deilenberger

If you are using a propane heater in a garage - please DO be careful with gasoline. The fumes from it like to run along the floor and gather in the lowest spot. If the propane heater is near that spot or in the path you'll learn that in an unpleasant way. A radiant propane heater mounted high in the garage facing the workplace and tools is actually much more effective in making it a pleasant work environment - and also safer.

nodoors

Get a big overhead radiant heater or 3 parabolic heaters and do it in your own garage. I would hate to be a part of the plan that gives your car 48 hours on the work lift before it must be rolling again. This is a 40+ beer project, man!

J'sWorld

Out the front, take your time so you don't fu** up. Well wishes that things go smoothly for you but plan for the unknown. I think with the borrowed space and 2 day window you are setting yourself up for failure. That is just my opinion and assuming your a VERY competent mechanic. The flexplate to converter bolts can be difficult to remove but more difficult to install as they have a fine thread and are easy to cross-thread due to the angle of the triple square used and design of the access on the side of the engine block. If you cross-thread them going in just a little bit you will have to pull the engine and fix that and then start over. Plastic bits will break, you may need to end up ordering a part or two, you may come up with some while your in there stuff, etc. Get yourself a set of high quality 3/8 drive short triple square bits now. Make sure you have a high quality 3/8 drive snap on or the like ball joint type universal and a traditional style universal(they aren't as fat) before you start. If you go out the front you can bleed off the a/c slowly over a few days (I didn't say that but I don't dump used oil in the yard either so It's ok) so you don't lose any oil and then throw 2 cans back in for a 2 zone ac. The 2 zone system takes 700 grams which is exactly two cans. Get a can of Pentoisin chf 202, your going to lose some. If you are careful the atf loss will be inconsequential. I use a 50-80000 btu Dyna Glow propane convection heater and it's a beast but I also have a 25 gal propane tank and it will empty that in about 36 hrs on high. Plan on putting the whole vehicle up on 4 jack stands. If you don't have a factory service manual pm me and I can help you out.

oldskewel

Cheering you on here. If you can pull this off as cost effectively as you seem like you're able to, it will be a bit of a game changer for figuring out how to own these trucks.

I have not done that level of work yet on my 04 S, but from work on many other cars over the years, I'll echo the suggestions you're getting to avoid doing it under time pressure. You'll get it done better without the pressure, and it will be a lot more fun.

Side benefits for the forum - the no-lift option is probably more common for most readers here, and you'll have more time to take pics. Thanks in advance.

Copilot

Yeah, y'all are right, and I kinda knew the at home project was the best option as I was writing last time.

I've put out a couple feelers to friends to see if there's a heated garage I could occupy for a little while. I've looked into rental garages/bays but there isn't anything within a reasonable distance to me. Worst case scenario I do it at my house but my garage layout isn't ideal (but it is workable).

Got a couple shopping items for tools - thanks for the above advice. I have a limited set of Snap On triple squares but no short ones.

What are everyone's thoughts on a combined front/drop approach? I have a number of low profile transmission jacks that I could use to lower the entire cradle out, and then slide forward out of the engine. Would make the separation of transmissions and engine easier, and removal easier in general I would think.

Vivid7

I would go out the front if it were me.

matt_o_70

Having done it- out the front is the way to go. No need to remove the front cradle. just need an engine hoist as is typical.

Putting the front end into "Service Position" is not very difficult or time consuming and will open things up a alot to make removal of engine better.

The torque converter bolts are a bit of a pain to reach - the access is hiding behind the drivers side cat converter.

Copilot

Been about two weeks, with no updates - sorry about that! There is progress! First, a friend of mine has a heated garage... and to boot, he used to be a mechanic. I moved the car to his garage and we've been getting into it as time allows.

We're taking it out the front. So far, it's been fairly trouble free, and slow going just due to time availability. The front end comes off relatively easily. The toughest part was figuring out the best order of disconnecting/draining fluids from the radiator, AC condenser, power steering cooler and transmission cooler - but, all fairly easy. Right now, we're fighting the rusty exhaust nuts/bolts. In order to access the torque converter bolts we're going to be removing the driver's side primary cat. Additionally, we're going to be pulling the secondary cat pipes for both ease of access, and because I'm replacing them with the HHR seconday cat bypass pipes.

reachme

I hope you're taking lots of pictures
Please post them when you can, it really helps understand what you're going through.
Thanks again for documenting

Copilot

Another quick update - mode of failure discovered.

It had nothing to do with piston slap, cylinder scoring, etc. I'm still trying to determine exactly HOW (engine is still mostly assembled and in the car), but the car suffered a catastrophic "change" in timing. I'm suspecting some kind of failure of either the chain tensioner or one of the pads, but taking the 1-4 cam cover off, there was so much slack in the timing chain that you could pick it up and move it with your hand.

This is also why the project is taking so long - while the engine isn't seize, I can't rotate the crank a full 360 degrees to remove all 6 of the torque converter bolts. Got 4 bolts out, but I'm guessing that on the 5-8 bank, a valve is stuck down preventing the engine from completely rotating.

Also, removing the secondary catalytic converters (necessary to remove the primary cat on the driver's side) has ended up being the most challenging part so far, just due to rusted and seized bolts. Be prepared to cut, hack, etc. if your bolts are as seized as mine.

brett968

This is very interesting. I look forward to hearing more after the autopsy.

If you get absolutely stuck, I'd consider pulling the engine off with the torque converter still attached. If you're really careful you shouldn't have any problems. You'll want to replace the front transmission seal anyways. Just be sure to get everything setup so that you can pull the engine off straight and in a single go. FWIW, I did this on my Cayenne and it was absolutely fine. Be aware that some consider this a risky procedure.

nodoors

Glad to hear you are making progress. Any pictures to post?

Rvca3112

Pillow

Hopefully that is a good thing... Do you think the valves kissed piston tops? If not, this may be a relatively easy fix all things considered.

Institutional Pig discrimination! I'm triggered!!! LOL

Tony Damiani

I have an 05 turbo that died suddenly (valve float - boom). I put in an 08 turbo engine with 8k miles after trying 3 05s only to find varying states of prefailure.

Good luck repairing yours! Great trucks, but the v8s have real issues.