Engine removal and stater bolts{17mm) thru- transmission housing

[peteMtype]

Dose anyone have experience removing the engine (3.5 liter) from a 1985/735i?

Do you know if the 17mm bolts that hold the starter in place thread into the transmission housing; and where can I get the tool to remove those starter bolts? Conventional 17mm tools will not clear the engine block...very little access.

Does the transmission HAVE to be pulled in order to remove the engine? All tranny-housing bolts have been removed...only the starter bolts remain and appear to go into the transmission housing???

I'd appreciate any and all input on the subject...thanks!

[Jeron]

You should have to pull the starter to drop the tranny.

On E36's the bolts either thread from the tranny side into the starter housing or the thread from the tranny side into nuts on the engine side. The later requires a partner to hold the nuts.

Try tilting the engine on its mounts to get more clearance to the bolts. You can also loosen the tranny mounts to get more movement.