is it completely impossible to remove my 3.4 from the top of the car even after removing whatever? i have a cracked oil seal and it will cost 1000$ from any local shop so if i can't do my self then i'm going to buy a rebuilt engine or rebuild one my self cause i wont spend that much when a rebuilt engine is less than 1500 and mine has 191000 miles on it. self rebuild is 500. any suggestions?

 

The motor doesnt come out the top....your goin to have to drop it from the bottom.

 

so its completely impossible. what do i need to lift the car high enough and how do i lower the engine out?

 

I wouldnt say impossible but it was designed to be pulled from the bottom. The engine sets on a cradle and just drops out from the bottom. Best way to do it is have a lift.
4th gens are full of stuff thats a pain in the ***. [>:]

 

I just went thru this with my 3.8. Assuming you 3.4 is the same it can come out the top. Infact the factory are the brackes to putting it out the top already mounted on the engine. With the correct equipment and room it is easier to go out of the bottom.Just remember once you drop the motor you will have to deal with something that is as wide as the car so if you have limited space it becomes a dance,getting the hoist to the other side of the garage can be a challange. Also make sure you have a 2 ton hoist min. You need the reach.

http://forum.camarov6.com/showthread.php?t=93839

Second
Go with the rebuilt motor. Do not try to just through a ring and bearing kit in a engine with that many miles. You need to atleaset get the blocked cooked, cylinders bored to fix the out of round new cam bearings. That will be 200-400 depending where you live. That would also require a new cam and new pistons. The only time I think that is worth doing is if you are building a preformmance motor.

 

in that picture i saw he used an engine lift to pick the car up. where do i attach the lift. i have the same one and what do i lower the engine with

 

It can be removed from either the top or bottom. The FSM specifies from the bottom because it is easier if you have a car lift and the equipment recommended by the factory. Otherwise it can be pulled fairly easily from the top. If you want to remove it from the bottom without a lift, you need to put the car up on some high stands (use SUV stands), disconnect everything, and then use a cherry picker to lift the body off the front wheels and subframe. It helps if you have strut braces installed, and use the bar as a lifting point for the cherry picker.

 

I pulled the rad and got some 2000 lb hooks and hooked on the frame rail right where the rad support meets with the sway bar supports.

With the car jacked up I removed everything except the two most forward bolts and the two rear tranny crossmember bolts. With the back end up about 24 inch and jack stands on the axle so the car can pivotI lowered the car so the main cross member was sitting on a dolly. I used blocks on the tranny cross member to even out the dolly so nothing would fall. I took out the four remaining bolts. Iuse two jacks, one on each side at the body lift point at the door fender until I was sure everything was free. With the engine about foot clear I then hooked up the hoist and lifted the car high enough to get theassembly out.

If you did not see it these was a nice step by step link in the above thread. Its for a V-8 and they have a lift but other then that its pretty close. there are only a few things that are differnt V8 to V6 and its all simple stuff.
http://www.z28.com/forum/showthread....engine+removal

I am glad I pulled the motor from the bottom. My car is a 96. I found two differnt issues that where going to be a problem with the drivetrain. Also with my stick there was a bunch of rust and clutch material that would not let the tranny disconnect for the engine. It was a battle getting them apart sitting in the wide open. It would have been real fun under the car or while I was trying to pull the motor out.

 

I bought a 94 with 130k miles and a blown 3.4 a few months ago. Blown head gasket, actually. I studied the situation pretty carefully and came to the conclusion that the engine had to come out the bottom andI began the process. It's a *****.
That freakin engine sits so low and so far back it's unbelievable. I think only the front two cylinders are ahead of the windshield base and the upper intake is practically against the underside of the cowl. The icing on the cake is that there doesn't seem to be a way to move the engine forward off the mounts because the oil pan sump is right up against the crossmember. The whole situation is ugly. And I've done a lot of engine swaps including the 4.3 in an Astro van. That was a cakewalk compared to this Camaro. Book flat rate for an engine R&R on this Camaro is somethng like 15 hours. Wow.
I just could not see taking a chance with head gasket replacement on an engine with 130k given the horrible job it would be to replace those gaskets. I bought a used engine having 106k miles and will pull it apart to check the bores and bearings prior to installing it. I'll also have the heads checked for flatness, guide wear, etc.
I first put "donut" spares on the rear wheels and backed the car onto ramps. I then jacked up each side to place concrete pavers under the ramps. I'd guess that the rear wheels are 14-15 inches off the ground.
I drained the coolant and oil, and removed all the accessory drive stuff up front. Disconnected the exhaust, dropped the y-pipe and then the starter. Bell bolts are out (nasty job!), the driveshaftand torque arm are removed. Steering column is disconnected, and all the 18mm head crossmember fastening bolts are loosened. Upper suspension bolts/nuts are removed.
The next step is to place a large dolly under the engine/trans/crossmember, then raise the body at the lifting pads using two HD floor jacks. I have an engine crane but did not see a way to grab the body to lift it without causing damage. At this point obstacles are 1) the weather here in PA since I'm working outside and 2) what to do with the brake tubing. The pipe that goes to the right front wheel is clipped to the crossmember so that will have to be disconnected somewhere. At the ABS pump?
The car is kind of neat, being bright red with PO-added black SS stripes. Its a loaded example with power everything and t-tops. I was going to walk away from the car until I saw how clean it was inside and out. Adult owned from new. But the horrid nature of the engine swap is really turning me off.
I've heard others say that the engine can come out the top but I didn't see a way without causing damage and no one could tell me how to do it.
I'll do it once out the bottom and sell or junk the car if I ever have engine problems again. What were they thinking?

 

thanks for the help. I'll be trying it after the holidays and I'll let you all know how it goes. btw its going out the bottom. when it is time for a real rebuild, i will buy a 3.8 to put in so i can mod and beat v-8 mustangs with my v-6. mine has already beat 3 v-6's and a mazda 3 and soon a stratus r/t.