Hello to the forum,
Another new guy in need of advice.

I have a 96 Sunfire Quad 4 convertible with a 5 speed. The engines has as serious rod knock and needs to be replaced. I was lucky enough to find a pretty beat up 98 convertible with a good Quad 4 and an automatic. Before I start changing the engines,I thought it best to see if the automatic engine is a drop in. I do realize that the clutch and flywheel will need to switched over,but is there anything that would other wise prevent using the automatic engine with a standard transmission?

Thanks for any input.

Yes, it is a simple drop in. Just change transmissions and all the other auto crap, lol. As long as the manual is going back in the body that had the manual trans, then you are golden.

Thanks for the information. I kind of figured the engine would fit without any drama,but best to ask those in the know.lol

On another note...I've been looking around the site,but I can't find any information as to what would be the easiest way to remove the engine.(I admit that my searches seldom provide the information that I'm looking for.lol) I do have access to an engine hoist,but it doesn't look as if taking the engine from the top is an option.in this situation.(as some of you may have already guessed,I'm not very familuar with FWD cars) If the engine needs come out from the bottom,how high does the body need to be in order to allow the removal? And,just how much needs to be removed with the engine?
As far as I can see,the factory service manual doesn't cover the "how to" for the removal of the engine,and the Haynes manual I ordered was shipped out USPS media class,which should put it here some time around Thanksgiving,lol,and I hoped to be done by then.

Any tips on what to,and what not to do would be greatly appriceated.

Thanks again!

what are you doing with the left over 98 convertible?

Spencer wrote:what are you doing with the left over 98 convertible?

Well...I'll save a few parts that are needed for the 96 Sunfire and some for my 96 Cavalier convertible,but I guess most of it will head off to the crusher. I do not really have a place to store it,or any of its parts. Why do you ask?

You might can part it out on here is why I bet he asked. Convertible parts are hard to come by.

A Stewart wrote:Thanks for the information. I kind of figured the engine would fit without any drama,but best to ask those in the know.lol

On another note...I've been looking around the site,but I can't find any information as to what would be the easiest way to remove the engine.(I admit that my searches seldom provide the information that I'm looking for.lol) I do have access to an engine hoist,but it doesn't look as if taking the engine from the top is an option.in this situation.(as some of you may have already guessed,I'm not very familuar with FWD cars) If the engine needs come out from the bottom,how high does the body need to be in order to allow the removal? And,just how much needs to be removed with the engine?
As far as I can see,the factory service manual doesn't cover the "how to" for the removal of the engine,and the Haynes manual I ordered was shipped out USPS media class,which should put it here some time around Thanksgiving,lol,and I hoped to be done by then.

Any tips on what to,and what not to do would be greatly appriceated.

Thanks again!

I just did this the other day on a 2000 Z24/automatic and a 95 base Cav. you'll need to get the car about 16 inches off the ground if you drop it out the bottom, maybe even higher.
the sequence-

You are responsible to use common sense and good judgment. I'm trying to be helpful but obviously have no control over what you do or how you do it. For goodness sake, don't try this without good tools and equipment, and if you've never done it before, find somebody to help who has. When in doubt, STOP and figure it out.

Glad you bought a book and have read it first, but if the book says something different than what I'm writing, use the book, not me.

the big picture is: (and this is some extra work than is absolutely necessary, but makes it easier in my estimation)
-find a level, concrete surface to work from and carefully raise the car on the jack stands. Make sure each jack stand is stable. Don't set the jack stands under the front sub frame! Make sure the rear jack stands are far back enough to be stable when you take all the weight of the engine/trans out of the car.
-unhook battery and remove it
-remove the hood
-disconnect the wiring harness from all the components on the engine and transmission
-bleed the pressure from the fuel lines and disconnect them. Strap them out of the way. BTW gasoline is flammable and explosive!
-you should have gone to somewhere that can recycle the freon before, but if you can't you'll have to figure out how to vent it
-drain the coolant and remove the upper and lower hoses
-remove the radiator and fan (includes the ac condenser)
-remove the air box and everything up to the throttle body
-remove the throttle body, fuel rail and intake manifold to give extra room and to avoid breaking the manifold
-remove the exhaust heat shield and disconnect the exhaust pipe
-disconnect the heater hoses from the engine end
-remove the front wheels and brake calipers (hang them from the springs), and separate the struts from the spindles (you'll need to remove some plastic shielding in the wheel wells to unhook the ABS wires)
-remove the front bumper fascia (to avoid scratching the paint)
-go under the car and carefully inspect for anything still attached; like power steering lines and the steering shaft, the brake lines, fuel lines, AC lines, 02 wires, etc.
-once you are sure you have it all disconnected on both the top and bottom, remove the brace that goes from the left (driver's side) sub frame at the spindle; that is, the brace going from the a arm to the radiator support.
-The engine is bolted to the body of the car for the most part and is only bolted to the sub frame by the torque strap at the lower right (pass side) Unbolt the torque strap.
-then put a jack under each spindle and remove the six bolts that hold the sub frame/suspension to the body.
-then carefully remove the two bolts on the sub frame just above the drive axles. This makes things quite wobbly, so be exceedingly careful. Don't go under anything unless you are sure it is not going to fall.
-lower the sub frame to the ground, observing if anything is hanging or still attached, which you will need to disconnect or get out of the way
-remove the inner bumper and lower radiator support (you should now have a pretty large area available through which you will be able to move the engine/transmission once it is disconnected from the body)
-strap up the engine/transmission combo with the balance point being about 2/3 from the passenger side; 1/3 from the driver's side. there are eyelets that the factory used when they installed the engine in the car in the first place. Whatever you do, make sure the engine is well-attached to the hoist!
-properly tension up the engine/trans combo with the hoist
-carefully remove the upper engine mount on the right (passenger side) of the engine (if you have the engine properly balanced, it will not move very much)
-carefully remove the two bolts in the transmission mounts (again, if it is properly balanced, you'll not see much movement when you pull the bolts)
-carefully lower the engine/trans combo to the ground (you did plan ahead and leave enough room for the hoist arm to descend without hitting the upper radiator support, right?)
-you can let the engine/trans down onto a rolling device of some sort, or just drag it out. We rolled the hoist out as far as we could and set it on the ground. We then briefly unhooked the hoist chain to bring the chain to the other side of the upper radiator support, and re attached the chain and picked up the engine/trans again.

As you have already indicated, you know about changing over the flywheel, etc. Use new bolts, gaskets and o rings where needed.
My favorite saying- reassembly is the reverse of dis assembly. Extra bolts are thrown away before any lawyers find out.

Be Careful and Good Luck
dennis

MasterFlight wrote:

A Stewart wrote:Thanks for the information. I kind of figured the engine would fit without any drama,but best to ask those in the know.lol

On another note...I've been looking around the site,but I can't find any information as to what would be the easiest way to remove the engine.(I admit that my searches seldom provide the information that I'm looking for.lol) I do have access to an engine hoist,but it doesn't look as if taking the engine from the top is an option.in this situation.(as some of you may have already guessed,I'm not very familiar with FWD cars) If the engine needs come out from the bottom,how high does the body need to be in order to allow the removal? And,just how much needs to be removed with the engine?
As far as I can see,the factory service manual doesn't cover the "how to" for the removal of the engine,and the Haynes manual I ordered was shipped out USPS media class,which should put it here some time around Thanksgiving,lol,and I hoped to be done by then.

Any tips on what to,and what not to do would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again!

I just did this the other day on a 2000 Z24/automatic and a 95 base Cav. you'll need to get the car about 16 inches off the ground if you drop it out the bottom, maybe even higher.
the sequence-

You are responsible to use common sense and good judgment. I'm trying to be helpful but obviously have no control over what you do or how you do it. For goodness sake, don't try this without good tools and equipment, and if you've never done it before, find somebody to help who has. When in doubt, STOP and figure it out.

Glad you bought a book and have read it first, but if the book says something different than what I'm writing, use the book, not me.

the big picture is: (and this is some extra work than is absolutely necessary, but makes it easier in my estimation)
-find a level, concrete surface to work from and carefully raise the car on the jack stands. Make sure each jack stand is stable. Don't set the jack stands under the front sub frame! Make sure the rear jack stands are far back enough to be stable when you take all the weight of the engine/trans out of the car.
-unhook battery and remove it
-remove the hood
-disconnect the wiring harness from all the components on the engine and transmission
-bleed the pressure from the fuel lines and disconnect them. Strap them out of the way. BTW gasoline is flammable and explosive!
-you should have gone to somewhere that can recycle the freon before, but if you can't you'll have to figure out how to vent it
-drain the coolant and remove the upper and lower hoses
-remove the radiator and fan (includes the ac condenser)
-remove the air box and everything up to the throttle body
-remove the throttle body, fuel rail and intake manifold to give extra room and to avoid breaking the manifold
-remove the exhaust heat shield and disconnect the exhaust pipe
-disconnect the heater hoses from the engine end
-remove the front wheels and brake calipers (hang them from the springs), and separate the struts from the spindles (you'll need to remove some plastic shielding in the wheel wells to unhook the ABS wires)
-remove the front bumper fascia (to avoid scratching the paint)
-go under the car and carefully inspect for anything still attached; like power steering lines and the steering shaft, the brake lines, fuel lines, AC lines, 02 wires, etc.
-once you are sure you have it all disconnected on both the top and bottom, remove the brace that goes from the left (driver's side) sub frame at the spindle; that is, the brace going from the a arm to the radiator support.
-The engine is bolted to the body of the car for the most part and is only bolted to the sub frame by the torque strap at the lower right (pass side) Unbolt the torque strap.
-then put a jack under each spindle and remove the six bolts that hold the sub frame/suspension to the body.
-then carefully remove the two bolts on the sub frame just above the drive axles. This makes things quite wobbly, so be exceedingly careful. Don't go under anything unless you are sure it is not going to fall.
-lower the sub frame to the ground, observing if anything is hanging or still attached, which you will need to disconnect or get out of the way
-remove the inner bumper and lower radiator support (you should now have a pretty large area available through which you will be able to move the engine/transmission once it is disconnected from the body)
-strap up the engine/transmission combo with the balance point being about 2/3 from the passenger side; 1/3 from the driver's side. there are eyelets that the factory used when they installed the engine in the car in the first place. Whatever you do, make sure the engine is well-attached to the hoist!
-properly tension up the engine/trans combo with the hoist
-carefully remove the upper engine mount on the right (passenger side) of the engine (if you have the engine properly balanced, it will not move very much)
-carefully remove the two bolts in the transmission mounts (again, if it is properly balanced, you'll not see much movement when you pull the bolts)
-carefully lower the engine/trans combo to the ground (you did plan ahead and leave enough room for the hoist arm to descend without hitting the upper radiator support, right?)
-you can let the engine/trans down onto a rolling device of some sort, or just drag it out. We rolled the hoist out as far as we could and set it on the ground. We then briefly unhooked the hoist chain to bring the chain to the other side of the upper radiator support, and re attached the chain and picked up the engine/trans again.

As you have already indicated, you know about changing over the flywheel, etc. Use new bolts, gaskets and o rings where needed.
My favorite saying- reassembly is the reverse of dis assembly. Extra bolts are thrown away before any lawyers find out.

Be Careful and Good Luck
dennis

Well, that sure was quite the response,and I thank you for taking the time it took you to compose it.

The engine and transmissions are out of both cars,and I took a totally different approach. I took them both out from the top. I'm not sure,but I may run into a little trouble getting the manual back in place. But with a little luck and the proper angle,it should go. I didn't jerk either engine and transmission out,and watched very closely as they came up to ensure I knew how to position them for the installation. I did notice that the lower front engine mounting bracket will need to be removed from the engine block to allow more clearance. I meant to remove the mount from the manual engine and trans before pulling them out,but I forgot. I noticed that the mount was an issue when I pulled the engine with the automatic,which was more of a challenge to remove than the manual was.

The auto had very little give,where I was able to tip the manual unit down on the transmission end while raising the engine side. For me,this way was the only option. I just wasn't up for pulling the sub frames. Anyway,the whole operation came to a screeching halt after it was discovered that the clutch disc only had about 25% of its material left. As usual,no parts were on island. So...A quick check on Amazon turned up a complete kit for around a buck fifty delivered.

Up date to follow the completion.

Thanks again for the replies,and if anyone needs any parts, they better speak up pretty soon,because the parts car is headed for the scrap yard!

96 crank mains are smaller than the 97 and 98 blocks. The cranks are different. Heads are the same I think. I know they changed the oiling system.