[Gromit]

My two cents is to remove the grill and core support - and if you have an engine load leveler ($26 at Harbor Fright) remove and install the motor and trans as a unit.

I was glad I did it this way because once the core support was out I found the rustiest area on my whole truck under the part of the core support that was covered by the inner fender. This rust appeared to be caused by battery vapors but nothing that a little trip through the electrolysis tank and some undercoating couldn't take care of (for ten more years anyway).

Also the core support rubber bushings are cheap and critical to the alignment of many of your front body panels so it is a good opportunity to replace those.

After all the worst case is you lift that whole 700+ pound mass over the core rather than unbolting it - and then two months later unbolt the core to change out your bushings cause your fenders and hood and doors aren't lining up right.

Also on the TH350 the aluminum case is much weaker than the cast iron motor so if the two are already bolted together as you are cranking them around into position to mate them up you won't be stressing those tabs on the transmission where it bolts to the motor (as much - and especially not individually)..as you try to maneuver the engine into position on the trans.

I did my own motor/trans R&R by myself - one mistake I made was to fill the motor with oil and install the big long oil filter... well it turned out the filter was right in the way when I tried to tilt the thing into position... so next time I'll leave the filter and oil for last..

Also it is a heck of a lot easier to clean things without the core support installed..

Photos of rusty core support, electrolysis, newly undercoated core, and new and old core support bushing photos attached..