Replacing the engine.

Hello folks,

I have an 1989 Astro van that I need to put a engine in. However, I'm having trouble determining which way would be easiest to remove the engine. From the front or from below? Any ideas?

Any help is truly appreciated.

Thanks,
Marlin39

Depends if you have a lift or not?

With a lift, going out the bottom is easier.

No lift, but do have engine hoist. It looked to me like going out the bottom would have been best also, but like you said, a lift would be nice for that one. Can it come out the front and do I need to remove the oil pan to get it out?

Thanks,
Marlin39

if you take the intake off while the engine is in the van it would make it alot easier to remove but u also have to remove the rad support where the hood latch is i know of this because i work at a engine rebuilding company in Canada and we do alot of these

I agree, you have to remove everything at the front end of your van to remove the engine as I also have my engine rebuild and we had to remove everything. labour is going to cost me, but what the heck. a rebuild V6 4.5? worth the pain. LMAO

For what it's worth, other threads have talked of replacing the engine oil cooler with an engine change. They'd said the cooler gets garbage in it that doesn't flush out,killing a new motor. 1 guy said he couldn't get a warrantee on the rebuilt motor without changing the cooler.

All depends on who is rebuilding the engine and also ask what the warranty covers what. i finally got my van back this week and i spoke to my mechanic and he offers me a 3 months warranty no matter what happens. i do have an oil cooling system with a rebuild 88 engine 4.5 V6 non Vortec. So it is only matter of communicating with your mechanic.

In my case, my van has been rebuild for Propane, So my new heads aren't warrantied as the government hasn't yet approved that type of fuel for warranties, but it is soon coming in Canada, but again, proper communication is everything.:wink:

The engine is not easy to take out,a pain in the butt.It takes a day to take the engine out and put the engine in a whole day

Tell me about it, i had to wait about 2 1/2 weeks before i could get my van back. About a week to rebuild the engine and about 2 days to put the engine back in, but we had some little issue with the bolts, starter and other ":banghead: :screwy: :shakehead :eek: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: "

So it does take some time, but i am happy with the result and the van purrrsssss like a kitten. :smooch: