I just need a little help. I have been around 2.4L for about 4 years now. But i have not done a automatic tranny...i had a Grand am 2.4L 5 speed...that i pulled the motor from the car without the tranny. i guess my question is can i pull a just the motor from a 2001 cavalier(automatic) without the tranny with it? or should i pull it too? and also i will be pulling it out the top. i really don't have much room to go out the bottom. or would it be easier?

I've always come out the top with engine/tranny tilted using a leveler, but with the subframe removed I would imagine it would come out the bottom pretty easy with the engine and tranny still bolted up. If I had a concrete pad I would more than likely drop it from the bottom if I had to do it again.

pull it out of the top without the tranny. the only thing i remember being necessary is removing the crank pulley, but im thinking the a/c compressor and alt should come off also.

^^^ yep. leave the tranny right where it sits, remove the crank pulley so you have enough room up against the frame rail.

be sure to take out the 3 torque converter bolts though or you wont be able to separate the engine from the tranny.