Need help, block swap.

Ok heres the deal. I did a Mini Me on my A6. Well about 2 weeks later it spun some bearings. Well I had a Y8 block at home so I decided to just build that.

I had it bored .20 over with SRP 10.5:1 c/r pistons, block notched with eagle rods, crank turned and balanced, and cleaned and put together.

Now I am getting it back so here is the part I need help on. I have done minor engine repairs, but never a swap. Instead of paying someone to do it my friend and I thought it would be better if we just did it.

We plan on just pulling the head off and leaving the intake mani and exhaust mani on and just moving it aside in the engine bay. Next disconnect the tranny (This is the part I am most nervous about. I never messed with a tranny. What is the procedure for just disconnecting it from the block?)
After thats done just remove the starter and alternator, then remove the motor mounts and pull the old block out. (if I'm correct there really aren't any senors or plugins on the block is there?)

Thats all for now, I'm sure I will have more questions tomarrow when we start. Thanks, Doug

Just remove the whole thing at once. Block, head and tranny. If you did it the way you said above, you would have the motor hanging on one mount when you took the tranny off. Thats no good. Its not very hard at all. Disconnect all sensors, vacuum lines, intake, take header off, radiator fan, disconnect shift linkage, take out half shafts, speedo cable, clutch cable, fuel lines, mounts, lift. I think thats it...

Yeah just get some masking tape and mark on the hoses like 1 = 1 or *=* so you can match them up later and it is much easier to keep the im attached.----one less gasket to replace, and take out the tranny, it will be 100% easier to swap, just make sure everything is torqued down right.

The way you guys are saying is more trouble and longer. The engine will be supported by a engine crane. There is no point in taking the tranny out. Also I can just move the actual head over about 2 feet to get the clearance I need.

go ahead and do it your way then, but dont cuss when you find out that you did it the hard way :P

Oh, have fun scraping the head gasket off the botttom of the head while its sitting in the car

I've swapped 7 engines into my civic, and changed clutches and trannies about 10 times. If my opinion matters here, i say pull the whole thing. You will thank yourself later.

in addition to it being easier to disassemble, its alot easier to bolt on the head and transmission especially with the engine out of the car

Yeah man, if you have a crane pull it all out, you're nuts if you dont! it can be a bitch to get the engine and tranny lined up. http://binghamtonlife.com/manual/2gsm/ every thing you will need to know will be on that site too...