1998 Olds Achieva engine pull

[SteveG]

I am a newby who needs to pull the 3.1L engine out of my daughters 1998 Olds Achieva. I have the Chilton and Mitchell manuals for this car, and they both say that the engine and trans are removed as a unit thru the bottom of the car.

I really don't have the facilities to raise the car off the engine/trans like the manuals say and am hoping that the engine can be unbolted from the trans and lifted out of the engine compartment.

I see where there is an "impossible to get to" engine to trans bolt (the bottom one on the firewall side) that may be the reason the engine & trans need to be removed together.

Here's my question (finally!).
- If I remove the upper end of the engine (intake manifolds, heads, exhaust manifolds) so I have access to all the engine to trans bolts, is there room at the front of the engine to side it forward enough for the flex-plate to clear the trans?

If the answer is no, and I need to do what the manuals say, I would appreciate any tips you could give me. I do not know how I could lift the car high enough to clear the engine/trans to remove it thru the bottom.

Thank You
Steve

[IsaacHayes]

The impossible bolt is referred to as the "bitch bolt" online. You need 2ft or more of extensions to get to it from the passenger side reaching across. I'm pretty sure it's possible to remove the engine from the top as I've seen pics of people doing swaps with a cherry picker. Hopefully someone can give you details.

[tractorman]

I've never pulled one of those engines myself, but I HAVE seen where people have done it. I've seen at least two Corsicas (quite similar to Achievas) at junkyards where the engine was out, and the tranny was still in the car. I can't say how much carnige this involved... but it has been done.

I know that there isn't much room in 'front' of the engines on these cars, and that's what would concern me the most. I'd measure exactly how far foreward the engine can go, then remove the flexplate cover and measure how far that flexplate needs to come foreward to clear the bellhousing. You'll probably also need to figure a way to support the transmission. I think a small floor jack and a couple of ratchet straps would do the job... but this entire second paragraph is pure speculation.

[bszopi]

Well, I hope it can be done, as I've done it at least twicew before...





Yes, the passenger side is a tight squeeze, but it is quite possible. Actually, it comes out fairly easy. Its getting it back in that is usually a PITA.

[tractorman]

Now you've got to enlighten us all- how did you support the transmission?

[bszopi]

I think you can see in the bottom picture (although it is kind of hard). I just used my floor jack, although a jackstand or something similar would work just as well. I only have 4 jackstands, and they were keeping the car a foot off the ground.

I have a bunch of pics from those 2 engine removals, so if you guys are wanting to see anything else, let me know. And I'll be more than happy to answer any questions the best that I can about pulling the engine from the top.

I will answer a couple right off the bat. The first time, I pulled the hood off the car. The second, I just stood it straight up and tied it off to the ceiling. And the thing that will get in the way the most on the passenger side is one of the AC lines running along the body (at least on a Beretta).

[tractorman]

Thanks for the info- sounds pretty straightforeward so far. To support the driver's side of the transmission, did you just leave the mount in place? Did you have to tie it up with anything to keep it from tilting, or were the axle shafts enough to hold it fairly steady?

I'm asking lots of questions 'cause it's entirely possible that I'll have to do this job someday on the ole' Corsica. Not worried about the Lumina- plenty of room under that hood.

[bszopi]

Yes, I left the driver's side mount it place. The only tranny mount I removed was the passenger side that bolts to the engine. And the axles were enough to hold it steady.

[rfingon]

Does anyone know if you can pull a 3100 without the tranny in a '96 Grand Am SE? There is not much room for the engine to come forward on the passenger side (maybe a couple inches at most). I have an engine removal ahead of me as well due to a spun bearing in my engine. I think it would be worth it if I didn't have to break loose the lower ball joints (where I always damage the boot with the pickle fork) and later disengage the half shafts from the transmission. Any advice for this newb would be appreciated.

[bszopi]

If you want to set up a time, I will be willing to help you out. My in-laws live in Topeka, so we are usually up there about once a month. I could probably head up for a weekend, drop the kids off with the grandparents and help you pull the engine. The Beretta also only has a couple inches clearance on the passenger side, but it's able to be done.

[tractorman]

I'm only a couple hours away in Wichita... I'll direct happy thoughts toward the North and East.

[rfingon]

That is an awesome gesture on your part. As this car is my only driver, my timeline to getting this baby back on the road is fairly accelerated. This Saturday my buddy and I are off to Pick'n'Pull to yank out a low mileage 3100 hopefully from an ol' folks car (don't take that wrong, anybody) that hasn't been stepped on, like a Buick Century, Chevy Lumina or Malibu (of course my choices may be limited). If that gets done, I plan to get that dead 3100 out of my GA ASAP--since I will be renting a hoist to do so. I've already started wrenching on it, but considering I haven't pulled a motor in 19 years (that was a 1979 Pontiac Grand Prix), I am not putting a strict deadline on myself. I've done work on this Pontiac already (radiator, belt tensioner, control arms), but nothing this serious.

I greatly appreciate your offer bszopi, and I am willing to read any advice that you or all the more experienced members have to offer on my endeavor--I am all eyes on this one . ...and thanks for the good vibes tractorman.

I may be a newb, but anything I have ever tackled on a car has had a successful ending (and boy, I could type you some horror stories about the 1985 Honda Quaalude I constantly worked on for six years). I feel that I am up to the task and definitely will keep ya posted on my progress. Thanks for the quick response--very impressive.

[rfingon]

Upon reading what I just typed, it looks as though I insulted bzopi, which was not my intention. I meant to say "more experienced than I". My apologies.

[bszopi]

Hey, that's cool. I didn't take it as an insult. I didn't know any of your history, so for I knew you could have been a 20 yr old college student that had never done anything significant to an engine in your life, hence my offer to help. But sure, feel free to ask any questions and I'll try to answer them for you.

[rfingon]

That's great. As far as this Grand Am goes, it will definitely be a new experience for me. I'm sure I will have questions as I go. Thanks in advance for all your help.