Can a person change a flex plate from the top side ? with out too much b/* -- i do not have a hoist to drop out from bottom -- is it possible to get engine and tranny seperated ENOUGH to get my hand and tq wrench in between ? without yanking all the way out .

any help would be great thank you

I'm not familiar with the Riv'* and how the engine bay is setup. But, I'm going to assume the forward part of the engine, (not the left bank, but the pulley part) has a mount that bolts to the passenger side of the engine bay. If you can remove this mount, it should give you enough space to shift the engine towards the passenger side. Again, you will need to support the engine and transmission somehow. A piece of 4x4 lumber running from strut tower to strut tower and some 1" ratchet straps should work to support both. 2 for the trans and 2 for the engine.

thank you -- riv is pretty much like ALL 3800 fwd'* , that was i suspected as well -- will be a P.I.A but it has to get done this car just turned over 100k last month and way too good of shape !!!! thanks again

You should be able to get away with remove that front mount, disconnect the engine from the trans and swing it towards the passenger side. Even as the engine sits mounted to the trans, once you disconnect the torque convert from the fly wheel, it will actually slide back about 1/4" or a tad more.

What do you have for tools? Removing these engines only requires common tools, but one special may be needed for that backward trans bolt which sits BEHIND the engine.

Should not be a problem !!! i have more tools than most master tech'* -- i am old school wrench at 55 yrs old -- have changer many many RWD engines and trannys -- but this FWD crap is a new venture for me -- i tend to send these down the road to someone else thanks again for the help -- i will wait till next week when temps are suppose to climb a little more in the 40'* (no heat in barn)

heres a tool a member on here made if you plan on doing work on these in the future

https://www.gmforum.com/buick-172/4t...-305671/page3/