Guys.

Dont want to make a long story about it but my 2004 5.4 engine seized las friday and i am getting ready to get a reman replacement and do the swap.

What is worrying me is how will I separate the flex plate from the torque converter when pulling the old engine out.

Been reading some on this topic and it seems that i have two options
1. Drop the oil pan and take pieces apart until i am able to rotate the crank
2. take out the engine with the torque converter attached.

I really want to avoid option #2. This is my first enigne swap and also i have read that the clearance to get the engine out is tight. I really dont want to make it more difficult that it already is or making further damage to the TQ/transmission.

How difficult it would be to drop the oil pan and going that route with the engine still on?

Any recommendation is greatly appreciated

 

Just pull the converter out with the engine. Make a HUGE mess when the 8-10 quarts of fluid come puking out but other then that it not a big deal. Have a big bag os kitty litter ready.

 

Would i be doing any damage to the flexplate, torque converter on any seals if i follow this route?

I dont care about the mess, i can always clean up, what really worries me is damaging something or not being able to pull the engine with that attached

 

As jethat said, just pull the engine with the converter and flywheel attached. There's no getting around the mess its going to make. There will be enough room to squeeze it out. Firstly I would take the serpentine belt off and put a breaker bar on the crank pulley bolt and try to turn the engine in both directions. You might have gotten lucky enough to where you can turn it by hand counterclockwise and get your flywheel bolts off that way. If you end up having to pull the converter out with the engine, then make sure and check the seal on the trans pump. It should be fine, but it's easier to check/replace that seal now then after you put the new engine in. Don't forget to prime the new engine (after it's installed) before you start it for the first time.

 

I've done it and other then the mess its is not a big deal. Just do it! If you never have done an engine it would be good if you found a helper who has. These are not easy engines to swap. Tough one to learn on..

 

Thanks to both of you for the suggestions.

Yes i will stop worrying too much about it and just get this thing going.

I would have liked to learn on an easier engine but here i am. Engine died on me and im not going to let the Truck down. Too many memories together

I have started tearing down everything. Unfortunatelly by the time i got to read this i had already removed the harmonic balancer so i dont know if it will turn counterclockwise I may install it once more and try it, it is worth it.

I will go buy an engine crane from harbor freight this weekend and will see if i can give it a shot on sunday

This is how it is looking so far.

 

Why not rent one from your local rental center instead?

 

My experience has been you can buy one from Harbor freight use it as many times as you like and take your sweet time. At the end and your done with it list it in the classifieds for what you paid for it. Some one will buy it thinking there getting a deal..

 

Looking good. Make sure you remove all the pulley's on the front of the engine as well as the tensioner and the 2 studs in the bottom of the front cover by the oil pan. They are a 22 mm socket. You can just install the crank pulley bolt and try to turn it. You don't need to reinstall the pulley. Don't forget to remove the p/s pump and the p/s reservoir and bracket. If you have more questions or are unsure of anything feel free to PM me. There will be a few things you need to make sure you do when you reinstall the intake.

 

Besides i always wanted one and now i have the perfect excuse to buy it

Thanks for the tips i really appreciate any help at this point.

I didn't even noticed those 2 studs until you mention them i will get them out as well. About the harmonic balancer, the issue is that if i try to turn the bolt counterclockwise it will just turn loose. I was thinking on installing the harmonic balancer again, getting a strapwrench and try to turn it that way...

It is kind of difficult for me to work on weekdays, i only have 1 hour before i go to work and 1 hour when i come back so progress has been slow. I have only managed to remove the AC compressor, vacuum hoses and also the harness from the top and front of the engine.

Do i need to remove the wiring harness from the back? i mean what is currently on the firewall or can that stay where it is? It seems to be still connected to something in the back, i guess to the oxygen sensors.

This is how it is looking so far

 

Ok

I'm almost there. Have taken all the pulleys, ac compressor and ps pump off, harness out of the way radiator and condenser removed as well.

PS pump was a bitch to remove. I didn't know that a special tool was needed to take off the pulley and bent it. Oh well, at least now I have a good reason to buy a new one.

Today I'm disconnecting the exhaust manifold and will see if I can turn the engine somehow to take out the flex plate bolts

Here is how it's looking

 

Looks good. Looks like you still need to remove the 2 studs in the front cover by the oil pan, (22mm socket). As far as the exhaust goes, you just need to un-bolt the down pipes from the manifolds. You'll pull the engine out with the manifolds still attached. Those manifolds are a pain in the *** to get off and out with the engine still installed. Are you using all hand tools or do you have a compressor and air tools? A 3/8 impact gun will tighten your crank pulley up enough that you'd be able to turn the engine if its going to turn. Don't forget to un-bolt the trans dipstick tube. It should be a 18mm socket and the bolt is on the side of the head towards the back of the engine. The black ground strap that that's bolted to the firewall needs to be removed as well. The main engine harness does plug into the O2 sensors.

 

I will be removing those two studs tomorrow.

Today i removed the pipes from the manifolds, i will be leaving them installed as you suggest. Good thing i don't have to take them off.

I don't have air tools but do have an electric impact, actually that came in handy to remove the rusted exhaust pipe nuts and also was the one that i used to take off the bolt of the harmonic initially. I will try to tighten the bolt tomorrow with it and see if it turns.

I got an engine leveler today at harbor freight. Do you know of a good place to secure it to the engine when taking out? It seems that it needs 4 places to hook. I was thinking on the two bolts that hold the alternator on the front and on the back use two of the transmission bolts, would that work?

Do i have to disconnect the o2 sensors? doesn't seem that i will be disturbing the cables to the sensors when removing the engine...

 

Ok. An electric impact will work just fine. The 2 alternator bolts and 2 trans bolts are a good place to attach the leveler. I would not use those bolts though. Find/get some bolts that are shorter and will screw into those holes and put a washer on so keep the chain from the leveler slipping off. If you use that leveler, you will most likely need to remove your grille to get you the clearance you need to get your engine out. I just use some chain link and bolt that to the engine and hook my cherry picker onto that. As long as the harness is disconnected from the engine, you don't need to worth about the O2's.

 

Breaking news! I was able to turn the crank just enough to take the flex plate nuts off!!!

I have also removed mist of the trans to engine bolts as well (the one above the starter was a bitch)

I'm ready to take it off. Only issue is that I forgot my truck is broken and couldn't carry the crane in my car.... ordered it online instead and it should be here next Friday so I will give it a shot on Saturday.

Hey my grille is really attached to the hood which I'm removing as well.

I was thinking on taking my 4 wheels off and support the truck on stands as low as possible before taking the engine off. Does that make sense?

Also, any recommendations on parts that i should replace once I have the engine out and have gone thru all this?

I was thinking on radiator hoses, ps pump, cops, and also I'm contemplating to replace the manifolds with long tube headers.