Questions after pulling the motor and transmission

[dn010]

While we're talking about the studs that goes through the aluminum lower block, mine appear to be seized, although I haven't taken a sledge to them to try and knock it free. They do appear to have plenty of corrosion.

Since I do have the motor out, how realistic would it be to successfully press it out with a tool like a vice or ball joint press? In my mind, that eliminates the possibility of breaking the ear off the lower block, but if the stud has expanded and fused to the aluminum, it would seem like pressing it out might be risky too. Thoughts?

How bad are the studs? Anything you do is a risk - it's really up to you if you want to get involved in replacing them where other things can go terribly wrong, as opposed to cleaning it up and leaving it alone if they aren't bad. In my case, I was forced to change it because one side snapped on me.

If you really do want to change them out, be sure you have a vice that is big enough to handle that space but I'd still try using the same method as I posted above first, just without drilling. Clean up the end of the stud that will be going through the aluminum, on the other end of the stud stack washers - use a socket - oversize nut or lug nut - whatever you have in order to take up most of the space on that side of the stud, put a nut on it, heat up the aluminum ear as much as you can so it expands, spray the free end with some lube and then crank down on it. It should break free and start pulling itself out, it will then begin to rotate and that is when you can really spray it down and get things moving and eventually knock it out with a punch and hammer when there is very little resistance.

If it absolutely will not move, you can at least reassemble and go using that method. If you use a vice, you will mushroom one end of the stud and then have to deal with that in order to reassemble.

[Stainless]

How bad are the studs? Anything you do is a risk - it's really up to you if you want to get involved in replacing them where other things can go terribly wrong, as opposed to cleaning it up and leaving it alone if they aren't bad. In my case, I was forced to change it because one side snapped on me.

If you really do want to change them out, be sure you have a vice that is big enough to handle that space but I'd still try using the same method as I posted above first, just without drilling. Clean up the end of the stud that will be going through the aluminum, on the other end of the stud stack washers - use a socket - oversize nut or lug nut - whatever you have in order to take up most of the space on that side of the stud, put a nut on it, heat up the aluminum ear as much as you can so it expands, spray the free end with some lube and then crank down on it. It should break free and start pulling itself out, it will then begin to rotate and that is when you can really spray it down and get things moving and eventually knock it out with a punch and hammer when there is very little resistance.

If it absolutely will not move, you can at least reassemble and go using that method. If you use a vice, you will mushroom one end of the stud and then have to deal with that in order to reassemble.

I'm not really sure how bad my studs are as I haven't messed around with them yet as I've been focused on just getting the motor and transmission out of the car and separated. I didn't understand your method of extracting the studs until you provided these additional details, which make complete sense, and seem much less likely to damage things than trying to press them out. When it comes time for me to tackle this job, I'm going to give your approach a shot. It's funny that I can't just be fine with leaving the current studs alone since they will work just fine, but the new mounts came with shiny new ones and I'm a sucker for new parts.

[Stainless]

If by flywheel inspection plate you mean part 101073, I would just leave it off. All it seems to do is make it hard to remove the transmission. When the engine and transmission are in the car its difficult to remove the bolts that hold on the plate.

Should I just take it out of the car completely, or place it back on the frame where it was just sitting before? If it does no good just sitting there on the frame, I am inclined to take it out completely.

[dn010]

Take it out completely.

[dmcman73]

Should I just take it out of the car completely, or place it back on the frame where it was just sitting before? If it does no good just sitting there on the frame, I am inclined to take it out completely.

That plate is only there for front engine cars as the flywheel would be facing forward and bombarded with road debris. Since our cars are rear facing and the cross member is there, it's not really needed.