Need opinions on removing wrench from my engine

[281pony]

im hoping i dont need to pull this damn engine. then i have to remove my hood again too

with my luck though, i suppose i should just pull the engine first thing. that way ill for sure get it, not to mention more space to re-install my oil pan gasket and timing chain cover.

 

[Michael Yount]

"i suppose i should just pull the engine first thing. that way ill for sure get it, not to mention more space to re-install my oil pan gasket and timing chain cover. "

I believe you'll find in the long run it'll be easier, quicker, and more certain to solve the problem if you just head in that direction in the first place.

 

[281pony]

yep, thats what i was thinking.

ill get under there and be in a cramped space to get the bolts off. then if i cant get it im going to be so pissed and i wont want to touch it again. easier now to just take off my header bolts, bellhousing bolts, and disconnect a few connections and pull the motor so it gets done.

probably get it prepped tonight and pull it tomorrow. then it should be cake once its out. especially my timing chain cover gasket, now ill just have a one piece oil pan gasket and my timing chain gasket. versus cutting new end pieces and having to worry about those too.

if i ever get this done ill go to my cousins and get some pics of the new engine and brakes

 

[JTGT]

Ok, this is kinda far out, but after reading all this stuff, what could be farther out. Try putting a treble fish hook on a good string and "fishing" for the wrench. May not work, but certainly cannot hurt.

 

[Stang8URMPRT]

Ok. I have some personal insight into this situation.

With my old distributor, the oil pump driveshaft would get stuck to the end of the distributor. Even with the clip on the driveshaft, it would be so stuck, it would just pull the clip off and the distributor would come out with it. Well, when I went to put it back in the motor, I left the driveshaft on the end of the distributor, and low and behold, it fell off, and went inside the motor, just like your problem. I was stupid enough to try and start it after all the telescopic magnet tricks wouldn't work. Well, it def. got stuck in the rotating assembly. Basically the motor wouldn't turn.

And here's the fix....

You need to unbolt the trans mount, motor mounts, and jack the motor either from the balancer or lift it with an engine lift. With a dual sump pan, it's impossible to take the pan all the way out with the motor in the car, jacked up or not. Jack the motor up till the bell hits the firewall. This will give you enough room when you unbolt the oil pan to look around and see where it is. Mine was stuck between the crank and the block, and it bent the living **** out of the oil pump driveshaft. DON'T START IT. You don't want anything breaking or getting hurt, it's not worth it. All I had to do was drop the pan, and whala! It was right there, pulled it out, and put a new pan gasket on, and bolted her back up.

I have done this, and replaced 2 oil pumps in 5.0s with the motor in the car. You can't get the pan out with the motor in the car unless you unbolt the bellhousing and trans and lift the motor by itself, but there is no need for it. Just bite the bullet like I did, and drop the pan and get that thing out. Don't leave it in there, because for one it will never start, and two... IF it does, say bye bye to your crank and or block and or rods... It sucks, but you'll be glad you did it right!

Nick

 

[281pony]

ok you guys. i got one for ya.

i went back out to poke around, and i heard the wrench move. i got excited, and stuck the magnetic piece down there, when i heard it you have to kind of bend the extension and it slips down into the corner area.

long story short.. the magnetic extension is stuck in there. i got pissed and pulled kinda of hard on it and i saw something move right in the front of the pan, JUST below the timing chain and down in the sump. it is the wrench!

bad news/my amazing part. the magnetic part is somehow stuck on the wrench in the wrench, under the wrench, beside it? hell i dont know. there is not enough room to pull the wrench out anymore other then i can barely see its shining ass.

any suggestions here? this is UNBELIEVABLE. the magnetic extension is now stuck and holding the wrench in place right at the front of the pan. ive tried moving it around and its hopeless.

 

[281pony]

ok i gave a bad description of where the wrench is at.

you can see maybe 1/4" of the wrench just infront of the front drain plug. then it butts up against the oil pan and doesnt go anywhere. it is being held in place somehow by the magnetic extension. i tried moving it with the speaker magnet, nothing.

tried to push it over towards the side and then its too much of an angle to push it. it will disappear under the edge then you can push the extension down, and it slides it right back to the front of the pan.

if anyone wants to get a better idea over the phone, ill put my number up. im thinking i can avoid pulling the motor now. i can see it and damn near feel it. just need the right method to get this thing out.

 

[JTGT]

You are the victim of murphy's law!

 

[TT91]

Been there, done that. Oil pump driveshaft was the cause of my woes. Yank it and be done. with end of the wrench is showing, open end or closed end?

 

[281pony]

it appears to be the closed end. i can just get the tip of a decently long flathead on it and feel the wrench.

it is definately the wrench though. can tell by sound and sight for once.

im thinking of maybe jacking up the engine, dropping the pan a few inches, and then i can pull it out with a flathead and some pliers? the only thing with that is getting the oil pan gasket back on will be a pita.

anyone have a better suggestion? not to mention, now the damn magnetic tool is caught in there somehow, and didnt budge in 20 minutes of pulling and just so happens to have gotten the wrench somehow. i cant believe it

 

[TrickStang37]

damn this all sounds like $hit that happens to me.

 

[TT91]

dude just take it out, unbolt the bellhousing, unhook your exhuast and hoist her outa there. I had to do it while i was home on leave a few weeks ago, it took me MAYBE 2-3 hrs to have it OUT and back in.

 

[281pony]

alright. just trying to avoid doing things im not real comfortable with.

only helped pull one engine, and i dont have anyone else here. not a big deal though, ill get it prepped to remove. makes for easiest gasket installs too. just trying to be lazy i guess.

 

[TT91]

is the upper and lower intake on yet>

 

[281pony]

they are both on yes.

i have some of those dowels you can use on the header bolts from my cousin, that is how we dropped my engine in. i figured i will disconnect my starter, bellhousing, headers, and remove the upper intake/all connectors tonight so tomorrow i can be prepared after the mount bolts are out.

once it is out, it should only take 15 minutes or so to remove/install the pan. then drop it back in.

 

[TT91]

remove everything u said, leave the lower intake on, u can gain easy access to the bellhousing bolts like that. It should honestly take you about 20-30 minutes to get the bellhousing disconnected and have everything loose depending on your skill level. Raise the motor CLEAR above the car and pull here away from the car, once u have it where u want, get that oil pan off ASAP and take plenty of pics so we can see where the wrench has been hiding. Mine was easy, it was sitting in the front sump. Good luck, youll thank yourself for it later.

 

[TT91]

incase u need help...

 

[281pony]

thanks for the pics, im plenty familiar with removing and installing it. im just a little afraid of lifting it over my car, and then lining it back up afterwards. ill have my cousin help me with that.

i would take plenty of pics, but my computer has some issues and deleted my camera program and my disc drive no longer works

out to pull the engine then

 

[281pony]

took 90 minutes to do it all.

remove intake, remove headers, remove bolts (PITA) at h-pipe to headers, disconnect everything, remove intake lines, remove starter and wiring, remove ps, remove alt, sound like i missed anything?

 

[TT91]

not bad, ive been waiting here for you to come back with some good news...90 mins is good. just over a hour. Now tear it down and throw it all back together, 3-4 hours max.