96 Aerostar van engine removal

[North Idaho 5.oh]

Found this thing locally and need some advice on how to pull the engine out?
Long story short it was owned by a family with a handicapped child and they stored it in an old run down car port/shop building.
Heavy snow got the best of it and the building fell on it!
It’s got 80k miles on it and I need the engine!
Ive heard it’s easy and I’ve also heard it’s really hard... any advice is much appreciated!

 

[bcschief]

Drop the whole front platform to do it without doing that you will need to strip the engine to a short block. Too bad for the damage I like the aerostars

 

[sgtsandman]

No personal experience but generally with vans, you have to remove pretty much the whole front end , grill, radiator support, and whatever else might be in the way pull it through the nose. It's been a long time since I've been in an Areostar and even then it wasn't that long to remember if there is an inside hump that can be removed to get at things on the back of the engine.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Thing is junk anyways. Cut out the front clip and core support and youll have to ease it out forward.

The aerostar does have a doghouse, but its small and tucked up under the dash and im not sure youd be able to get to the bell bolts. Once again id cut the floor out.

 

[19Walt93]

We pulled a lot of Aerostar engines to fix intake and valve cover gasket oil leaks. The first thing you disconnect is the rear u joint, the engine and transmission come out as an assembly on the front cradle. All wheel drive Aerostars were great in snow. They had a lot of A4LD problems because the shifter bolted to the floor and when the engine rocked it pulled the trans partway out of gear.

 

[Dirtman]

I've done many van engines via the sliding door.... It sucks but when you can't hack up the front it's the only way. That thing can be hacked, hack it. Hack it hard!

 

[sheep herder]

 

[adsm08]

I've done many van engines via the sliding door.... It sucks but when you can't hack up the front it's the only way. That thing can be hacked, hack it. Hack it hard!

THIS. SO MUCH THIS!

I'd be cutting that body right down the B-pillars.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

THIS. SO MUCH THIS!

I'd be cutting that body right down the B-pillars.

My nephew back in high school had a buddy whos dad ended up being givin a mid-late 80s caravan for scrap. Upon finding out it ran they took a sawzall and cut it in half, rigged a fuel source (it was carburated) and tore it around the back field.

It was fun untill the trans gave out. Reminded me of a paralyzed dog dragging itself across the carpet.

 

[adsm08]

My nephew back in high school had a buddy whos dad ended up being givin a mid-late 80s caravan for scrap. Upon finding out it ran they took a sawzall and cut it in half, rigged a fuel source (it was carburated) and tore it around the back field.

It was fun untill the trans gave out. Reminded me of a paralyzed dog dragging itself across the carpet.

Reminds me of Red Green. He did so many K-car based projects that involved something like that.

The boat trailer car, the variable wheel base car, the car pool. I can't find it anymore, but I swear one time he made a paddle boat out of an Aerostar and wood pallets.

 

[snoranger]

Sawzall and a cherry picker.
Hold the body up with the cherry picker, don’t stop cutting until the motor/trans is on the ground.

 

[North Idaho 5.oh]

I have everything as far as fenders, head lights, grille etc.... I’m just gonna hack this thing to pieces! I’ve looked at it enough till that’s about the only way !

 

[North Idaho 5.oh]

Well the sawzall was my best friend for the day.
Got the engine out with a LOT of persuasion.
Lot more room under this thing than I thought!