Heads And Clutch - Best To Pull Motor ?

You will spend more time and energy pulling it all out vs a stiff back just leaning over the fender. Do yourself a favor and leave it in but I would replace the clutch while your already tooling away. If your increasing your performance it is just going to go out sooner than later.

By the time you pull it, you could be done with the original work.

Only takes 2-3 hours to pull the motor. I like working on a motor stand. You have to take all the accessories of the front anyway. Are you putting a cam in? If so you gotta pull the radiator. I would pull it. Just my opinion though, leave the trans in, just pull the motor. It's easy to get it lined back up when putting the motor back in.

I agree, why take it out if you don't have to?

I did a trans on a V6 camry and had to pull the motor w/ tran on it. FWD That was a 1 week job.

Don't pull the motor. It will create more problems and expense IMO. Something always breaks or needs replacement when I pull a motor out. Murphy's law. Plus you are talking about adding several hours to the job.

jAEded said:

I agree, why take it out if you don't have to?

I did a trans on a V6 camry and had to pull the motor w/ tran on it. FWD That was a 1 week job.

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This is hardly the same. Different car and fwd.. I wouldn't pull the motor on that either.

jcgafford said:

Leave the motor in the car. No reason to pull it for those repairs/replacements

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Bump! That' way too much work for those needs and besides that, you'd need a place to hold the motor while you fiddle with it.

Best to let the K-member be the engine stand. If the motor comes out, it's time to get real serious then, and do a complete overhaul!

f8tlfiveo said:

This is hardly the same. Different car and fwd.. I wouldn't pull the motor on that either.

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I agree with you, and you don't need to pull the engine to do the heads and clutch on a mustang. The heads removed give you more room to the top bell-housing bolts.

Its why I was clear on it being a fwd car. I did it at home in the garage and I couldn't get the car high enough off the ground to remove the cross-member and get it out the bottom. Everything out the top. It was more just to say don't do it if you don't have to, but maybe I chose a poor way of expressing it.

Not saying you have to pull the motor, I have done it both ways. I just prefer to work on a motor stand. Obviously you guys do not agree with me, which is fine. This is why the op asked the question. So the consensus is leave it in the car.

I guess I am in the minority. I would pull the engine/tranny out and do the work.

Just heads and intake, I'd leave it in. Add a cam, I might change my mind....

Considering that he is going to crack the motor and tranny apart to do the clutch as well as strip the top end the list of pros for pulling the motor is growing.

A few months ago I replaced my clutch working in a dirt floor barn, with a few pieces of ply wood to lay on, a jack and jack stands. Not too bad, but I just pulled my engine and I have to say working on the ground was easier. For the heads, you can just work under the hood. Just keep things clean.

Another vote for leaving it in. The clutch is a no brainer and maybe 3 hours of work if you're well practiced. The heads will take a little longer, and you have to pull stuff apart, but I think pulling the motor is just extra unnecessary work. Pulling the radiator out of the way is no biggie if you decide to swap the cam while you're at it.