Originally Posted by Lesmyer

Factory instructions have you remove the transfer case and lower the transmission to get at the bellhousing bolts, ground straps, and fuel line clamp on the rear of the cylinder heads. The transmission is then removed so the engine can be pulled straight up without being moved forward. Of course no one wants to remove trans and transfer case to get the engine out. It can be done with the transmission in place, but there are certain problems with doing so.

With the trans in place, the back of the engine does not drop down for access to the bellhousing bolts and there are two particularly difficult ones to get out. These are the top two on the driver's side. The one behind the accelerator pedal may not have sufficient room between the trans and the firewall to actually be removed. The top one is just extremely awkward to get to, as are the multiple ground straps. I will tell you how to deal with the fuel line clamp later, but know that the engine will not come out until it is dealt with.

Remove upper radiator shroud. Drain coolant and disconnect hoses, transmission lines, and oil cooler lines. Remove radiator and lower shroud. Remove A.I.R injector tubes from engine (these attach to the valves in front of exhaust manifolds). Remove P/S pump on it's bracket and zip tie forward out of the way in the lower radiator support. Remove A/C compressor on its bracket and with hoses still attached zip tie it back on the evaporator case.

Unbolt underhood relay center from it's place and flip it over. Disconnect the big wiring harness that goes across the engine at this box (by removing plug-in retaining bolt) and all the places where it connects to the engine. Lay this wiring harness over the A/.C compressor and out of the way. Remove alternator on its bracket and remove from vehicle. Remove distributor and plug wires from engine – plug the hole with a rag and keep debris out of the engine. Remove knock sensor and oil pressure sensor (for clearance to get at bellhousing bolts). Disconnect and remove fuel line Schrader valve. All this stuff needs to come off to access the top bellhousing bolts.

Disconnect y-pipe at both exhaust manifolds. Remove passenger side exhaust manifold. Remove starter (easily bring starter out where exhaust manifold used to be). Also note that with manifold removed, engine will clear the evaporator case without twisting it at a 45 degree angle. Otherwise you risk damaging the evaporator case. Remove three torque converter bolts through starter hole. Disconnect transmission line to oil pan bracket. Disconnect crank sensor. Remove through-bolt on each engine mount. Disconnect the steering shaft from the steering box for clearance.

Next you need to get all the bellhousing bolts out. There are six main bolts that go into the engine, and several more that go into the oil pan. The top two (start with these) will need to be removed with a combination end-wrench – and yes, 1/12 turn at a time on the driver's side top bolt – so be patient. Plan on dropping more than one wrench into oblivion on top the trans, so have extra wrenches ready. No, I don't remember the size but it was Metric, possibly 17mm bolt head. The next bolt down on the driver's side is the tough one. If you have clearance then by all means go ahead and take it out. For me, I zipped an appropriately positioned 2” flap in the sheet metal behind my accelerator pedal using a Dremel tool and bent it back for access to the bolt.

Once you have the bellhousing bolts out, put a floor jack underneath the trans, jack it up aganst the trans tunnel and pull the engine forward as far as it will go (about 2”). Now you have just enough room between the heads and the firewall to remove the ground straps and the fuel line clamp on the lower rear of the driver's side head. As long as you can get the flex plate in front of the trans bellhousing on the way up, you should then be able to lift the engine up and out of the vehicle.

Reverse to reinstall.

Originally Posted by Tynan Tha Real Dill

Ok thanks Lesmyer ! It's all a learning experience. Now does anyone know the nut size on the fan clutch ? And the nut I hold as I break the fan clutch ?

Originally Posted by newguy

set the wrench up on the nut, with a heavy pipe or similar give it a good hard quiick smack counter clockwise. I`ve also used a LONG screwdriver wedged in the smaller nuts on the clutch. Turning both wrench and screwdriver towards each other at the same time

Originally Posted by ChuckNTruck

haha i always just put a pair of vice grips on the clutch fan nut and smack the vice grips with a hammer. I have yet to have one of them not come off. But if the belt is missing already it makes this much harder.
If i had to guess between those two i would say the smaller wrench. when you go to the parts store just ask to see a new clutch fan off the shelf so you can make sure its correct.