jcobz28
Posts: 9
Joined: 11/28/2006
Status: offline
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Just want to vent a little about what a total bioootch it has been dropping out the front cradle! I have spent almost 20 hours so far and it's ALMOST ready to come out. Just need to loosen the 6 cradle bolts and jack up the frame. This is my first time wrenching on a caddy, and I can't believe how many frickin' electrical connections I had to undo... its wiring madness. Now i just hope my little labels dont fall off the plugs...  I'd be so lost!
The car is a 96 with 148k, and I can tell this is the first time its ever been dissected. Some of these bolts are solid! The exhaust bolts are so rusted to oblivion, that soaking them in penetrating oil spray and a 250 ft-lb air gun is futile. I'm just snapping reducers / flex joints. So, I decided to drop the motor with the y-pipe/exhaust attached. A little more work disconnecting the exhaust all the way back to the muffler tips, but I see no other way to do it short of cutting the pipe, which I don't want to do for replacement cost reasons. Once I get it out of the engine bay and things are more accessible, I should be able to get at the bolts with the air gun and no elbow adapters. If it doesn't come out that way, I'll drill out the bolts.
Then last night, taking off the passenger side steering knuckle, the 2 really big bolts going into the flange on the coilover were ridiculously solid! The driver side ones came out with the usual super long breaker bar and some muscle. These ones weren't moving. I soaked them in penetrating oil. I already had the nut off, and the bolt is supposed to just slide out! It doesn't even need to be unscrewed/backed out. I couldn't even get it to turn!! Had the air gun on it full force 250 ft#, it aint budging. Spanking the heck out of the other end of it with a massive sledgehammer, reapeatedly for like 10 min... aint moving. After alternating spraying, air gunning, and sledgehammering for about 20 minutes, I FINALLY got them out. I have NEVER EVER seen such stubborn bolts!! Once out, it was apparent the bolt threads had formed a continous rust with the housing which they were slid through... kind of like a 10 yr slow weld. lol.
This project has been full of time consuming "surprises" (expected, as always) at every turn so far. I can't wait to find out what lingers beneath the heads! I'm banking on a blown head gasket and stripped out bolts. But who knows what lays ahead. Maybe a cracked block? Oh, I can hardly wait! The suspense! 
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dropping engine - what a biootch! - 
