Easy way to remove motor and trans from donor?

[Davidf]

I have down this road just recently. Engine in my donor ran good when I test drove it. Drained oil and globs came out...uh oh, coolant and oil mix...probably means cracked cylinder head. Pull valve cover and man was it dirty with baked oil. Pulled heads and they passed pressure test. Cleaned engine best I could, replaced oil pump, resealed entire engine.

After my LS swap was complete, the engine started right up and sounded great, but it immediately left a puddle of oil under the rear main...damn, I messed that seal up. new seal and same results...turned out the crank was moving radially due to worn out main bearing. So, I bailed and bought an engine from a salvage yard. Used my boroscope to look inside the engine to ensure spotlessly clean. 2nd engine is great!

So, maybe don't waste your time on the engine you have and get a better one. I got my 5.3L from the salvage yard for $425.