I have a 5.3 engine that the lower end is locked up. It won't turn at all so I think a bearing is seized or something. I am trying to remove it from the truck with the torque converter still on and I can't get it over the front differential, the oil pan hits it. Is there an easier way to get the engine out without having to remove the oil pan ?

 

Sounds like you may have to remove the trans mounts and drive shafts to move trans back also. Also you won't have enough room to pull engine out if you don't also remove core support with that converter still attached. But I don't know what year your working on. Using iPhone can't see sig. If there's info.

 

its a 01 silverado. similar to my sig but a different truck. it is possible to remove the torque converter with the engine ? the lower end is really seized up. I don't know the past history of it other then its been frozen for awhile. I was told it spun a bearing and sat for a few months.

 

Your already in a stuck position so try it out I've never had to do that way. It's been a year since I've done a motor yank out, so I'd Yes it is, its going to be tight to get that converter between firewall and oil pan over diff, it will make a mess of trans fluid, front radiator core support and all that good stuff will need to be moved also, you have only about a 1" without the converter attached to go straight up.

Any chance you take all plugs out, removed the front skid or fan out of the way and put a cheater bar on that crank pulley to see if you can try to turn it over?

 

I tried putting a bar on the crank pulley before we started and nothing, tried counterclockwise as well. Right now we have the entire front of the engine off (waterpump, alt, etc.), and the radiator was already removed prior. Truck had bits and pieces removed before we started removing engine.

It looks like enough room to sneak it out at an angle, just a matter of getting it past the front differential.

 

turn the engine sideways and pull engine out. pretty easy.
take bolts out of hood hinges and prop up as high as you can get it.
as for the converter just pull the trans out and leave it on jack stands and a ratchet strap along with a jack if need be.

once you get the engine out you can remove the converter bolts or drop the pan and pull the rid caps and main caps to spin the engine over

 

if you didnt lock it up.. pull the plugs.. since you have the front part of the engine off pull the timing chain and then try to turn the engine over again

 

Tried. Its locked up really good.

We tried to spin the engine sideways to get passed the front differential, but we kept hitting off something. I think we will just drop the pan and pull the pickup. Going to tear it down anyways, so having those parts off is a plus.

Since the engine came off the transmission easy, you think the transmission pump is still good ?

 

can you upload a picture of how your pulling it out?
i'm just curious to see cause i've never had an issue with a front diff hitting, with the T/C attached I could see a firewall issue or wiper cowl etc. but i've even pulled some with the whole trans still attached!
what angle would you say the engine is coming out at? i've had some tight clearances where i've had to lift the front of the engine way up

 

I pulled an engine with the converter attached once (not by choice) and it broke the transmission pump. That was a shitty weekend.

Get a big friend and a big cheater bar to put some *** into the crank pulley, itll move with a big enough lever!