03 Mach 1 open heart surgery

[Rusty67]

Here are some shots of the engine bay when I was lifting the car. First time I've ever done a motor pull by lifting the car off the motor. It is strange to see the motor "sink" in the engine bay like that. The last pic is the car all the way up and on the locks. This little lift isn't bad at all. Not nearly as nice as a full sized BendPak but honestly, being able to get the car this high up in my garage with such a low ceiling is freaking awesome.

[Rusty67]

You can see the power steering pump on the left of that first pic. I tied it up/out of the way to the sway bar mount. Once I had everything on the floor, I pulled my T56 magnum off the bell housing, that was so much easier than pulling it off the bell when it is in the car. I'm starting to become a believer in this process for motor swaps instead of going out the top, proper equipment available of course.

I'm going to be spending some quality time with some simple green and some rags to clean the under body and trans up, hopefully during some week nights so I can do real work on the weekends. I've been missing out on working on the car on weekends a lot due to different things. Last weekend it was some side work that needed to get done and it ate up all my free time for wrenching. Need the side work to pay for the projects but then you can't work on the projects!

[DSG2003Mach1]

nice progress! Ive gone out the bottom in my garage with nothing more than some jack stands, engine hoist, wheel dollies and trans jack. You just need a way to secure the hoist to the car, I borrowed a big, square metal tube to put through my crash bar and put chains around that to rotate it up.

I wish I had enough ceiling height for a lift. I need to drop my Magnum trans and seal the shifter, I just dont feel like doing it on my back.

[ASH302]

congrates your getting there.
I would do a good cleaning all throughout the engine bay and under other spots that haven't been cleaned.


ASh

[Rusty67]

Oh ya, I'm going to get out the simple green and some rags for sure. The trans is covered in a thin film of oil and I'm certain the under side of the car is as well.

I'm hoping to do the oil pan gasket as well as get the bell housing/clutch and whatnot put onto the new motor this weekend. Once I have that done I can swap the new motor into the cradle.

I still need to order new valve cover seals so I can swap the 03 covers onto the new motor. A shame too because I just did those on the old motor less than a year ago....

[ASH302]

If your going to have the valve covers sprayed, do it now.

ASh

[Rusty67]

I'm going to use the valve covers off my 03, I just want to keep it looking stock for the most part. The black ones I've got my original motor are in great shape even after all this time.

[ASH302]

Originally Posted by Rusty67

I'm going to use the valve covers off my 03, I just want to keep it looking stock for the most part. The black ones I've got my original motor are in great shape even after all this time.

Good deal. That bothered me so much when the 03's came stock with black and on my 04 SY came with the others. I ended up buying some off an 03 and put them on my 04. It sure did look really good with the black valve covers. Happy my 03 came stock with them.

ASh