The back story is HERE.
I thought I would make some notes on this repair for anyone bored enough to read them.
Basically, the engine was running rough, had no power, was smoking and blowing the oil dipstick out of it's hole. All of these things point to a burned or cracked Piston. I talked to Dr. A about it and he said that the 04,05,06 engines don't break pistons. I seem to to recall that they went to Trapezoidal rod/piston joints and I know that this adds strength there so I wonder if this is the reason why they changed.
I did some testing and verified that the problem was #5 cylinder and since at that point nothing was to be done except yard it out of there, I dug in. The following are random notes:
The engine harness came off of the engine and laid over.
I sprayed penetrating oil on the exhaust bolts a day before.
Both A/C compressors came unbolted and moved to the side a bit as well as the condensor. No A/C lines were opened.
I removed the injector lines and covered them with Heavy Aluminum Foil.
Heavy Aluminum Foil is a great way to seal up open ports.
Dr. A suggested removing the transmission with the engine. It's a whole lot easier to get the flex plate bolts out and getting the engine and trans lined up is next to impossible in the van unless you unbolt the trans and slide it back. I think that this is due to the angle of the engine.
I put a floor jack under the transmission pan with the jack running long-ways so that it would roll as I pulled the engine forward.
Remove the cover for the cabin filter.
Choke up the lifting chain as much as possible and the same with the chain on the cherry-picker.
The service manual says to cut the piece of tin going across under the radiator to get the engine out and I did this. I don't know if I had to but it allowed me to move the engine forward about three inches before coming up and this allowed the cherry picker to clear the cowling.
I removed the Drivers side engine mount since it would have hit the A/C compressors.
The rear engine lifting hook is a balance point with the transmission attached.
I kept the transmission lines and dipstick tube attached during removal and are still on the transmission after it's separated.
There's one more bolt you missed and that's why the part isn't coming off.
Dr. A told me to put a board over the cross-member and power steering cross member and just drag the transmission across that. After I got it out so far, I set it down using a jackstand on the side and rehooked on the rear lifting hook. This actually wasn't quite right due to Geometry and things were hitting between the intake and the cherry picker, but I got it out eventually. Just remember that the transmission always has to be tipped down until it clears the firewall.
I set the assembly on three jackstands under the engine (After reinstalling the motor mount) and removed the transmission. I then picked up the engine and bolted on the spider for the engine stand. Be sure you don't bolt to the oil pan holes. After the spider was on, it slips right into the engine stand. I have seen dealer techs struggling with bolting the spider to the engine while the spider is still on the stand. This is silly. Take it off, bolt it on, then slide it in.
Next installment is head removal. Or as the French kings would say, "Divorce".
I thought I would make some notes on this repair for anyone bored enough to read them.
Basically, the engine was running rough, had no power, was smoking and blowing the oil dipstick out of it's hole. All of these things point to a burned or cracked Piston. I talked to Dr. A about it and he said that the 04,05,06 engines don't break pistons. I seem to to recall that they went to Trapezoidal rod/piston joints and I know that this adds strength there so I wonder if this is the reason why they changed.
I did some testing and verified that the problem was #5 cylinder and since at that point nothing was to be done except yard it out of there, I dug in. The following are random notes:
The engine harness came off of the engine and laid over.
I sprayed penetrating oil on the exhaust bolts a day before.
Both A/C compressors came unbolted and moved to the side a bit as well as the condensor. No A/C lines were opened.
I removed the injector lines and covered them with Heavy Aluminum Foil.
Heavy Aluminum Foil is a great way to seal up open ports.
Dr. A suggested removing the transmission with the engine. It's a whole lot easier to get the flex plate bolts out and getting the engine and trans lined up is next to impossible in the van unless you unbolt the trans and slide it back. I think that this is due to the angle of the engine.
I put a floor jack under the transmission pan with the jack running long-ways so that it would roll as I pulled the engine forward.
Remove the cover for the cabin filter.
Choke up the lifting chain as much as possible and the same with the chain on the cherry-picker.
The service manual says to cut the piece of tin going across under the radiator to get the engine out and I did this. I don't know if I had to but it allowed me to move the engine forward about three inches before coming up and this allowed the cherry picker to clear the cowling.
I removed the Drivers side engine mount since it would have hit the A/C compressors.
The rear engine lifting hook is a balance point with the transmission attached.
I kept the transmission lines and dipstick tube attached during removal and are still on the transmission after it's separated.
There's one more bolt you missed and that's why the part isn't coming off.
Dr. A told me to put a board over the cross-member and power steering cross member and just drag the transmission across that. After I got it out so far, I set it down using a jackstand on the side and rehooked on the rear lifting hook. This actually wasn't quite right due to Geometry and things were hitting between the intake and the cherry picker, but I got it out eventually. Just remember that the transmission always has to be tipped down until it clears the firewall.
I set the assembly on three jackstands under the engine (After reinstalling the motor mount) and removed the transmission. I then picked up the engine and bolted on the spider for the engine stand. Be sure you don't bolt to the oil pan holes. After the spider was on, it slips right into the engine stand. I have seen dealer techs struggling with bolting the spider to the engine while the spider is still on the stand. This is silly. Take it off, bolt it on, then slide it in.
Next installment is head removal. Or as the French kings would say, "Divorce".