2000 OBW 5-spd. Pulling engine to replace the clutch, I've got engine mount/crossmember disconnected, transmission raised a good few inches, engine on hoist raised to clear the mount studs, all bellhousing bolts out, dogbone disconnected on the tranny side.

 

Seems like it's just seized up and I cant find a good place to pry the two apart and cant' get room to swing a hammer. I'm positive I've got all the bellhousing bolts out; 4 on each side right? Alternating one's a bolt ones a stud, bolt... stud... starter (bolt... stud...) etc. there's only 8.

 

Any suggestions? I'm rocking it back and forth but that's just jerking the tranny around too, I'm afraid I'm going to disengage a driveshaft or something.

Edited October 6, 201015 yr by 211

Rocking it around probably won't help. I always use a long beater screwdriver and drive it into the top. I've never had one that didn't come apart. Take it to the bench grinder and put a nice tip on it too. When you do get it separated, you will prob have to fight with that small plate the covers the bottom of the flywheel. Since you have the whole assembly jacked up, I'd recommend taking it off now, or pry down on it so it doesn't get caught up. BTW, auto or stick...did you pull your torque converter bolts out? Also, you should have a jackstand under the trans and the engine should not be on the hoist yet to separate the two. If you have the engine hoisted up it puts pressure on the joint and makes them difficult to break apart.

make sure they're all out for sure.

 

they can be a real pain to separate. this is why i wonder about all the folks that act like it takes 30 minutes every single time. though with experience this step isn't too bad, it's still common and can be a snag.

 

start with a chisel and hammer and work your way around gradually separating passengers side then drivers side and alternating back and forth. i just access it from the top. when you separate one slightly the other closes, it's a 2 steps forward, one step back kind of thing.

 

if you're taking the engine apart anyway - heads or something then removing stuff now for access like the intake manifold won't cost you any time. but i've never had to do that myself, should have plenty of room for something on passengers and drivers sides.

When I did the clutch in mine I had to pry it apart with a pickle fork. (ball joint separator)

That part took the longest. I sanded down the alignment dowels really well and covered them with copper grease.

GOT IT! Definitely a combo of big screwdriver, pry bar and working both sides.

Helps to have the right angle when the engine starts to seperate too. At one point I had to lower it and choke up on one of the chains so it tilted more down in the back.

 

Thanks all

I just went thru this myself, used a slightly more barbaric approach. Soaked the engine/trans joint with Kroil, was initially using a sharp chisel between them but that's not how I got the initial separation. Had the trans jack supporting the trans and would jack the engine up till it was maybe a half inch high then immediately dumped the engine hoist dropping the weight of the engine sharply till I got a separation. Noticed the old engine and new engine had a small amount of corrosion in the exact same spots on top of the bell housing.

I start with a flat putty knife, hammer that in, then progress to a flathead screwdriver, then a prybar. I can separate even the tough ones in a minute with this method.