amateur engine pull?

[maxxflip]

A rough diagram of the eng on cardboard is a good way to orgainize bolts and keep track of what goes were...
Something like this...

 

[Redbowties88]

Why are you pulling the CV axles?

ive had too in the past, wore out one stock one, replaced it with an aftermarket unit which i then snapped like like a twig at the track then i put another stocker in and its been fine since...

Beech,

I'll be real honest with you. I personally have never pulled a motor in any way shape or form before this past summer when the HG's on my truck gave out. With the help of a lot of people on this forum, quiet a few phone calls to GREAT people like Henry and Guy Tripp to ask some VERY stupid questions about some VERY stupid mistakes that I made, I managed to to get the motor the truck out on a stand disassembled, back together and back in the truck (with the help a friend of mine from College) and fired up and running on the first try! (this came to the surprise to both myself and my wife!)

The advise listed in this thread is fantastic and very true. I only used the information on this site. Henry and a few others have posted all the information and specs you could ever need on here. Finding it can be a little frustrating at times but send a PM to Henry or other and don't be afraid to ask for help.

I used just about a whole role of blue painters tape, one sharpie and less than one box of one gallon zip lock bags. Taking lots of pictures help a great deal, but there is lots of information here. I did make motor pull in the driveway on the ground and used less than 1/4 of my two car garage to do the build. I learned a great deal about my truck and would not think twice about doing it again. My two cents is as you take some thing off the truck lay it out in order from where is can from, ie. when something comes off the front drivers side, keep all those parts together int he order you take them off, this way when putting it back together there isn't much confusion as to where it came off and in what order. I did this in the bed of the truck but I have a cap on the back which kept the parts fairly clean and protected.

Best of luck and dig in! :thumb:

thanks man, this is exactly what i wanted to hear i know it wont be easy but i think im committed enough to get it done.

FYI to put a dmax on a motor stand you are looking at removal of the lower , upper oil pan and rear adapter plate.
Then u need new gasket for oil cooler and new rear seal plus the remove / installl tool and possible new orange o rings that go between the rear plate and block

i have no knowledge of any of that gues sill have to play it by ear

i hope u have the flywheel tool u need to pull the waterpump that a serious tool from gm

i do not

Dont bother pulling the fenders or bumper IMO.

Definitely get a screw-type engine leveler.

Also if you have a buddy or two to help you that makes things a lot easier. Doing removal and replace of a duramax is completely possible with only one person, but it takes a bit longer.

ben

thanks ben, i probably wont pull the fenders but the bumper needs new brackets anyway so ill probably pull it off. had it off before thats no big deal

 

[Bluemax]

i hope u have the flywheel tool u need to pull the waterpump that a serious tool from gm

i do not
l

Even if you need to replace the water pump or want to just because you're there, you don't need the flywheel tool, I use a half inch breakover bar in one of the holes in the flywheel. It works perfectly fine for loosening and re-torquing the damper bolt.

 

[403turbo]

I agree, the tool isn't required. I used one of the TC bolt holes and the appropriate bolt, then put a deep wall socket over that. That was strong enough to torque the bolts from hell on the flywheel.

Thats the other tool that you NEED. A torque angle gauge. Autozone had a cheap one but it worked. They also have ridge runners for pulling pistons and ring compressors if you do need to pull a piston.

Are you putting head studs in or just stock bolts?

 

[custom8726]

Even if you need to replace the water pump or want to just because you're there, you don't need the flywheel tool, I use a half inch breakover bar in one of the holes in the flywheel. It works perfectly fine for loosening and re-torquing the damper bolt.

Or a 3/4 impact works quite well

 

[Bluemax]

I agree and a 1" works even better, but from the sound of his tool selection I don't figure he has a 3/4" gun and a big compressor to run it laying around. Just trying to say where there's a will there's a way...:angel:

 

[Redbowties88]

Half inch is the biggest I have. But it gets most jobs done.

I'll def be using studs. No sense in screwing around with anything else

 

[JD Dave]

I pulled my first motor this spring and it wasn't near as bad as I thought. The best advice I read and I think it was Pat who said it was to take a big white bed sheet and evertime you take something off the truck place it on the sheet circle it and write what it is with a marker. It's hard to remember where the all the bolts go other wise. I also used zip lock bags. The more times you work on your truck the easier it gets.

 

[aj43az]

guys i`ve got the same issue, the post`s are very helpful, i did have questions on why studs, and i see there are 3 diff gasket thickness but don`t know why, can anyone help there thx
aj

 

[x MadMAX DIESEL]

Probably to keep the compression as high as possible wit the block differences from factory. Pretty much everyone just uses cgrade on the builds and headgaskets

 

[McRat]

The greater the gap between the head and the piston, the higher the emissions.

Too close, there will be contact at high temp or high mileage, too far and the engine family group won't please the EPA.

Since we don't care about EPA acceptance, use the thick gasket.

 

[Subman]

Great info here, lots of experience, only think I'll add that I didn't see mentioned is if you use some long extensions taking out the tc bolts from the front of the truck is much easier. The first time we put the engine back in my truck we couldn't get the damn rad/IC top shroud to fit, it came out but wouldn't go back in, or much of anything else on the front clip for that matter. After thinking about it for a while I remembered that we had pulled the nerf bars off one time to take as much weight off my truck as possible when I was trying to get my stock motored 02 GMC into the 11's. When we put them back on we use a rattle gun and tighten the bolts that hold the front of the cab too tight and it sucked the from of the truck down too much that putting the front of the truck back on wasn't working. :roflmao: Loosened the cab bolts and everything went back together easy.