I will be installing a new motor into my 85 shortly and am wondering the best way to do it.

I know the manual, clarks garage says to install through the bottom, and it does seem easier, I am just concerned about having the car that high on jack stands.

I took the original motor out of the top, but dropped the cross member anyway.

Any one done it through the top without removing the trans and pushing back the torque tube.

 

with the oil filter, rotor, accessories, and power steering pulley off you can remove it without messing with the trans.

that said, removing the trans and pulling the tube back takes 45 minutes so...

 

On my n/a I went in and out the top, and regretted every minute of it. It is worlds easier to go out the bottom, and if you lay the engine on it's side on a piece of cardboard it will slide out without the car having to be very high

 

Out the top was a complete pain in the *** even with the TT and transmission removed. Just go in thru the bottom. The car will be fine on stands so long as you place them correctly.

 

Ok so Ill put it in through the bottom.

it did come out relatively easy out of the top. I had taken the head off though

 

+1 through the bottom. Put the engine on a beefy creeper and it'll slide right under.

 

i like pulling it and reinstalling from top.

unbolt steering rack from crossmember, remove radiator and oil filter and oil pressure sender. slides in and out.

 

It was a pain pulling through the top and installing it through the top.

 

I perfer going out the bottom. I have pulled a motor out the top once and changed motors out the bottom 5-6 times. I put my motor on a small cart and roll it under. I will lift the front end of the car by the bumper using my engine hoist and then roll the motor under raised front. Then once the motor is in the engine bay I lower the car down over the motor to a more reasonable working height. Then use the engine hoist to lift the motor into place. Works great.