Can I remove the radiator support from 03

[paultippit]

I have an 03 Mustang Mach1 and am not quite a novice mechanic but in no way seasoned either. I am about to undertake the daunting task of removing my engine from my Mustang and am studying, reading, and questioning the best way for me to do it (I do not have access to a lift so I cannot take it out from the bottom).

I think I have most of the details down and am planning the things I am going to get accomplished on the weekends I have available but there is a question that is bugging me. One person said that I should remove the hood, front fascia, radiator, and radiator support.

Question - Can you unbolt the radiator support? I am unaware if I can unbolt it or it has to be cut. If I have to cut it, this advice would be silly but after reading my Haynes Manual and scanning my 2 mustang books by Sean Hyland I cannot find anything conclusive about removing the radiator support.

Thanks for the help,

-- paul

 

[tonytaylor85]

It is spot welded in. You can drill them all out if you can find them all and get to them i suppose. Then you have to weld it back together. I haven't had a 4.6 out of a mustang yet but there seems to be plenty of room to come out the top. The 4V may have more restrictions on the sides but I can't imagine having to take the radiator support out.

 

[1987stangman]

The core support is spot welded in, not a fun task at all to take it out. Just did a core support on a fox. You should have no trouble unbolting the motor and trans and just pulling the motor out.

 

[wmburns]

Engine removal procedures

If you don’t mind can I ask why? If the goal is to remove the motor, plenty of people have done that (including myself) with the AC condenser and radiator core support in place (radiator removed).

The motor can be removed from above with an engine crane. You have a choice of removing just the engine (leaving the transmission) or the engine and transmission together.

Engine cranes can be rented cheap enough. Use a buddy’s. Harbor Freight sells them as well. Note, do not recommend the cheapest unit. You may find the reach to be too short. Especially if the car is up on jack stands or bigger such as a truck.

Regarding whether or not to separate engine/transmission, both methods have their advantages/disadvantages. I am sure there will be plenty of guys to chime in about why one method is better than the other.

Everything that follows is my option based upon my experience.

I had a lot of problems attaching a load leveler to the engine. Ford makes a special set of lifting brackets designed to attach to the two boss holes drilled in the front left and back right cylinder head (M12 for Romeo M14 for Windsor). The Ford brackets are very expensive. The brackets are long enough so that the chain attaches above the plastic valve covers. The Ford brackets are also made of thicker metal so they will not bend and crush the valve covers.

I attempted to fabricate my own lifting eyes. Turned out they were not nearly long enough to clear the valve covers and not interfere with the AC hard lines. We ended up ditching the home lifting eyes and going with simple straps around the oil pan. This meant I could not adjust the tilt which would make installing engine/transmission together impossible.

For the reasons above, I installed the motor first and then the transmission 2nd from below.

It is more under car work to remove/install the motor separately from the transmission. The top starter bolt can be particularly a bear to get to. Could probably write an entire how to regarding tricks to remove/install the top starter bolt. What works for me is a very long socket extension with a 13mm flex socket. Wrap tape around the socket to limit flexing.

Good luck.