[leonhuang]

I am rebuilding my 4.7 on 2000 grand cherokee. Need to remove crankshaft to get it regrind. The engine is still inside the car, heads removed, oil pan and all pistons removed, oil pump, timing chain system removed, also removed all bed plate bolts....

Anybody has experience removing crankshaft while engine sitting inside? Do I have to remove tranny? I am doing it on my driveway, with the front jacked up only...

 

[xtremzj]

uhhh i highly suggest removing the motor to get the crank out.

 

[WJ4x4LIFE]

I am rebuilding my 4.7 on 2000 grand cherokee. Need to remove crankshaft to get it regrind. The engine is still inside the car, heads removed, oil pan and all pistons removed, oil pump, timing chain system removed, also removed all bed plate bolts....

Anybody has experience removing crankshaft while engine sitting inside? Do I have to remove tranny? I am doing it on my driveway, with the front jacked up only...

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--------------------------concern remarks below---------------------

*I would advise you not, but since you have come this far. Why, take steps backward.

* I do hope you have a detail manual over everything you may need. *

* There has been a few of us(including me) that have removed a crankshaft in an engine before installed in a vehicle. Would I do it again, NO. *

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Let me first answer your question, before moving on.

#1. You do not need to completely remove the transmission away/from the vehicle, but you will need to remove the torque converter & bolts, as well as the flex plate & bolts. So yes, from the engine, but no from the vehicle.

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You will then remove the bed plate and half of the bearings will come down with it, so be careful, please! There are steps in removing the bed plate, so you do not damage or pry incorrectly the seal between the block and bed-plate. *there are pry locations to do this step correctly.* After that, you are home set to remove the crankshaft and target wheel.

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Good luck with your adventure.

 

[leonhuang]

Thanks a lot Omar for your comments. I don't have the equipment to lift the engine out, so i may only do it this way... I guess i will also need to jack up the rare part of the car on 18" jack, and need a transmission support jack to hold/move the transmission? Where do I un-bolt transmission? from the engine side or from the transmission side? Do I have to support the engine block with some kind of jack while pulling transmission back?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------concern remarks below---------------------

*I would advise you not, but since you have come this far. Why, take steps backward.

* I do hope you have a detail manual over everything you may need. *

* There has been a few of us(including me) that have removed a crankshaft in an engine before installed in a vehicle. Would I do it again, NO. *

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let me first answer your question, before moving on.

#1. You do not need to completely remove the transmission away/from the vehicle, but you will need to remove the torque converter & bolts, as well as the flex plate & bolts. So yes, from the engine, but no from the vehicle.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

You will then remove the bed plate and half of the bearings will come down with it, so be careful, please! There are steps in removing the bed plate, so you do not damage or pry incorrectly the seal between the block and bed-plate. *there are pry locations to do this step correctly.* After that, you are home set to remove the crankshaft and target wheel.

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Good luck with your adventure.

 

[oldfamilyguy]

I can't be of any help with this. But I take my hat off to you, you're awesome to be doing this. It is definately not for the faint of heart. All I can add is please be extra careful how you have everything supported and if possible always have another person there just in case.

 

[99WJ539918]

You can rent a cherry picker for $35 a day from Advance Auto. Or buy one from Harbor Freight for $139:

http://www.harborfreight.com/Shop-Crane-1-Ton-Capacity-Foldable-69512.html?ccdenc=eyJjb2RlIjoiNTcxMjgwNDgiLCJza3UiOiI2OTUxMiIsImlzIjoiMTM5Ljk5IiwicHJvZHVjdF9p%0D%0AZCI6IjkwNzMifQ%3D%3D%0D%0A

This will be so, so much easier for you. Unbolt the block from the motor mounts, unbolt the trans from the trans mount/K member, and unbolt the front and rear driveshafts. This is, of course, after you hook up the cherry picker to your block and remove the front bumper, radiator, and reposition/remove your AC condenser. You're probably only 2 hours away from having it out. Even less if you leave the transmission and transfer case in the Jeep.

But if you're still set on not doing that... You do not need to support the rear of the trans as the trans mount does that, as the engine supports the front of the trans. The bolts go into the back of the engine (so the heads are facing the rear of the vehicle) so you'd have to face the front of the Jeep when removing or loosening the trans bolts in the bell housing. You do not need to support the engine as long as the motor mounts were not removed. Good luck.

 

[WJ4x4LIFE]

Thanks a lot Omar for your comments. I don't have the equipment to lift the engine out, so i may only do it this way... I guess i will also need to jack up the rare part of the car on 18" jack, and need a transmission support jack to hold/move the transmission? Where do I un-bolt transmission? from the engine side or from the transmission side? Do I have to support the engine block with some kind of jack while pulling transmission back?

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Member (99WJ539918) just about covered all your questions, I believe which rounds everything up. I would like for you, if possible to keep us updated as you take on this challenge. Good Luck, sir.

 

[leonhuang]

Thank you so much for your advice. I think I should go ahead and pull the engine out, will get the equipment from Harbor Freight ... Will update here

Before doing that though, i will double check again today after work, to see how difficult it is to do it inside the Jeep... I do software coding for living...only get chance to work on my jeep after work or in weekend...

One more question:

Do i really have to remove radiator and front bumper to pull engine out? I see a lot space (about 1 ft) between engine block and radiator, since i have the fan and timing chain cover/system all removed... I don't know how much i will need to pull the engine block forward before upward?
:tea:

PS: I assume i also need an engine stand to hold the engine for repairing, do i need a 1000lb stand or a 2000lb stand? Thanks so much!

You can rent a cherry picker for $35 a day from Advance Auto. Or buy one from Harbor Freight for $139:

http://www.harborfreight.com/Shop-Crane-1-Ton-Capacity-Foldable-69512.html?ccdenc=eyJjb2RlIjoiNTcxMjgwNDgiLCJza3UiOiI2OTUxMiIsImlzIjoiMTM5Ljk5IiwicHJvZHVjdF9p%0D%0AZCI6IjkwNzMifQ%3D%3D%0D%0A

This will be so, so much easier for you. Unbolt the block from the motor mounts, unbolt the trans from the trans mount/K member, and unbolt the front and rear driveshafts. This is, of course, after you hook up the cherry picker to your block and remove the front bumper, radiator, and reposition/remove your AC condenser. You're probably only 2 hours away from having it out. Even less if you leave the transmission and transfer case in the Jeep.

But if you're still set on not doing that... You do not need to support the rear of the trans as the trans mount does that, as the engine supports the front of the trans. The bolts go into the back of the engine (so the heads are facing the rear of the vehicle) so you'd have to face the front of the Jeep when removing or loosening the trans bolts in the bell housing. You do not need to support the engine as long as the motor mounts were not removed. Good luck.

 

[multmigs]

the radiator and fans all will come out together so why not just pull it out? you have to disconnect all the assorted hoses attached anyway? the front bumper you could probably leave in place and just remove the grill shell? not sure if there is something like a support in the way after you do that which would prevent you from taking the motor up and out but again its not really much more work than you are doing already. When I did it I just wanted everything out of the way and not damage anything on the way out or in, I was really concerned about the AC condenser but I was advised on here to just leave it in place and upbolt the compressor and lines from where they attach to the engine so it can be maneuvered out of the way and didn't that whole setup continue to work no prob after I put the new motor in!!!! Take your time and you will do this by yourself no prob.

 

[leonhuang]

some pictures

please see some pictures:
space between block and radiator,about 1 ft; the way i jack up; the A/C was set aside...
looks not many things attached to the block, i think i should pull it out...

 

[99WJ539918]

You don't need to remove the radiator, but it's only a couple bolts and it will make things so much easier. Are you planning on removing just the block, or the block and the trans, or the block, trans, and transfer case? If you're going to remove anything besides just the block the you're going to have a tougher time with the radiator and front bumper cover in place. At most you're talking fifteen to twenty minutes to take the front bumper and radiator out (along with moving the condenser out of the way). It will be so much easier for you to do it that way. And you don't "need" an engine stand, you can get the bottom end built and lower the engine on a tire (no rim, just a tire) and then reassemble the top end. If you want to buy an engine stand you can also find them at harbor freight:

http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb-engine-stand-69886.html

Most gasoline engines with aluminum weigh around 500 lbs. so I imagine the 4.7L to be right around there. You'd only need a 1,000 lb. engine stand. Good luck and take lots of pictures. Here's all of the pictures I took of my engine build and swap, I wish I took more. You can see how much room I have after removing the front bumper cover, condenser, and radiator. I put my block on an oil drum after I put that back together and assembled the rest of the engine on that drum. You can't see, but my old block on the floor next to the drum had a screwed up cylinder wall from the #6 connecting rod cracking and subsequently blowing that piston to hell.

 

[leonhuang]

updates: bought shop floor crane and engine stand from harborfreight, will lift the engine block out...

 

[99WJ539918]

updates: bought shop floor crane and engine stand from harborfreight, will lift the engine block out...

Nice, good luck.

 

[leonhuang]

lift the engine block out...

 

[Jeeples]

I'm pretty sure you're going to have some issues with raising the motor high enough to clear the grille/radiator and/or not hitting the hood with engine hoist. At the very least you are probably going to need to remove the hood.

 

[alfaitalia]

Ill go one step further and say that is never coming out without some more dismantling....hood, grille etc!

 

[leonhuang]

Yeah, that is the plan... Hood is the easiest one to remove....

I'm pretty sure you're going to have some issues with raising the motor high enough to clear the grille/radiator and/or not hitting the hood with engine hoist. At the very least you are probably going to need to remove the hood.

 

[drwolcot]

you don't need to remove the hood.... you are not far from removing the radiator out... I just pulled mine out engine/tranny/tcase and all. I got the same HF cherry picker and was well worth it

 

[multmigs]

you can disconnect the 2 hood strut rods and then open the hood higher than normal which gives the extra clearance without all the extra effort of removing the hood

 

[leonhuang]

I was planning to remove the engine block only, i will leave the tranny inside. So it looks easier to remove or open up more of the hood than radiator...

I also bought a 1000lb engine stand, which i plan to put the engine block on and rotate, removing the crankshaft....But I saw reviews in youtube that these stands do not really work, i.e., it can hardly rotate.

Any experience/comments?

you don't need to remove the hood.... you are not far from removing the radiator out... I just pulled mine out engine/tranny/tcase and all. I got the same HF cherry picker and was well worth it