Remove engine with transaxle 95 SLE... Other models and years similar

Remove Engine with Transaxle 95 Bonneville SLE

I used this method to remove the engine and transaxle without assistance on a level paved driveway. This technique is helpful when the engine is seized and the trans cannot be separated from the engine in the car, or when both components need work outside the car. Make sure the legs on your hoist extend at least as far as the end of the boom. Make sure the chain and lifting shackles are strong enough for the job. For safety and convenience, it is best to have another person present to help in guiding the drive train during lifting and lowering.

Undo 5/16" negative battery cable; place away from negative terminal

Remove engine cover (twist oil filler tube, press plastic under rear retainer)

Remove relay center cover (twist locks vertical, undo speed nut)

Undo 4 13mm nuts and remove strut brace

Peel away mastic sheet from top of engine firewall electrical connector

Undo 10mm bolt in connector while lifting plastic side clips to disconnect

Replace mastic over firewall half of connector to keep clean and dry

Cover engine end of connector to keep clean

Squirt penetrating oil on bolt ends passing through exhaust manifold flange

Disconnect air temperature sensor (clip)

Remove airbox (2 ¼" screws) and air pipe to throttle body

Remove vacuum lines from vapor canister to trans vacuum modulator, throttle body taps, and fuel pressure regulator; cap ends

Undo 13mm nuts to remove cruise control servo; matchmark hole; disconnect cable from servo and servo bracket; replace keeper on end of fitting; wire to side

Undo 13mm studs on shift lever bracket

Pry nylon ball joint up off of shift lever ball

Wire bracket to side out of way

Unplug 3 electrical connectors for transaxle

Remove cables from throttle assembly; wire out of the way

Remove fuel line plastic push bolt from rear engine cover retainer

Disconnect 3/16" vacuum line from booster fitting on rear of intake man

Lift wiring harness, spread plastic clip and remove booster vacuum fitting Release pressure on fuel rail (undo cap; depress stem; use rag to absorb gas)

Clean fuel line disconnects with a brush or compressed air

Disconnect fuel lines by pinching white plastic clip under fitting and lifting fitting (use rag to absorb gasoline, cap metal pipe with clean vinyl cap)

Cover fitting ends of fuel lines with foil, plastic, etc to keep dirt out.

Release belt tensioner (15mm, ccw) and lift belt off A/C, and PS pulleys

Remove rear alternator support brace (2 x 10mm, 1 x 15mm)

Disconnect output wiring from alternator (13mm under plastic cover)

Pull output cable from alternator out from under plug wires and off to side

Remove lug nut covers and break loose lug nuts on front wheels

Jack up car; support on blocks on jackstands under rear subframe bolts

Remove wheels and right side wheelwell splash shields (plastic push bolts)

Remove 10mm bolt and free brake line retainer from right inner fender

Undo 7 10mm and 2 5/16" bolts to remove front plastic splash shield

Open radiator petcock and drain radiator

Undo 10mm pan bolts on transaxle to drain fluid; redo pan bolts

Remove stabilizer end links (13mm or 14mm deep socket)

Remove cotter pin and 18mm ball joint nut; split ball joints

Remove drive axles from transaxle (pry driver's side, strike tripot joint with wood drift and 4-pound hammer on passenger side to pop snap ring out)

Remove two 13mm bolts from PS pump through holes in pulley

Set pump upright on subframe, wire loosely in position

Undo exhaust flange bolts (15mm)

Remove upper and lower radiator hoses

Remove 4 10mm fine thread radiator top support bolts; remove support

Remove 4 10mm fine thread fan top support bolts

Disconnect plastic clip holding wiring to R fan; unplug connector to R fan
Pull key, unplug connector to L fan

Remove 3 10mm lower fan support bolts; lift fans out

Remove 2 10mm bolts holding cooling line clips; remove lines from clips

Disconnect trans cooler lines from radiator (5/8 flare); plug and cap holes Wire cooling lines up to engine

Remove radiator, drain remaining coolant

Undo two 13mm bolts holding A/C compressor rear (box wrench)

Undo two 15mm bolts holding A/C compressor front (box wrench)

Unplug two electrical connectors from compressor

Slide compressor through harness; support compressor with wire

Remove negative battery cable ground from engine block (13mm)

Remove positive battery cable from starter (5/8")

Remove 3 15mm nuts from front engine mount

Remove 3 15mm nuts from rear engine mount

Remove plastic harness clip from PS pump

Unplug sensor from PS pump

Remove oil pressure sender; quickly replace with a ¼" pipe plug

Disconnect heater hoses at tensioner bracket

Roll engine hoist into position; attach lifting shackles to engine lifting rings; raise motor and trans about 1/2"

Remove isolator portion of torque axis motor mount from car body: remove through bolt (15-18mm), loosen (do not remove) lower 18mm bolts, unclip plastic A/C hose bracket; remove top 18mm bolts; lift out

Remove 2 13mm bolts from torque strut mount to crossmember

Remove 3 13mm bolts from rear motor mount to trans

Lift and remove engine with transaxle


To separate the engine from the transaxle:

While drive train is on hoist, remove flywheel covers (10mm), starter (5/16" and 15mm), and flex plate to torque converter bolts (11/16 or 18mm)

Set drive train down on oil pan and trans pan on a 4-ft 2 x 12 oiled board

Undo 13mm bolts and remove trans to engine bracket

Remove 18mm bolts holding trans to engine from driver's side

With a long extension and 11/16" socket, remove backwards bolt

Wiggle and slide trans apart from engine on oiled board

If engine is seized, trans can be removed with torque converter attached to flex plate

To prevent twisting or stressing the transaxle case, the transmission to engine bracket (passenger side) should be the first attachment removed from the drivetrain when separating the engine and the transaxle and the last attachment made when joining the two. Make sure that when you attach and tighten the bracket that the big fasteners holding the engine and trans are already tight and that no stress or twist is on the R output leg of the trans. Install all four bolts finger-tight, then tighten the bolts into the engine first, and the bolts into the trans last.

Remove and Replace Notes:

Before you begin to take things apart, consider taking several photos to document the placement of wiring harness components, and the routing of belts and vacuum hoses.

When you remove a part, start the fasteners back in their proper holes for storage. When that is not practical, store them in marked ziploc bags. Yeah, you think you'll remember, but just wait 'til you are looking at that pile of parts 3 weeks from now and asking yourself: "now, where did I put..." or, "where do these go?" An empty trunk lined with newspaper makes a safe storage area for delicate parts that must be kept clean.

An assortment of small vinyl caps and plugs can be purchased in many auto parts stores. Larger pipe caps can often be found (sometimes for free) at stores that sell plumbing supplies.

When hooking up the drive train to the hoist, make sure the round, rear alternator brace is removed so the chain can run straight from rear lifting eye to the lifting link. In addition to the two short chains on the lifting eyes, an adjustable nylon strap with hook ends can be run from the crossover pipe, between the fuel rail and plenum and to the lifting point to keep the L end of the drive train closer to level for removal and installation. If the lift point is kept close to the bottom of the boom, it is not necessary to remove the hood of the car.

Save $34 by removing the oil sender and plugging the hole. This delicate component is very easily broken with a little bump when lifting and lowering the drive train.

When dropping in the drive train, set the front mount bolts in place through the holes in the front crossmember, then lower until the rear mount can be attached to the transaxle with the bolts loose in the holes in the rear crossmember. Attach the isolator and assemble the torque axis engine mount with the throughbolt before completely relieving weight on the hoist.

The 15mm bolt holding the front of the A/C compressor to the engine bracket closest to the engine is difficult to tighten. A 3/8" drive universal joint and short 15mm socket helps with a 12-point box wrench for final tightening.

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