Skip to main content

Engine Removal, Without Removing the Hood on That GM

Check your vehicle for this feature you may not know about that allows you to remove your engine without having to take the hood off.
Hood Trick for Mechanics

Engine Removal Woes

There are a lot of woes when it comes to taking an engine out of a truck or car—especially when:

  • The vehicle rides high, and access and egress become a problem.
  • You are working alone on the vehicle.
  • You are using a Harbor Freight engine lift that has you and your spouse more than a little concerned.
  • You discover that moment of once you get started---there’s no turning back.
  • You might find yourself months without a vehicle because of parts.
  • Loss of family garage space for (again) months until the job is finally done.
  • You decide it’s just easier dismantling the front end…until it's time to reassemble it.

A Feature Some Owners are Not Aware Of

Taking an engine out is hard enough as it is. But having to remove the hood too, makes it even worse. Especially when you have to find another body or two to help you position and re-position the hood multiples times before you get the alignment just right after you’ve re-installed the rebuilt motor and it’s time to put the final touches to the build. And, if it’s an older truck…yeah, those suckers can be pretty heavy, you risk denting or scratching your truck putting it back on.

Related article: Engine Swapping Expert Reveals the Realities About Engine Replacement

However, if you are a GM truck owner there’s a feature not everyone is aware of: a hood service position that allows you to raise the hood further back toward the windshield leaving plenty of room for raising an engine (and transmission too) out of the bay without having to detach the hood.

It’s also a nice feature if you find yourself needing to physically crawl into the engine bay to do a partial engine tear-down and/or remove an overly heavy cast iron manifold without injuring your back or hands.

Quick Video Demonstration

What generated this topic was a recent Wrenching with Kenny YouTube channel video where Kenny does a show and tell of how it is done with a 2003 Silverado 2500 of which he is about to pull the motor out without having to remove the hood.

Doing a quick online search using “hood service position” as the keywords, it turns out that you can find this feature in:

  • 1999-2014 GM trucks and SUVs
  • Some models of Mercedes Benz
  • Volvo
  • BMW

Why every manufacturer does not offer this is a head scratcher, but I can see the jokes about GM foretelling the future of some of their models especially needing this feature.

Related article: Car Features That Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time

In any case, if you have not seen this feature before, here is a short and informative video by Kenny that shows and tells what GM (and those foreign makes) got right for their mechanics.

And finally…

For more about some car features, here are a few selected articles for your consideration and enjoyment:

Timothy Boyer is Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for new and used vehicle news.

Image Source: Pexels

Automotive News
Car Questions
Chevrolet
Chevrolet Silverado