I searched through the forums looking for a thread on this and didn't come up with anything. Can the engine in the hhr be lifted out or does the cradle need dropped?

 

Either can be done. I dropped the sub frame to do my clutch last winter. I have my engine out right now and lifted it out. If you pluck it you need to undo your trans mounts as well since there is not enough room to separate the engine from the trans, but came out fairly easy otherwise. Also need to remove the hood.

 

Great that's what I was hoping...when you say trans mounts, are you saying you lifted out as a unit or enough to unbolt the trans? Thanks for the response...

 

I unbolted the engine from the trans in the car then lifted the motor out. The trans mounts have to be disconnected so you can angle it up a little to release the engine or the flywheel will get caught on the bell housing.

Welcome to the site btw

 

will the 2.2/AT combo fit if pulling from the top or would they, as a combo, need to be dropped out? or do you need to separate them if pulling from the top?

 

I'd suggest doing a 1 yr subscription to alldata.com for the best info on your HHR engine swap.

I put a couple floor jacks under the cradle and when all the wires, cables and hoses were out of the way I lowered the cradle til the jacks bottomed out (motor and tranny still attached to the cradle not the vehicle.

I then lifted the front of the HHR body up and raised it until the whole cradle could slide out from under the front-end. It was kind of tricky getting some height but I managed it by using some cement blocks and jack stands. Without the cradle/engine/tranny/tires/driveshafts I wasn't too worried about it falling.

Good luck!

 

Hi group, I just pulled the engine & trans together out the top, no fun. If I install the automatic trans while I have the engine rebuilt can I install the engine from the top.
Or would it be easer to just pull the cradle & reinstall the package form the bottom?

 

Welcome to the site

I myself think it would install them both from the bottom but if you pulled it from the top already then you maybe better off to do the install the way you removed it so as not to miss anything.

The thread you posted on is a two year old thread so you my not get any responses from them. In the future instead of tagging onto an old thread you can start your own posting your questions so it won't be easily missed.

 

The mechanics that I have asked all say that is much easier to drop the cradle. But, then they have lifts and trans jacks.

 

how long does it take to replace including removal of the motor?