how hard is it to swap engines.

[blacksport]

it's not that easy but it's not really that hard.if you need it done fast and haven't done it before don't count on it being a weekend job.
a strong experienced person to help is almost a must have.if you are doing a long block then you will need a torque wrench,timing light, if you are in st paul mn you will need liquid wrench and a torch i imagine you have alot of rusted bolts

 

[94burbk1500]

It's really not difficult at all, it is time consuming and can be tedious at times. Do your research, make sure you have all the tools you need, take your time disassembling, label every nut, bolt, harness, etc., then reverse. I recommend cleaning the engine bay while you're at it.

 

[skylark]

Being a 98 you'll need someone with a scanner to set the cam retard. Most people refer to this as timing. A timing light won't do you any good. You really should have a torque wrench for the intake manifold. They are a low torque and easy to over torque. As long as you buy a long block everything else will be ok with just get it tight. You will need a priming tool for the oil pump. A dry start isn't a good idea. Everything else can be done with basic hand tools. A flywheel tool was mentioned but you can turn the balancer to get to the torque converter bolts.

 

[Schurkey]

Remember that some bolts are "standard" thread, and some bolts are Metric thread. There was a time when GM paid a little extra to put a blue-colored coating on the Metric bolts, but those days are long gone.

The worst thing you can do is to try to use a cheap-junk engine hoist. The "dirty little secrets" no one talks about with engine hoists are:
1. That "two ton" rating is with the boom as short as it can be set. But in actual use, you'll want it extended as far as it will go. Slid all the way out, it's a "500 lb" engine hoist, not a "2 ton" hoist. 500 lbs is BARELY enough to lift a small-block. If you leave the accessory bracket(s) on the front, with the PS, alternator, air pump, and NOT the A/C compressor, you'll have more than 500 lbs on the hook.
2. Cheap-junk hoists have a REALLY SHORT boom, so that they can advertise "2-ton" capacity when using a substandard, ultra-light-duty hydraulic ram, and thin sheet-metal structure. Even extended all the way, the damn boom is too short, which probably accounts for Elroy not being able to get the lump over the grille. A proper engine hoist will lift an engine two feet or more over the rad support.

When I'm preparing to lift an engine, I put jack stands under the FRONT AND REAR of the vehicle, so I have lots of room to work as I disconnect the engine mounts, transmission, exhaust, etc.

When actually lifting the engine, I drop the front end but leave the rear jacked-up, to tilt the front of the vehicle down.

 

[GarrettGmc]

The way i do it is label each wire 1 at a time while disconnecting, drain all the fluids, remove accessories, starter then the tranny. As mentioned a long adaptor helps. As for the lift not reaching high enough, lifted truck, I jacked the truck up removed the front wheels then lowered it as close the the ground as I can on the jack stands. This helped from having the hoist extended all the way out. Try to remove most of the top end to reduce weight and it helps keep the chain from damaging anything. Its easier to remove the exhaust manifolds once the motor is out and to install them but sometimes they can cause a headache.

 

[superdave]

Everything above, and...LOTS OF PICTURES.

The age of having a digital camera (phone) on you at all times has made this much easier. Lots of pics of wiring, brackets, etc

 

[trx125]

With the right tools should only take about 2-3hrs to swap and that is taking a beer break every 15 minutes.

 

[1989GMCSIERRA]

Make sure you spray all the manifold to exhaust pipe bolts for the exhaust. You may need to cut the manifold to exhaust pipe bolts off.
Label your wires
Pics help
Cheap sandwich bags and tags. Any bolts you take off bag and label them. I use the little wire ties to secure the bag from opening.
Rent or borrow a cherry picker.
Drain the oil out before you pull the engine. Not only it’s extra weight it’s messy.
Drain the coolant also.
Remove the distributor. Depending on how many miles you have in it you may need to replace the drive gear (on my 2000 it was very worn out. It was cheap enough that I replaced the whole thing)
Pull all the accessories off the motor. The AC and power steering don’t need to be disconnected. Just lay them aside to clear. Remove the fan and water pump.
I would look at replacing the motor mounts if they are original.
Remove the radiator . Not only will it give you more room it won’t possibly be damaged.
When you put the motor back in put a floor jack under the trans and jack it up as far as you can. It will give a little more Angie to stab the motor in.

Most important take your time and see where everything goes was and is. Before you start jacking the motor double check that everything was disconnected.

 

[mariodave]

Get a manual. Complete factory manuals are available online for about 40 bucks on CD. Dont waste your money on Haynes or similar manuals.

 

[Ken K]

Gramps is right, take photo's with connectors tapped & marked. Deal with fluid first, draw on paper to go with photos. Never disconnect a component when you can move the entire item off to the side. A/C compressor, P/S pump another and rotate the A/C condenser up and wire parts in place to hood hinges or other hards parts. Yes, get a good lift, but many will pull engine & tranny together. If auto, remove flex plate bolts first and hold torque convertor in place. It goes into the tranny 4 times with a finger thickness from bell housing to convertor. You can remove front tires and support the vehicle with 2 X 8 boards on the suspension to get the front lower if going over the core support. Also, plan on metric sockets, wrenches and "Torx" sockets called "Star" as these may pop up. Metric fit any standard bolt, but not the other way. Pry bar & pipe cheater for motor mounts or separating major components. Use a hose removal tool & WD40 on hoses, but works great on electrical connectors to disconnect without breaking them. This will save future head aches with electrical issues. Use dielectric grease on connectors during install, anti-seize on important bolts and medium or high strength loctite on important fasteners subject to vibration.
Also, a case of beer and a couple of 20's to a local tech goes a long way to getting it done!