Truck: 2003HD crewcab 6.0.

Pulling motor to freshen it up and cant quite figure how to support trans and disconnect from motor. Best way? Can I leave it in truck while motor is out or should I pull it with the motor?? Looking for best safe method... I have spent the last 4 hrs searching this site figuring somebody has had a "first time" horror story.... Please help.

 

If u have a jack put it under while ur pulling the motor out. Jackstand works good 2. If its in the air a screwjack works. You can run a rod between the torsion bars to hold it at the bellhousing. Pretty much as long as it stays more or less up. Ive left em hanging but if u have means to hold em up I would.

 

I do have a pretty stout rod stock bar about 4ft long and about an inch in dia. This should hold it... Thanks for the tip man! Its always hardest the first time. After I get the TQ dust cover off and the bolt holding TQ to flywheel out is there any bolt up top of bell housing I can see but need to be aware of?? I so did not want to haul out the trans with the motor!

 

Yes there is one on top. It has a 13mm nut holding a bracket and the the 15mm stud holding it to the motor. That ones a pain if you cant tilt the motor back like if you were removing the transmission. On one I did it pulled the intake off and got it from the top of the motor. Have fun cuz I know I get frustrated pretty quick.

 

Yea there are bolts at 12 oclock, 10, 2, and two at 3 and 9, and the dust cover. I left those tops ones out when I put mine back in

 

Hmmmmmm. Leaving the top bolts out may be the ticket. Atomic----> you not worried about anything twisting loose? RS/SS 4.8------> I can tilt it. Im getting ready to pull the intake now and slap a plate on it. Everything else is pretty much ready cept the trans bell housing......... How bad is it to just pull both motor and trans still attached, just trying to figure out the least frustrating option... I have done this at least a dozen times with my GTO and K-5 Blazer... Just looking at half the room to work with on these newer trucks even though its 10 1/2 yrs old!.... Fix err up mo betta and drive it another 10 yrs! Appreciate you guys chiming in... I need all the help I can get... And now the rain comes! dang it!

 

Nope, the dowels keep it from moving around, the bolts just hold it tight to the engine.

 

I really figured there would be a step by step removal procedure out there somewhere listing all the specialty tools needed, shortcuts and hidden traps... Finding out not much so. Either that or I need to brush up on my search skills! If anybody knows of such a procedure existing please pass it forward.

 

Its kind of self explanitory once you are under there...

-Remove starter
-Remove dust shield
-Unbolt torque converter from flexplate and push converter towards trans
-Remove bolts holding trans to engine
-Support trans with a jack so it stays level
-May help to loosen/unbolt from trans crossmember
-Use big screwdriver or prybar to seperate engine from trans slightly...may be difficult.
-Remove engine

 

Another way to support the trans is to use a pair of ratchet straps that goes rail to rail if in a pinch and don't want to leave a jack under the truck