Pulling an engine from a van?

**Bruce_B** · 07-02-2007, 05:48 PM

I was talking to a friend the other day about my interest in getting a van and the topic of swapping engines came up. We came up with some theories on how it's done but I'm not too sure about our theories

So how do you pull an engine from a van? My best guess was you drop it from underneath somehow.

**Cableguy** · 07-02-2007, 10:11 PM

The grill assembly has to come out. No other way. Rad,shroud, everything. Fender to fender. Its not for a weak at heart.

**Bruce_B** · 07-03-2007, 12:19 AM

Thanks, that was another idea we had. It's probably not something I'll ever be doing myself.

**Dj Friction** · 07-03-2007, 01:15 AM

Bruce B....I had an 86 Astro, 4.3 that spun a main bearing.....to get the engine out the easiest was to drop the whole front "A" frame and drop the engine and tranny and everything at once. Had a lift and large engine tranny lift. It was only doable with the lifts......Any other way ...it will be a Big "B".

Good Luck

**Bruce_B** · 07-03-2007, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by Dj Friction

Bruce B....I had an 86 Astro, 4.3 that spun a main bearing.....to get the engine out the easiest was to drop the whole front "A" frame and drop the engine and tranny and everything at once. Had a lift and large engine tranny lift. It was only doable with the lifts......Any other way ...it will be a Big "B".

Good Luck

Yeah, it sounds like it's well beyond my patients level

The conversation started because I'm thinking of getting an Express and it was mentioned that vans are harder to work on than trucks. I've never worked on a van so I don't really know much about it, but I wouldn't be doing much more than basic maintenance myself.

**Davandy** · 07-03-2007, 04:23 PM

A Van is much harder to work on even replacing the spark plugs is a pain in the ***

**Bruce_B** · 07-03-2007, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by Davandy

A Van is much harder to work on even replacing the spark plugs is a pain in the ***

Really? Maybe I should rethink this. I've been shopping for a Suburban for a while but the right one hasn't come along yet (used). I was going to add the Express to my shopping but maybe I shouldn't.

I do want something I can do basic maintenance on without too much hassle. Some of those conversion vans look awfully nice though

**Davandy** · 07-04-2007, 02:07 PM

Some of those conversion vans look awfully nice

They are beautiful inside and out.
A Suburban is easier to work on

**Bruce_B** · 07-04-2007, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by Davandy

They are beautiful inside and out.
A Suburban is easier to work on

I'll have to go take a look at some and see if it looks like I could handle it. Do shops charge more to work on vans?

**Dj Friction** · 07-05-2007, 09:38 AM

BruceB....

I don't think that a shop directly charges more for a van...They work on flat rate for the job performed on a particular vechile......Now with that said.....certain jobs.....many those under the hood might well book more hours because of the diffucilty of the task of working on a van?

Brakes on the such would be the same, tune-up, Alt's ,starter might well cost more.

If that makes sense !!!