95 GA 2.3 quad removal

[rlbrobst]

I am new to these quad 4 engines. they really seem to be very labor intensive on repairs! The haynes manual seems to refer you to remove the engine or transmission for just about any normal rear wheel drive problems. This is the first front wheel drive car I have ever owned and had to work on and of course it belongs to my son.

What I am needing to know is

1) if the engine must be removed to remove the crankshaft or if someone knows a way around this?

2) does the engine have to be removed along with the transmission?

3) Is it necessary to remove it out the bottom of the car or can it come out the top with a little more work? I have limited space so taking it out the bottom seems to be more of a problem.

4)How long does it take to remove the engine for an average mechanic?

5) Should I just junk this car and find another car WITHOUT a Quad 4?

I bought this car for my son and it is in great shape body and interior wise. When we bought it the oil pressure light came on at idle only so I first replaced the pressure sensor. Still had the problem. I then changed the oil pump (12 hour job). It was ok initially and then it started doing it again. Figured heck it ran good, no sounds, must be alright. WRONG! 4 months later I am back into this motor replacing mains and rod bearings. Luckily none of them spun or overheated! Crank looks like total crap on the first 3 bearings and ok on the last2 mains. Only bad rod bearing was number 2. When checking the oil pressure with an actual guage the pressure would be fine (45+ lbs) for a few minutes until the oil and engine began to warm up and then would slowly drop to 0. I only checked it with an actual guage after the damage was done. Should have done this I guess when I made the replacement of the oil pump.

I only Paid $1000 for the car and hate to junk it because it is in such good shape otherwise. I am not too impressed with this engine so far. Thinking of just honing the crank and putting new standard bearings in all around and getting rid of it to the next quad 4 victim. HEHE

[skibum1111]

The motor comes out of the bottom of the car, with the transmission. It's not as difficult as it sounds, probably the hardest part is lifting the car up off the motor and trans. When I did my first one, we took our time and looked at everything. The easiest way for the average backyard mechanic to remove one of these motors is like this: Get a suitable support for the top of the motor. Most parts stores rent these. Support the motor, and unbolt and disconnect everything you can reach from the top. Jack the car up, make sure you have everything safely supported. Put jack stands on the frame rails of the car, not the suspension. Remove the front tires, brake calipers, lower coolant hoses, transmission mount, lower motor mount, trans cooling lines (if automatic transmission), any electrical connectors on the bottom of the motor (don't forget the oil switch on the bottom of the pan), and disconnect the ac compressor from the brackets, swing it up and out of the way and support it. Remove the tie rod ends from the steering knuckles and push them out of the way. Lower the car, have a cart or other suitable method of moving the motor and transmission out of the way under the motor, make sure you don't use the oil pan as a support place unless you are planning on not reusing it. Disconnect the top strut mounts and lift the front of the car up using an engine hoist attached to the motor mounts. Go slowly, make sure nothing is hanging up (heater hoses come to mind here, forgot them once and wrecked the heater core) and raise the car up enough to slide the motor and trans out from under the car. It should take you about 6 hours to get the motor out, then you can move it around as needed. Good luck.