No, but lowering it will make for slightly more room to work thuse saving you from scratches on your hands. Gloves might also save you from such scratches.
The engine needs to be supported on a jack so that the cradle can be lowered after the through bolts are removed. The left rear mount will require supporting the transmission while the through bolt is removed.
THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE CRADLE MUST BE LOWERED. THE VEHICLE MUST BE SUPPORTED IN THE AIR ON STANDS OR A BODY LIFT IS BEST, PUT A ROLLING JACK UNDER FRONT OF CRADLE,REMOVE UPPER ENGINE MOUNTS (DOGBONE). REMOVE 2 FRONT CRADLE BOLTS AND CARFULLY LOWER CRADLE . BE CARFUL, ENGINE CAN BE LOWERED TOO FAR REMOVE BLOWER MOTOR AND INSTALL NEW FAN MOTOR. RAISE CRADLE BACK AND INSTALL BOLTS AND ALL REMOVED PARTS.
No, but the suspension cradle may need removed.
The engine, trans, and suspension cradle are lowered out of the bottom as an unit.
Rent an engine bar from the locate auto parts place that hold the engine up by the fenders and motor hooks. the a arms remove from the cradle. this will allow the drive shafts to be removed from the transmission. the steering rack must be unbolted. the four bolts remove the carrier. the engine mouts must also be removed. lift the car enough for the transmission to be pulled from the car with a floor jack. reverse to replace.
Be very carefull because there are lines and wires that can be broken if the engine is lowered too far. Disconect the battery. Set the parking brake and chock the rear tire. Put the car on jack stands and take off one of the tires. Put the jack under the rear of the engine cradle. You have to loosen the steering column set screw at the steering rack and loosen the two front bolts that hold the engine cradle to the chassis. Take the two rear cradle bolts almost all the way off and lower the cradle until you can wiggle the sway bar out. The steering will disconnect. Reverse the procedure to put everything back where it belongs. The steering shaft is a "D" shape so it only goes on the rack one way. Tighten the set screw and torque the engine cradle to the required specification. 133 ft. lb. IMPORTANT -- Take the car to an alignment shop and have at least the front aligned. The front suspension is attached to the cradle and can be moved out of alignment. Complete instructions are found in Haynes Manual p/n 24048, chapter 10.
The engine cradle is typically what is reffered to as the frame. It must be removed to gain enough clearance for the transmission to be removed and reinstalled.
Behind the motor at the lower rear of the engine cradle sub frame, between the front wheels.
remove entire engine frame cradle from under carlower engine and trans some to gain clearance at top of trans so it can come out from under car and off the enginerack needs to be unbolted either from the cradle, or disconnected at the steering column U joint and hose ends unthreaded as wellmost of the time the rack is bolted to firewall or cradle and can be left under car when cradle is dropped out from under
This is a HUGE job. You need to lower the engine cradle and remove the steering linkage and many other various disconnections.....big labour job.
You need to support the engine so that the cradle can be removed and the mount can be unbolted and replaced.
This is a huge undertaking. I can give you the major steps: You will have to raise the vehicle on a hoist. There is a special engine support tool that spans the front of the vehicle across the two fenders, and uses chains to keep the engine from falling out the bottom while the transmission is being removed. That support will have to be installed, because you will be removing everything that holds the engine in, except one mount located on the passenger's fender apron. Once the support is installed, the vehicle has to be raised and the lower engine/transission support cradle has to be removed. Removal of the cradle will also require unbolting and suspending the streering rack assembly. Both wheels and drive axles are removed. Everything that touches the transmission, such as starter, wiring, speedocable, and anything else in the way is removed. The torque converter nuts are removed. A transmission jack has to be placed under the transmission. The transmission bell housing bolts are removed, and the transmission is lowered through the bottom of the vehicle. Installation is in reverse order of removal.