3500 swap questions

[PCGUY112887]

It may have been easier to pull both out if I had researched what all had to be done to get the tranny out with it. Basically since I have never done anything like this before, I researched everything I possible could so I knew exactly what had to be done. I have been fine till this point.

Since the flex plate bolts and bellhousing bolts are already out, it's probably easier to go ahead and get it out like this, as soon as I can figure out how. So far I have...

Possibility of guides going between the engine/tranny, causing my to have to slide the engine to the left before I can do anything.

Possibility of another mount somewhere on the right side of the engine.

Possibility that I am missing something totally different, or it really is just stuck on here this bad.

[Joseph Upson]

Whatever you decide make sure you are patient, frustration breaks things costs more money and makes more work.

[bszopi]

Yes, there are 2 "guides" on the block that go into the tranny. Get a screwdriver or something to pry the engine and tranny apart.

Bottom left corner and middle right:

[PCGUY112887]

Ah! Finally got it out!

Turns out that left side bracket... well if you unbolt it from the trans, there are 2 bolts. But if you unbolt it from the block, there are 2 bolts towards the top, and 1 down towards the bottom of the engine. I did not see this 1 lower bolt! So about 5 hours of fighting for that. After I undid that, it came right out.

[Joseph Upson]

You wouldn't look like that if you had pulled the engine and trans together.
Good Job!

[Guest]

I dunno, I'm more keen on pulling just the engine, when I can get away with it. W-bodies have shit loads of room to pull just the engine. I can't stand pulling axles sometimes, because they are usually tight in the tranny and don't want to release very easily for me.

For a first timer, it's not uncommon to miss a bolt or two while doing something like this.

[merlot566jka]

hahahahaha, im sorry man (PCguy) but i find this hilarious. everything youve asked here, i have too thought the very same things. cept in my case i didnt have any help. i went thru most of this on my 88z24 when i was 16. move on a few cars later to the fiero...now thats why i find this comical. i can remember the time i decided to pry the engine from the tranny...broke the case....damn that sucked. a whole bunch of 'wtf' and how the hell did they... and you get it all figured out. wait till you get to putting it back in and get the mounts all lined up....

good job man, and i feel your pains!

[Joseph Upson]

Engine only or complete assembly, I hate doing it, and that goes double for the Fiero.

[PCGUY112887]

OK, gofast parts came today!

After comparing the 3100 timing cover to the 3500 cover, I don't see why the 3500 cover can't be used? It has a notch for the PS pump and everything.

I am looking at my external crank trigger that I just got, now I am fairly sure how to mount it (pulley, 7x wheel, supplied washer, bolt in that order?) but once I get it mounted, do I need to use a pulley installer tool to put the crank on or what?

Where do I get the sensor that has to go into the external crank trigger?

EDIT - Umm yeah.. I was looking and noticed the exhaust manifold goes right under the left front engine mount (the big black mount that bolts to the engine in a few places, then bolts to the dogbone on top). It measures about 2.5" between the inside of the mount, and the exhaust ports. The S&S headers are just over 3" in that area......

I felt sick as soon as I measured that. Now what?

[IsaacHayes]

You need the 3100 cover because you need to mount your 24x sensor that the 3500 cover doesn't have a mount for (right?).

The 7x sensor you pull from the 3100 block. It's on the backside.

[PCGUY112887]

OK I must have the WORSE luck ever.

I am taking the stock cam out, and there was a little piece of the orange rubber gasket that fell down on the cam. Well it was sitting there and I went in to grab it with needle nose pliers, and it FELL DOWN INTO THE HOLE where the oil goes down. From the GM book it looks like it fell straight onto the inside of the crank.

NOW what?

[PCGUY112887]

You need the 3100 cover because you need to mount your 24x sensor that the 3500 cover doesn't have a mount for (right?).

The 7x sensor you pull from the 3100 block. It's on the backside.

If this is the 24x sensor, then yes there are the holes on the 3500 cover to screw it in. Would I then also have to use the 3100 crank pulley, since it has the little square holes/notches in the back of it and the 3500 pulley doesn't?

And... header clearance how? I know w-body guys have done S&S headers, and w-bodies have these mounts. Does anyone have any pics of the S&S headers in a w-body?

[Superdave]

if you have the old style external trigger (the one with 3 holes in the disk) then yes you'll have to use the 3100 crank pully.

[IsaacHayes]

Sweet, looks like the 24x sensor bolts up. Yes use the 3100 pulley. You are on the right track. Try pulling the oil plug and see if the rubber drains out....

[3100 MPFI]

for the mount, go to a junkyard, and find an N-body with the 3100 (like a skylark).

They have the same AC compressor, but don't have the dogbone mount.

If you remove the AC compressor, there is a spacer piece that is like only an inch thick. Just get it, and dont use the dogbone at all. Otherwise, you are going to mess up one of your heads like I did.