i am in the middle of an out the bottom engine swap. changing to a 383!! :-) i needed to ask acouple questions. first off, i need to get the transmisson linkage off....i took the 2 bolts on the bracket off but i dont know how to dissconnect it. i have a automatic tranny by the way. also, how do i get the damn brake lines off? i stripped two of them already. is it nessasary to disconnect the ac?? are there any things that i might not have to dissconnect? and......is there a way that i can drop the engine out the bottom with out a cherry picker?? i called all these auto places and they have none for rent. i dont want to spend 200 bucks for a 1 time use. so far i am about half way done!!! plz help guys! thanks.

 

Harbour freight has a cherry picker for $100 on sale. The tranny cable should pop right off - no big deal there. A lot of guys that went out the bottom have stripped the brake line nuts trying to use tubing wrenches, etc. and ended up taking them off with vise grips. Don't know about the AC.

 

on the trasmission cable i just pull it off? i just put a lot of WD40 on the brake lines.

 

Yep. And WD-40 is OK at preventing rust, but there's better penetrating oils like 3-in-1 oil, Liquid Wrench, and PB Blaster.

 

A buddy of mine disconnected everything, unbolted the K-member and pulled the front of the car up off the engine/suspension package, using a hoist to raise the front end using the shock tower brace.

 

so those shock tower braces are more than just towel hangers

 

man! i am doing the engine thing right now and i am having a very very hard time getting the damn brake lines, ac lines, and that last transmisson line off!!! i am really getting pissed. is there anything that can make them less hard to get off? the bolts are all chewed off already too. right now i feel like just droping the [edit]engine and braking that damn lines!!!! (i need to calm down) HELP PLZ!!!!!

 

For the brake lines you can try the vise grips as it seems the fittings are probably already destroyed. If you really can't get them off you may go try to buy a tube cutter and just cut the tube real close to the fitting and hope you can reflare it. As far as the A/C goes i always just took the A/C lines loose. I've read where people said they've taken the compressor loose from the motor and left it in the engine bay but i could never get it fished out. I have a 6 spd so i have no clue on your tranny issues.

 

how would i reflare the lines? thanks for the advise.

 

You need to go buy or rent a flaring tool. I believe autozone rents/loans them. Its important to get a tubing cutter to make the cut. If you just use plyers or something you'll mush the tube and you'll end up having to cut even more off to fix it, before you can reflare the tube.

 

what would i have to do with that flaring tool? is it pretty easy?

 

You would flare the end of the tube, you have to make the end of the tube look like a bell in order for it to seal right. Its actually pretty hard to get a good flare that'll seal right, but its probably your only option. Now that the fittings are destroyed you'll have to cut the end of the tube off to put new fittings on then reflare it.

 

ok, i got the brake lines off. can anyone help me with the ac lines and the transmisson line connected to the radiator?

 

What do you need help with? I don't know what you want us to do? Whats the problem with the A/C lines? They're right out in the open. The A/C lines can also be disconnected in several places. Have you tried just taking them loose at the back of the compressor? Same thing with the tranny line on the radiator? Whats the problem? Put a flare-nut or tubing wrench on it the fitting and take it out.

 

they are just really tight on there. eventhough they are in the open, they are still really tight. i was just asking if there a way that some how, something might be able to loosen them. or maybe there might be an easier way or something.