Recently (after throwing a bunch of money finally modifying it) my CL took a shit on it. It feels about like I welded the pilot bearing to the case. In addition, I've got a warped flywheel that I knew about, and clicking axles that I also knew about. I also have bad motor/tranny mounts. I've got what I need to fix everything but the pilot bearing and bad mounts, but no money to pay somebody to fix it, and definitely no access to a lift. I do have an engine hoist, but I've never pulled a transverse engine/trans out through the top like that. I've always dropped the subframe and dropped it through bottom, but I have no chance of doing that in my driveway.

Heres where I need yall's help. I've been trying to sell the car as is for around $3000 since it's in such good shape otherwise, but nobody is seriously biting. Should I keep trying to sell it as is, or should I part the car out? I know the J32A2 motor is in high demand, but what could I get for it?

My other option is just to pull the motor and tranny, but just bite the bullet and fix everything wrong with it. I'd like to do that, but with two other cars, both needing work, I'd prefer not to spend all the money and time on it it needs.

 

A vote of confidence from any of us isn't worth the time it takes us to type it. Only you know what you're capable of with your mechanical and physical area restrictions. If you just want to put it out in the open as a means to better analyze it, we can do that. Have you come up with a comprehensive list of everything it's going to take to get that car fixed? If you already have the parts, it seems that their best value is going toward getting the car capable of being sold for a better price than $3000 that you're not getting anyway, or to allow to car to provide you more enjoyment. If you part the new parts out, you'll lose even more money.

Price out your motor mounts, pilot bearing, fluids and anything else you may have missed.

Plan a weekend for a couple of your buddies to come over and help pull the engine and transmission.

Provide the beer, food, shop manual work plan and a clean work space.

Work slowly on removal so as not to break anything or tear any wiring harnesses.

This is a doable project. Label and organize everything along the way in case your friends can't help you out the whole time and new ones need to be recruited. Have a couple of hundred dollars buffer available so that any part that comes up during/removal and intstallation can be purchased and your friends don't think you're a cheap tool and decide to help you less.

Good luck!

 

I suppose you're right, you can't really give me solid advice about my situation without knowing exactly what it is.

I guess I'm just trying to figure out what others would do. I'm 100% confident in my own abilities, and I've got plenty of buddies that know what they're doing as well.

What I don't know is if anybody has ever pulled one of these motors and tranny's through the top. If that's going to be a time consuming and difficult ordeal, then I'm probably not going to try it. If it's not as hard as I imagine, then that's probably whats going to happen.

 

if you dont want to pull it through the top, loosen everything thats connecting the motor with the subframe except the motor mount. lower the car til the subframe is on the ground and take out the bolts holding the motor to the mounts and lift the car up.

 

What is the car year and color and 6 speed?

 

It's better to have 2 good running cars vs 3 bad ones.

 

I've pulled it from the top a few times & it's definitely less time consuming then dropping from underneath. Unless you have access to a lift.

 

If your axles are clicking sporadically, I would say it's not the end of the world. Same with the engine & transmission mounts.

Get the flywheel & clutch working properly and baby the car until you can get the other issue(s) fixed.

I vote to fix & keep it.