without removing them. Any firsthand experience? It would definitely cut back on some of the effort if the upper intake can stay together. I'm wondering if it's really tough to get to the top two transmission bolts with the coil packs still mounted.

Thanks,
Bryan

 

My guess would be that if you removed the radiator and all that stuff you may be able to remove the engine with all the top end pieces still attached. Lift the engine off the mounts, move it forward as far as possible so the coils clear the firewall and lift it out.

 

I think you will have a problem to get to those top 2 bolts on the bell housing, but if you can get them out then it should be able to clear everything in the engine bay - provided the hood is off, I think that's obvious anyway.
Don't forget about those 3 things attached to the back of the left head, and the gas line attached to the fuel rail.

 

You can get to them but it is going to be a pain. It may be more work as well but if you remove the Transfer Case and then pull the engine and the tranny all out at once then you can just pull it forward and then do everything that way, plus it makes lining everything up much easier going back together. You can access the bolts from underneath and sround the bell housing but you will need 2 joints in the socket line and it will be hard to breal them loose that way.

Good Luck.

 

So you suggest pulling the engine and tranny out, or just shifting everything forward and then separate the engine from the tranny?

 

Hmmm, I've done the engine tranny combo on a mustang, but RAVE doesn't suggest that method.

 

Either way would work. You will have to disconnect all the parts off the tranny to move it forward anyways. You will then be really close to the front cross member. I say pull it out and then do it while in the shop since it will allow easy access and ease of lining the engine back up to the tranny and making sure the torque converter is seated properly. Last thing you want to do is not have that seated right. While you are in there you may want to replace the input seal on the tranny just for good measure, they are about $6 at any autoparts store but I am sure it will still be special order so plan ahead.

I like things to be easy and I hate working on a bolt for hours to realize that I could have been faster if I did it another way. I am not saying this is the best way but it is an option.

 

I replaced my engine earlier this year and I can tell you without question the answer is no, you cannot remove the engine without first removing the intake manifold. That is unless you are doing something more involved like lifting the body off the frame first like they do at the junkyard. The top four bolts that bolt the engine to the transmission are difficult to access even with the intake manifold removed.

What you need to do that the rave doesn't explain well at all is attach the hoist, remove the engine mounts, then lower the engine so you can access the top bolts. Even then its not easy and you need someone to help.

To remove the engine mounts, the intake manifold and coils have to be removed first so that there is room to lift the engine off the mounts and work them out of their spot between the engine and frame. You also may need to remove the factory engine hoist bracket off the back of the head by the heater core inlet, as it will make contact with this inlet when you raise the engine to remove the engine mounts.

IMO removing the transmission in addition to the engine wouldn't make any sense unless you need to remove the transmission anyway because there's a lot of extra work involved there.

 

All - thx for the input. Discowest, good points. RAVE says to do exactly as you described, ie. raise the engine, remove the mounts, lower the engine, remove the top two bolts.

 

Really? That page must not have printed out, it took two hours to figure that out! The only description I had printed out was something like "remove 14 bolts connecting engine to transmission" which wasn't very helpful.