How to Get an Engine Out of a Car

Step 1: Safety First

Before you start, it’s important to take some safety precautions. Make sure the car is parked on a level surface and that the parking brake is engaged. Disconnect the battery to prevent any electrical accidents. And wear gloves and safety glasses to protect yourself from any flying debris.

Step 2: Remove the Hood

Once you’re safe, you can start to remove the hood. This will give you access to the engine compartment. Locate the hood release lever inside the car and pull it to release the hood. Then, lift the hood and prop it up with a support rod.

Step 3: Disconnect the Battery

As mentioned in Step 1, it’s important to disconnect the battery before you start any work on the engine. Locate the battery terminals and use a wrench to loosen the nuts that hold them in place. Once the nuts are loose, remove the terminals from the battery posts.

Step 4: Drain the Coolant

The next step is to drain the coolant from the engine. This will prevent it from spilling out when you remove the engine. Locate the drain plug on the bottom of the radiator and place a drain pan underneath it. Open the drain plug and allow the coolant to drain out.

Step 5: Disconnect the Fuel Lines

Now, you need to disconnect the fuel lines from the engine. Locate the fuel lines and use a wrench to loosen the nuts that hold them in place. Once the nuts are loose, remove the fuel lines from the engine.

Step 6: Disconnect the Exhaust System

The next step is to disconnect the exhaust system from the engine. Locate the exhaust manifold and use a wrench to loosen the nuts that hold it in place. Once the nuts are loose, remove the exhaust manifold from the engine.

Step 7: Remove the Transmission

Now, you need to remove the transmission from the engine. This is a fairly involved process, so it’s important to follow the instructions carefully. First, you need to remove the driveshaft from the transmission. Then, you need to remove the bell housing bolts that hold the transmission to the engine. Once the bell housing bolts are removed, you can carefully pull the transmission away from the engine.

Step 8: Lift the Engine Out

Now, you’re ready to lift the engine out of the car. This is a heavy job, so you’ll need to use an engine hoist or a cherry picker. Attach the hoist or cherry picker to the engine and lift it out of the car.

Step 9: Clean Up

Once the engine is out of the car, you can clean up the engine compartment and reinstall the hood. Be sure to reconnect the battery and the other components that you disconnected before you started working on the engine.

Congratulations!

You’ve now successfully removed an engine from a car. This is a challenging task, but it’s definitely possible with the right tools and instructions.