Deener

Thanks NorthWet. They all look really nice, no damage to any of them because I put a rubber mat on the ground before I started so when they fell off, they landed softly...read that here somewhere. I just thought that there may be some microscopic difference between them that mattered. I have the passenger and drivers sides seperated, its just the order that got mixed up as each cam carrier came off.

Ten four. Ok, what about the valve rockers? I just read that on the FSM they mention to carefully remove them and put them back in the right order. Well, when I took the cam carriers off, the rockers just fell on the ground so I have no idea which ones go where. Is there a way to tell which one goes where or does it really matter? Thanks again. Dean

I have been reefing on this 94 Loyale, fighting a broken head bolt and I just popped the engine out last night!!! It's my first time and it went smooth. Very importand to line up the transmission with a supporting jack while the engine hoist matches the pitch of the pieces - it makes seperating them easy. I am considering an engine stand so I can reassemble the heads, cam carriers and valve covers nicely before sliding it back in. Princess Auto has an engine stand that doesn't come with bolts: http://www.princessauto.com/workshop/garage/repair-equipment/shopcrnes/engnestandacc/4270666-1000-lb-engine-stand Will I need a special type of bolt to secure the block to the engine stand? Or can I just use the two bolts that came off the top of the bellhousing? If not, what size of bolt/thread pitch would you guys recommend? Also, while it's out I am going to clean the engine bay. The cross member is gross. Any recommended chemicals? Dean

Oh yeah - since the vlave covers are coming off, you could replace those and all the grommets. (9 of them I think). The head gaskets that have been recommended to me are the FelPro Permatorque type. Also - Oil filter...clamps (new clamps on hoses means no questions about their integrity)...intake gaskets...

Cam Carrier o rings perhaps? Once the cam carriers are off you will see the o rings. I got mine from the Subaru dealer for about 2 bucks each...

My 88 GL, non-turbo, 3 spd auto just turned 300k exactly as I drove into work today.

Thats what I thought. I think I am going to have to pry a couple of friends off the couch to help shove it back in. If I make lots of little turns the torque bind is workable. Thanks GD...

Update - Stroke of Bad luck... Dec 30th, I tore ligaments in my left knee and have been somewhat confined to crutches and drugs. To make matters worse...Jan 1st at 6:30am I was on my way to pick up a crane that I was about to borrow from my friend when I broke a timing belt in my GL on the highway and waited 3 hours in the cold for a tow. So last weeekend I pulled the Loyale out of the garage, put new belts on the GL and she's running great. Woot. I got the crane delivered and now I have to shove the Loyale (the one that is getting the bolt extracted) back in the garage. FURTHERMORE, I accidentally left the Loyale in 4wd so turning it is giving me some torque bind when navigating turns, making it almost impossible to push. One question for y'all... Since the heads are off, is there any way to EASILY disengage the 4wd from the rear diff without starting the car or taking off the drive shaft? I connected the battery, pushed the button but it just won't come out of 4wd. Oh yeah...happy new year... Dean

Yeah, I was worried that it was going to be expensive at the machine shop but it's not, 20 bucks is totally worth the peace of mind. The engine removal/overhaul is something that I want to be able to do myself in my garage, kind of a challenge but I am totally up for it. I can't wait to see the block up and out...but it will have to wait until next week.

Yessiree. Heads Unlimited that I am referring to is located in Surrey BC, which is only about a 15-20 minute 'spirited' drive away from my place in Vancouver. Still looking for a good crane and a stand to buy. I have a few sources to follow up on, the best craigslist deal I found - guy won't sell his until Jan 1st. I might just wait for that set since they are brand new (used once) with universal bolts.

Ah, just saw your post Mr Fox... Yes the head bolts are different sizes. The way I find to line them up is to keep them in the heads and if you slide them through and they are all in the right spots, the thread sides (bloack mating side) will be the same length. I found a crane and a stand for about 100 bucks for both so I am going to get them since its not too expensive, could maybe use them again later too. Totally...going to assemble the whole thing on the bench and then crane it back in. Dean

Yep, the pitch stopper was the first thing to pop off. Ah ha - so those studs ARE attached!! Ok, this makes sense now. Thanks for the 02 sensor heads up. I would have yanked on it until I saw the wire getting tight. The heads are already off, the AC and the intake are bungee'd to the side nicely, PS pump lines are off at the pump, exhaust is dropped and I haven't spotted anything else that would get in the way. It was just a matter of knowing the studs are connected and which way to lift first and then pull. This should be straightforward now I think. By the way, I found a machine shop that will do the bolt exctraction for 20 bucks called Heads Unlimited! Saves me the accidental off center drill maneuver... Thanks again guys. I will update as I progress... Dean

Aw man. I didn't want to ask but I have seperated the bell housing by about half an inch and it won't go any further because the motor mount studs are sitting in the crossmember, preventing any further horizontal movement. I have a couple questions before I start reefing on it and possibly break something... Are the two 14mm bottom bolts in the bell housing attached to the block or something? I could not see where they might slide out if they are supposed to, it seems like they are casted into the block perhaps...? Am I supposed to lift AND pull at the same time to get this thing out? I can't lift it without the bottom bell housing studs getting in the way and I can't slide it forward without the mount studs getting in the way. The creative approach would seem to be to place a jack on the tranny and then when the motor mount studs clear the cross member, slide it forward. Am I missing something here? Aside from knowledge and experience that is... Dean

Yeah I have thought about the machine shop thing. It might be worth it so I don't mess it up. I was planning on getting it under the drill press so I had a perfect 90° angle on it, then mark the drill bit so I dont go too deep but if a machine shop can do it for cheap...then why not. I will call around and check their rates. I am planning on giving it another pass tonight. Maybe the crossmember was so dirty that I couldn't see the mount moving up. The oil pan gasket AND oil pump seal are both gong to be done because it just makes sense...its all right there with the engine out. Thanks for all of your support fellas. Dean

Yup, those 14mm nuts are off, they came off nicely and the bolt threads are in good shape. I see a new washer on the drivers side so someone must have replaced it. I only unscrewed the bottom nuts off - the ones that you access from underneath the car, so do I have to undo the top pieces/nuts of the mounts as well? It doesn't seem like it. I don't know how to quote GD's last reponse in tandem with Grossgarys as well but that's awesome news!! - four external bolts and the bell housing should pry apart... I will give er a shot. I am excited to get the engine out because I can do a way better job on it that way anyway. Dean

I found a place that carries the bits. Acklands Granger. I picked up one HSS bit for about $8 and I have to go to their warehouse (two blocks from my work) to pickup the others, which should be a bit cheaper. I removed the tranny mounts and the engine mounts last night and tried Grossgary's trick of jacking the engine and tranny up together for clearance but the engine mounts woudn't disengage from the crossmember...I just undid the two bolts for the engine mounts that are under the car, not sure if I had to take more of the mount assemblies off or what, but they didn't budge, I could see the tranny mounts come up though when I appplied the jack. If I can't get it up high enough (there's a pun there I think) then I will pull the engine out for sure. Unfortunately my downloaded copy of the FSM (from the finleyweb/aviation site) is missing the sections on engine/transmission mounting system and the Haynes isn't very clear. SO my next question is...with the engine mounts off I would have four big bolts on the bellhousing, and shouldn't there be some more smaller bolts through the timing hole? I couldn't find any bolts in there to release so I stopped there. It's a standard tranny... Dean

Yeah 14 and smaller sounds about right. I will keep shopping around until I find the good price - it has to be out there. Thanks a million for all of the tips. Dean

Thanks Grossgary. Awesome about the rear trans mount. I think I'll have enough clearance just like that. I will get some cutting oil today as well then. I found a couple of local sources for the lefty drill bits - Acklands and Summit Tools which are both on the way home from work. Between 200-250 per full set. I don't think I can aford to dump a couple hundred bucks on drill bits this close to Christmas so I will probably buy a few singles instead. Can anyone comment on what sizes I should get and any particular stiffness/coating? Cobalt..titanium..or? Dean

Ok, I have learned my lesson about the ez outs. I have snapped one off before and I know I shouldn't use them, I have just never been able to drill a bolt out to the point where it crumbles. You should see the looks I get when I ask around for left handed drill bits! I haven't tried the high end tool manufacturers yet so I am hoping they have them. I picked up a short 'corded' drill. The drill fits in the area with a medium sized bit on it, and I have 3 inches of room to spare. I am going to remove the air box and the purge can bracket to give myself even more room and guage it from there if the engine is coming out or not. So if I undid the two motor mounts and the pitch bar, I could get the engine up a few inches without seperating the bell housing?

Ha ha...yeah I am already dreaming up a way to punch the center of the bolt with something that fits in the hole perfectly...perhaps grind the old bolt to a fine point in its center and using that as a punch, then finding a way to guide the drill in perfectly square using the same principal, working my way up in bit size as I go until theres barely anything left of the bolt and then try and ez out and re-tap it...dunno yet, my idea seems a little sci-fi. I have never pulled an engine and I would need some stuff to do it. Firstly the actual proper steps and then some gear - Dad has some 8x8 beams and I might install one in my garage with a come-along or a winch in place of an engine crane. I don't have much room to work with so I am still kind of exploring my best options. If I could get the block out, I imagine I'd just flip it and get it under the drill press and then swear at it. How much does the block weigh by itself?

Yeah, I kinda thought that. The remaining/loose piece has a half inch of thread on it and it snapped well into the block, the only saving grace is that it is the easiest of the 9 to access - the one closest to the rad and at the top. I have never pulled an engine out so this will be a first if I can't get a good drill position on it. I am sure there's a ton of info on here about how to get it out, I will search around for it. Thanks and wish me luck. Dean

Umm...so maybe I need a different thread for this but I managed to snap a head bolt INSIDE the block while putting it all back together. It's the 7th bolt in the tightening sequence. I had the wrench set at 35ft lbs and it didn't even get to there when it snapped... Anyone know where I can I get a new head bolt from (provided I can get the other one out, it snapped BELOW the head of course.) I am thinking that the wrench is garbage or the bolt was no good. Dean

Just putting it out there - I have had the oil filter seal leak and it would smoke when the oil hit the cat/exhaust, mostly when I was driving...the wind was pushing the oil from the filter onto the exhaust and the cars behind me would eventually pass me with a one finger salute...

I have heard that the intake manifold gaskets can cause similar issues (not sure how but it has been suggested to me). I am no professional either but the intake is only 6 bolts plus the egr pipe to find out and they are right on top, visible... Dean

Cool, thanks Mr Fox. You should have seen the goo that was in the PCV hoses, they were alomst goo'd shut. On that note, since there was such a heavy build up of goopy mayo junk in the oil, would it make sense to run a treatment like seafoam or something through it to clean it out when its all back together? Dean