Advice on Engine Pull

[cfalson]

I am pulling a temporary 350 and replacing it with the original 327/350 that came with the car and need some advice. I would like to leave the tranny and bell housing in the car, do I have to drop the steering linkage (car has P/S) to allow for the input shaft into the pressure plate and pilot bearing.
Tranny and clutch were done last winter, so all is well in that area.
By the way if anyone is interested in an early 70's 350 short block from an Impala I have one, will give it to anyone that wants to pick it up.
E-mail me with requests tentuna@optonline.net
Thanks,
Charlie
66 Coupe

 

[tigernut]

Charlie,

I asked the same question a while back.

Did I listen to the advice? No.

Should I have? Yes.

I just installed my new engine yesterday. I had left the Muncie in the car. I was told to pull it and put the tranny on the engine outside the car and install as one piece.

I had a really hard time trying to line them up and was getting dangerously close to damaging the input shaft.

I ended up removing the tranny (it took about 30 minutes. exhaust was already out of the way).

The tranny bolted up to the engine outside the car immediately and we had the engine and tranny back in the car within an hour from tranny removal to engine/tranny install.

One thing to do is to put some type of cover over the end of the tranny, where the driveshaft goes in, otherwise you will be dripping tranny fluid all over the place when tilting it going back in place.

Doug

Edit: One thing I should have noted was I rented a tow behind engine lift. The "boom" was not very long (at least compared to the take apart lift I had previously rented). I had to put the lift almost up against the front of my nose and even then, with the engine hanging level, the engine needed to go back about 1 more foot. We were trying to line up the engine with the tranny and also having to "push" the engine back about 1 foot during the alignment process. This probably added to my problems.

 

[cfalson]

Engine Pull

Did you pre-align the clutch and pressure plate and then try to assemble? Did you break the tranny at the bellhousing or the tranny?
Thanks,
Charlie

 

[allcoupedup]

save yourself some time and frustration and pull/replace as a unit. You'll need a tilter for this along with a cherry picker. Be sure to remove the radiator and the exhaust manifolds.
brian

 

[tigernut]

Did you pre-align the clutch and pressure plate and then try to assemble? Did you break the tranny at the bellhousing or the tranny?
Thanks,
Charlie

Yes, you have to pre-align the clutch and pressure plate with the aligment tool or old input shaft, otherwise things would never fit right.

I disconnected engine from tranny at the bellhousing.

Doug

 

[Tyler Townsley]

I pulled my engine after disconnection at the bell housing. I ran a rope under the bell housing to support it after placing a broom handle across at the hood latches to tie it to. I used a tilt puller. It came out easily and went back the same. THe hardest part was putting the engine mounts back on with the engine in the car.

Tyler

 

[vette]

If you don't need to take the trans. out of the car you don't need to. The last one I put in was my 66 427. Just me and my wife droped it in. We had it in the hole and bolted to the bellhousing in less than a 1\2 hour. A small block is easier yet. I use a wrecker to put the motors in. So I worked the controls on the truck while my wife guided the motor in. Then I ran the bolts in and that was it. If she can do it i'm sure you can.

 

[cfalson]

Engine Pull

Thanks, everyone I am going to leave the tranny and bellhousing in. I will post progress.
Thanks,
Charlie
66 Coupe

 

[IH2LOSE]

Good luck.


Get used to the lift with the weight of the motor on it before trying to set the motor in place. You just have to crack it to relise the pressure.If you overtighten it and have to pull hard on it you may over relise the valve and the motor goes down REAL FAST.

Get 2 tapered punches and keep them handy in your pocket Use this to slide thru the motor mounts when your getting close .Never stick your hands any place they could get pinched.(some folks think I am stupid for saying this)But some time the motor hangs up on something.Your feeling around for what it might be,You slightly twist/push/lean on the motor and she drops/twist into a new position. I seen it happen in person with a fellow doing automecanics for 35 years.It almost happened to me setting my 427 in my 66.
Good luck and be safe

 

[Vref]

I have done it both ways, I say it easier to do it as one unit. Sometimes you'll get lucky and have no problems doing it with the tranny in. But if something doesn't line up, its a real time consumer and pain. Not to mention chances of scratching up the firewall is higher with the tranny in.

 

[PTighe]

Here is a picture of my engine install, piece of cake!