I have been trying to figure out my knocking problem before coming to the conclusion that it is rod knock I tried to rule out a number of things. I removed the headers, heads, intake manifold, and lifters. so basically I have just the block, tranny, acc. bracket w/ acc., and radiator in. with only these things left in there (with all the hoses and wires) should I just ago ahead and try to pull it out the top?? I did out the bottom last time, so I have a good idea what I would be getting myself into...but I had very little room to work with as far as rolling everything out, and due to the limited space...isn't the safest way for me to do it for me or the car.
I have a cherry picker and a happy hooker...but with the intake already off that rules out using the happy hooker, so I would just have to use my load leveler and bolt the chains off of that to the block.
If you were in my situation, then what would you do?

 

out the top

 

Definitly out the top. Just pull the tranny and then bolt a chain to a few of your head bolt holes and pull it out the top. I pulled and installed through the top with heads on the block and manifold off. Didn't have much of a problem at all. With the heads off, it will be even easier.

Ken R.

 

so take it out the top without the tranny? its an m6 if that makes a difference

 

I would take it out with the transmission attached, I have done this twice now with little trouble, also reinstall with it attached...You just have to make sure your car is up in the air (jackstands) its one hell of an angle but it works.

 

I took the heads off, radiator out, accesories off, trans out, and took it out as a shortblock. I left the hood on too. Assembled in reverse order.

 

I would still be very tempted to pull the engine, transmission and rolling crossmember out the bottom. Once you've done it, it's a pretty quick process and putting the engine back together is MUCH easier out of the car. You can reassemble everything outside of the car, including accessories, exhaust manifolds and 95% of the wiring and just bolt in back into the car.

 

The fact that you can put the headers on the car with the motor sitting on the k memeber is worth its weight in gold. Even if the motor is down to the block and on the k-member.

 

Out the bottom is the only way I would do it. Seems to me, it takes the same amount of room to either roll the k-member out or move the cherry picker.

 

Out the bottom... anytime, everytime...

You may be taking it out disassembled, but you'll be putting it back in assembled. Think about that....

And it's so much easier to get the car buttoned up going out the bottom.

 

headers aren't an issue for me. I have no problem doing those. macs go in real easy. either way its gonna have to be towed to my parents place because I have no garage where I'm at now and no flat surface except the street

 

that's is true...it would be a lot easier to put it all back together I guess if done out the bottom again.

 

pulled mine without removing hood...out the top.

pulled intake manifold, accessories, radiator and shrouding stuff....moved some hard lines out of the way with a big a$$ breaker and yanked it out with a cherry picker. no tranny.

i've seen it done with just removing the rad/accessories an IM with the tranny attached....and the hood attached.

 

Out the bottom... no doubt. After doing both, there's no question which is easier and quicker.

 

at this point, take the hood off, put the intake back on and use the hooker.
BUT they do have a point, it has to go back, do you find it easier to put it back from the bottom or the top....

I have a pin on hood and nothing but motor so taking it out the top is easy for me....