Pulled Engine out of my 81 This Weekend !!

[91-Vetteman]

Success !! I pulled my engine out this weekend with the help of my 26 year old son who works on Honda's and imports, but made an exception for me!! I have always been a "wanna be" shade tree mechanic, but this is my first engine pull. My winter projects for this year include;
1. Detail engine compartment
2. Paint engine block
3. Chrome water pump / fuel pump / air cleaner / timing chain cover
4. Custom Designed Vette Chrome Valve Covers
5. Dewitt Aluminum radiator
6. Stainless Steel Headers
7. Red powdercoated pulleys

After pics will be provided in April if all goes well !!

 

[GerryLP]

Congratulations, John!

Suggest you make a list of all the fixes needed in engine bay before re-installing the engine back in. Perhaps the heater hoses are original? How about the evap cannister hoses?

You'll be glad that you took care of those fixes prior to engine install.

What are your plans for the engine itself? Is it the stock engine?

GerryLP:cool

 

[82ColEd]

Very :cool !


And dont wait until the job is done for pics..



-Stefan

 

[Tritium007]

John,

Good work! Just out of curiosity, did you pull it out from the side or the front? It looks in the first photo like you pulled it from the front. I didn't think you could close enough from up there. Anyway good luck with the winter projects.

Mike

 

[91-Vetteman]

Engine Pull

Hey Mike,

I pulled the front passenger side tire off and went in on an angle. That front nose is just too big !!

I notice the submarine pic and Charleston home address. I was a Reactor Operator on the Narwhal (SSN-671) out of Charleston from 81 - 85. Awesome town !!

 

[Peer81]

Great work John,

Always very exiting to separate the engine from the car. Especially when all that nice and good paintwork is still around it. As Gerry says, this is your shot to check and replace everything! I would say also check the metal bar to which the headlight-supports attach. A nice fresh paint job (on the metal) after 25 years is well deserved I think. An other item is the radiator-support but that is a common think to check Good luck! And keep us updated with pictures!

Groeten Peter.

 

[fine69]

1. Detail engine compartment
2. Paint engine block
3. Chrome water pump / fuel pump / air cleaner / timing chain cover
4. Custom Designed Vette Chrome Valve Covers
5. Dewitt Aluminum radiator
6. Stainless Steel Headers
7. Red powdercoated pulleys

After pics will be provided in April if all goes well !!

Great job, John! Your engine looks particularly nice and clean. Are you planning to to rebuild / refurbish your engine while it's out?

Keep us posted!

Ralph

 

[bill81vette]

Very nice!!!!!!!!!

keep us updated!!!!!!

 

[bill81vette]

Very nice!!!!!!!!!

keep us updated!!!!!!


BTW how long did it take you to get it out????

 

[Tritium007]

Small world John. That photo is of the Wyoming, the boomer I retired from. I too am very familiar with the "Mermaid Lounge". Just so happens that I was the LELT on the Narwhal from November '95 until January '98. Did a 5 month UNITAS on her to South America in '96. Thanks for serving! Ever notice that the longer you're out, the better it was?

Cheers,
Mike

 

[91-Vetteman]

Ralph - I have no plans on doing anything internal to the block. Car has about 105,000 miles. I may change out the timing chain and somone has suggested the oil pump while I have the engine out. I have not made a decision on these 2 parts yet.

Bill - Duirng the month of December, I pulled the radiator, electric fan, shroud, exhaust manifolds, alternator, pulleys, the six trans housing bolts, various vacuum and electrical connections. On the day of the pull, my son and I removed the 3 fly wheel bolts (left trans in car) and the 2 engine mounts and pulled the engine. I would say we had it on the engine stand in 45 minutes with all the pre-work I mentioned above !!

 

[silver 80]

nice job, what kind of exhaust manifold are you using?
tom

sorry I thought you had an 80.

 

[Jack]

John:
Situation (if I've got it right):
105K & apparently running great now ... probably gonna keep it indefinately ... pulling motor primarily for cosmetics.

Suggested additional labor:
Freshen it internally too ... not an all-out overhaul: machineshop-clean block, heads, intake, timing cover & pan ... deglaze cylinders ... check for likely valve guide wear-repair w/ thin-wall liners ... polish crankshaft journals.

Suggested new parts:
Valve springs, piston rings, rod & main bearings, timing set, oil pump.

It's be shame to put shiney 105K motor back in ... then it go to smoking in another 25K-50K ... do it now; or later. Your son's help, a $20 sbc rebuild manual & well under $400 should do it.

 

[fine69]

John:
Situation (if I've got it right):
105K & apparently running great now ... probably gonna keep it indefinately ... pulling motor primarily for cosmetics.

Suggested additional labor:
Freshen it internally too ... not an all-out overhaul: machineshop-clean block, heads, intake, timing cover & pan ... deglaze cylinders ... check for likely valve guide wear-repair w/ thin-wall liners ... polish crankshaft journals.

Suggested new parts:
Valve springs, piston rings, rod & main bearings, timing set, oil pump.

It's be shame to put shiney 105K motor back in ... then it go to smoking in another 25K-50K ... do it now; or later. Your son's help, a $20 sbc rebuild manual & well under $400 should do it.

John,

Jack has some gr8 advice.... ya know what they say, ".... an ounce of prevention..."



.

 

[91-Vetteman]

Hi Jack,

Thanx for your advice !! I just finished my "list" of what I need to do to my engine while it is on the stand, 15 items in all and that does not inculde your suggestions. I copied your posting and sent it to my son to see what his reaction is. I think most of the items you mentioned, rocker arms, valves, head polishing, could be accomplished with the engine in the car. This year's winter project list really grew as I investigated replacing my radiator. I get to work on my car a day a week and would like to have it back on the road by the end of April for my weekend nice day rides !!

Again, I understand and apprecaite your input !! I may put 2000 - 3000 miles a year on the car. I will probably add your suggestions to my 2011 winter project list ! Current schedule; 2008 - complete brake system replacement, 2009 - interior carpet, dash pad & front window replacement, 2010 - new paint job, and 2011 - engine overhaul !!

 

[Jack]

Hi Jack,.......I think most of the items you mentioned .............could be accomplished with the engine in the car.

Simple answer is No. Most of the critical wear items I suggested are internal and practicality of addressing them while motor in car ranges from very, very difficult to impossible. Cylinder deglaze, piston rings, crank polish, crank bearings are internal. Thorough & internal cleaning block, heads, intake requires a trip to machineshop where they are caustic-vatted/baked & blasted clean.

My experience w/ modern imports indicates their motors are seldom rebuilt except under warranty and rarely even then. When out of warranty, modern import motors usually cost too much to rebuild and usually replaced w/ a junkyard motor from a wreck.

 

[91-Vetteman]

"Cylinder deglaze, piston rings, crank polish, crank bearings are internal. Thorough & internal cleaning block, heads, intake requires a trip to machineshop where they are caustic-vatted/baked & blasted clean."

Jack,

As I mentioned in my original post, I am a shade tree mechanic wannabe !! Pulling this engine was a pretty big decision by me. I admit, I do not know what is involved to do the things you recommended. It sounded like to me, that it required pulling heads, manifold, and basically disassembling the whole engine block. While it would be easier to do this on an engine stand, I would think you could pull these items (if necessary) with the enigne installed. Time, money. and not having a real engine guru to help me, I am going to have to hold off on these items for now.

I have learned so much about my car by pulling this engine. I bought it 3 years ago from a girl in Tennessee who's father passed away unexpectantly. He had been working on it over several years and was definitely knowledgable of engines. She did not have many details, and her father did not record anything about what he did with the car. Well, I just looked up my engine block # --> V0307CRX and discovered that this is a 1975 350 made in Flint, MI. There were also two additional body codes "A, B" which I am not sure what they mean.

I love having the basic 350, HEI ignition, no smog crap or ECM !! I have no plans of ever trying to restore this engine to the OEM version. Thanx again for your comments and suggestions on my project!!

 

[oceangal]

Good luck with your project and that is a great father son activity!

I will be doing that soon - well the fiance will and he said in the "spring" but it was 66 here on Saturday (in Massachusetts) so I think it *is* spring!

Time to buy a new engine crane

 

[fine69]

Time to buy a new engine crane

I got my 2 ton engine hoist at Advance Auto for $148.88 !

It handled my small block without a problem. It also came in handy for my radiator/shroud re-install (I was able to do it solo).



.

 

[oceangal]

I got my 2 ton engine hoist at Advance Auto for $148.88 !

It handled my small block without a problem. It also came in handy for my radiator/shroud re-install (I was able to do it solo).



.

Thanks for the info - I will check that out!!