Advice, Tips & Trips for dropping Engine in 97 Firebird

[mom's toy]

Hi, I'm a Let me give you a little back ground so when you give advise you can give it an elementary level I am a lady to begin with. I do have a little mechanical knowledge. But, thankfully I do have excellent help. I had a Firebird a in the early 90's but due to having kids I had to get a more sensible car. I have wanted another one for a long time. Now all (5) my kids are about grown so mom has finally gotten a toy!!!

I recently purchased a 97 Firebird that I knew needed an engine
(got an excellent deal). Well, we yes WE pulled it out through the top. I know most advise dropping through the bottom but that really wasn't an option for us. We have a motor with less than 5k on it we are going to drop in there, hopefully Thursday. I have disassembled and cleaned everything we need off the old motor. What I am wondering if anyone has any tips, tricks or learned from experience advice that they may want to share with someone who is kinda new at this.
My dear friend that helping me has been a mechanic for 40 years and he's good. But,He has never pulled an engine out of a firebird or camaro like mine. We have been really careful to replace bolts as we removed them mark parts and label wire. I personally took the top half of the engine apart on my own. I would like to find the sucker that designed that engine compartment and tell them a thing or two I appreciate any and all help.

I really appreciate this forum and all the knowledge that is shared on here. It really helps a lady be able to get a little knowledge without always having to ask questions!!! Thanks

[Morley]

Well, if you got the old engine out through the top without tearing anything up, then just install the new engine in reverse. I'm sure your "help" knows to use an engine leveler so you can tilt the engine tail down as far as possible to get it angled into the engine compartment. You'd do well to have someone under the car (someone strong) to help guide the engine in and push the rear end up when needed.
What I have found easiest is to remove and intsall the engine and transmission as a single unit. Those engine to trans. mount bolts are a real pain to do with the 2 seperated under the car.

[mom's toy]

Thanks Morley. It wasn't very difficult to remove the engine out the top. After we unhooked everything it probably only took 10 mins to guide it out.

Hopefully my help & I will have an extra set of strong hands to help us set it back in. My husband says he sure hopes it's in before he gets off from work! Maybe he is smarter than I give him credit for.

Yes, those engine to trans bolts were a pain to get out so I know they will be a pain to get back in!!! If guess if it ends up being to much of a problem we may just remove the tranny and put it back in as one unit.

We do have an engine leveler and over head hoist to make it a little easier.

Is there anything you can think of that you have forgotten in the past that has caused you problems so that maybe we can avoid the same mistakes??

Thanks

[Morley]

Originally Posted by mom's toy

Is there anything you can think of that you have forgotten in the past that has caused you problems so that maybe we can avoid the same mistakes??

Thanks

Nope, my install went smoothly on my last one. The best thing is to have someone under the car to watch for obstructions and help guide it.
It sounds like you did everything right in marking the wires and such. THAT is the number one problem people have on an installation, not having marked everything so they know where it goes.

[mom's toy]

Thanks again.

If all goes well and the intake gasket is in we will drop the engine today. We are putting a lot of new parts in so that we don't have to pull this engine again. I bought the best plugs, wires, thermostat etc that I could find because I do not want to have to change them for a long time!!

I am getting so excited to hear my car run. The engine that was in the car when I purchased it had spun a rod bearing so I haven't heard it run yet. I figure with my luck we will get the engine in and then it will snow so much that I can't drive it for a few days. It will be the first of the week before we finish everything any way. My help can't work on it until Monday after today. That sure is going to make for a long weekend!!! I know, I know my son keeps telling me to have patience. Funny how words I've used come back to bite me in the butt!!

Thanks again for your advice.

[mom's toy]

UPDATE
The gasket didn't come in until late this afternoon so it will be Monday before I get to work on it again. I drive a school bus and have to cook for my family so I don't get to work on it in the evenings.

Oh well, I will just have to wait to hear it run a few more days!

[oldblu65]

Mom , I have to complement you on your courage in even attempting the repairs you did ! My daughter had a 1998 Firebird ( 3.8 L ) and it was a bear to work on anything under the hood ! Good luck !

[mom's toy]

Originally Posted by oldblu65

Mom , I have to complement you on your courage in even attempting the repairs you did ! My daughter had a 1998 Firebird ( 3.8 L ) and it was a bear to work on anything under the hood ! Good luck !

Thanks. Yes there is definitely not much room under that hood! Good thing I have small hands and skinny arms. I have really good and patient help so that makes it easier. He is a dear friend of mine and I will owe him big time when we are done!!! My husband wants nothing to do with putting the motor in my car. So it's great to have good help. He thinks I'm to old to be wanting a car like this!! I told him growing older is madatory, growing up is optional and I refuse to grow up!!!!

Hopefully we will get to drop that engine in tomorrow. I can't wait to hear it run!!!! I will keep you posted on our progress.

[Morley]

Originally Posted by mom's toy

He thinks I'm to old to be wanting a car like this!! I told him growing older is madatory, growing up is optional and I refuse to grow up!!!!

Don't let him disuade you! My wife is 45 and she has a 91 Formula Firebird that she absolutely loves (and it complements my 85 IROC) and wants to keep forever. You NEVER have to grow up and drive a minivan or land barge!

[mom's toy]

Originally Posted by Morley

Don't let him disuade you! My wife is 45 and she has a 91 Formula Firebird that she absolutely loves (and it complements my 85 IROC) and wants to keep forever. You NEVER have to grow up and drive a minivan or land barge!

Lol I do drive a minivan with the kids!!! I'm 44 and I'm gonna love driving mine. Ain't nobody going to ruin that for me . I've always been told. Growing older is mandatory Growing up is optional. So I refuse to grow up!!
My buddy that is helping me is 59. He's as excited as I am.

Ok so everything didn't hardly go as planned today. I had a sick daughter and my buddy's wife had chores for him this morning So we got to work on it this afternoon for a little while. We got the car back in the shop. Everyone is laughing at me because I was excited because it was beautiful here today and I got to drive my pretty green car with the T tops out. Mind you it was only probably 75 feet but hey that's better than nothing.

We did get the motor sitting in the car. It's sitting on the crossmember. It's ready to line up with tranny. It went back in without any problems to the point it is. We have it partially under the cow so we did good. We have lots of help coming in the morning so if all goes well I may get to hear it run tomorrow!!! My luck we will get it running and we will get the snow they are predicting and I won't be be able to test drive it. My buddy's shop is down over a hill and if it snows I won't be able to go anywhere.

I'll update tomorrow.

[mom's toy]

UPDATE MOTOR IS IN!!!! WooHoo

For those of you who want to know if it is possible or not the motor went in very easily through the top. Tranny bolted up without any problems. In an hour's time we put the motor in, bolted the tranny up and put the motor mounts on. So I say through the top is no problem. Actually it was easier than a lot of vehicles I have helped on before.

Just a few more hours of hooking up wires, putting in the radiator and few things like that and it will run.

I will let you know.

[oldblu65]

Mom, that really stings ! We all knew you could do it ! Congrats !

[mom's toy]

Thanks, I'm really getting excited now. I can't wait to get it running so I can finish up the little things that need to be done to make the car look great.
Hopefully it will be running on Thursday. It would be today but since my family says I need to go to get some groceries and my buddy is busy today I guess I will have to be patient until tomorrow. Man is it hard having patience.

[oldblu65]

Mom , isn't it update time ?

[mom's toy]

IT RUNS!!!! I GOT TO DRIVE IT!!!!!

We finished up everything this morning and I finally got to hear my car run!! I drive a school bus so I had to wait til this afternoon to drive it because we had an early dismissal at school. I couldn't wait to get back over there to drive it. That engine runs so smoothly. I am so happy. We still have a few more things to tweek on the car but I hope to get a sticker and tags for it on Friday then drive her home.

Now I got a couple things to do on the body. The guy I bought it from hit a deer so I need to have the crack in front cover repaired and I need a new gear in one headlight motor. The interior is in excellent shape other than the head liner. I already have the material to fix that this weekend.

Since the weather is going to be so beautiful here this weekend I get to wax and clean my car up really good and Sunday I get to drive her with the T tops out!!!!! WOOHOO!!!!