What method do you ue to lift V8 engine from car
#1
Safety Car
Thread Starter
What method do you ue to lift V8 engine from car
Do you guys use the 4 threaded studs that hold the carburetor on to lift the engine out of you car. Does not seem that 4 5/16” bolts would be strong enough.
#2
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They hold up a big block just fine
#3
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The location of lift points depends on different things too different people. I my case, I'm hooking up at the exhaust manifold bolts. I need too keep all my lifting hardware as low as possible because my garage ceiling is only 7'. Dennis
#4
Team Owner
Use a lifting plate for the carb bolt area
#5
Le Mans Master
I use the intake manifold bolts. I know many use the carb. plate successfully and I've never heard of one failing but no way would I use one. Holding several hundred pounds with those little 1/4" studs in aluminum just doesn't seem strong enough for me.
Jim
Jim
#6
Race Director
lol
I never have felt comfortable lifting with a carb plate. I always use a chain to the intake to head bolts. Those 1/4 studs don't make good sense to me...
David
#7
Le Mans Master
I use the intake manifold bolts, using a pair of Chevy lifting brackets that bolt to the manifold that the chain hooks up to.
#9
Le Mans Master
...i use two chains in a cross pattern from intake bolts or head accessory bolts and a large screw driver in the links to control angles....i have seen two engines fall from carb plates and it is ugly...if bolted correctly or not, i don't like carb plates and i am sure others will disagree..
#10
Safety Car
I just lifted my small block with trans attached from the exhaust manifold bolts. Nice and strong
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Small tip.......when moving engine around on crane, lower it close to the ground, so if anything does happen, it can't fall far!
#15
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I use longer bolts in the outboard/end exhaust manifold bolt holes. I also have an engine leveler, elec hoist and my A-frame is on very HD casters to provide moving the engine/tranny in any direction. My A-frame is 100% bolted together so that it can be disassembled and stored when not in use.
Tom Parsons
Tom Parsons
#16
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I also have the "good" kind of leveler with the screw rod, NOT the cheapo ones with the ratchet cables.
Works great when you're pulling or installing an engine/trans combo, which is the way to go IMHO.
Years ago, I pulled them just with chains and NO leveler/tipper. It's much harder that way. You have much more control with the leveler.
Will be helping a bud pull the engine/trans out of his 57 Cadillac later this week and will use the same system. As a matter of fact, he's borrowing my "system".
Chuck
#17
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On an engine with the ram's horn manifolds, I do it the easy way.
Spreader bar the width of the engine with chain drops down to the center exhaust manifold bolts. Which bolts I use depends on whether there is a transmission hanging on the engine. Using a combination of those bolt locations, you can use one hand to balance the engine front/rear and tip it up/down at will. You can also roll the engine side/side with one hand. Also use a cheap ratchet strap going to either front/rear of the engine to hold the balance, depending on the amount of accessories mounted on the engine.
I would post a picture but it's too hard.
PS. I bought one of those screw drive engine tilters and used it one time a number of years ago. Didn't like it and threw it in a corner somewhere. Don't even know where it is now.
Spreader bar the width of the engine with chain drops down to the center exhaust manifold bolts. Which bolts I use depends on whether there is a transmission hanging on the engine. Using a combination of those bolt locations, you can use one hand to balance the engine front/rear and tip it up/down at will. You can also roll the engine side/side with one hand. Also use a cheap ratchet strap going to either front/rear of the engine to hold the balance, depending on the amount of accessories mounted on the engine.
I would post a picture but it's too hard.
PS. I bought one of those screw drive engine tilters and used it one time a number of years ago. Didn't like it and threw it in a corner somewhere. Don't even know where it is now.
Last edited by MikeM; 10-25-2011 at 09:33 AM.
#18
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That's exactly what I do these days. I have used the tilter/leveler in the past too with Corvettes.
I also have the "good" kind of leveler with the screw rod, NOT the cheapo ones with the ratchet cables.
Works great when you're pulling or installing an engine/trans combo, which is the way to go IMHO.
Years ago, I pulled them just with chains and NO leveler/tipper. It's much harder that way. You have much more control with the leveler.
Will be helping a bud pull the engine/trans out of his 57 Cadillac later this week and will use the same system. As a matter of fact, he's borrowing my "system".
Chuck
I also have the "good" kind of leveler with the screw rod, NOT the cheapo ones with the ratchet cables.
Works great when you're pulling or installing an engine/trans combo, which is the way to go IMHO.
Years ago, I pulled them just with chains and NO leveler/tipper. It's much harder that way. You have much more control with the leveler.
Will be helping a bud pull the engine/trans out of his 57 Cadillac later this week and will use the same system. As a matter of fact, he's borrowing my "system".
Chuck
Chuck,
POST PICTURES OF THE CADDY WHEN YOU DO IT!!!
Tom Parsons
#19
May 27th, 11, 1:22 AM
Kaizen Motorsports (http://kaizen.homestead.com/Loadlevelingliftplate.html) did a lift plate test. Load Leveling Lift Plate: Aluminum vs Iron Manifold Test Results (http://kaizen.homestead.com/files/Al_vs_Fe_Manifold.doc)
From the above link
Knowing that there are some genuine concerns associated with using an engine lift plate attached to an aluminum manifold, Kaizen Motorsports wanted to evaluate the validity of this concern. To do so, we sent two of our lift plates to a certified test facility, along with an iron and aluminum intake manifold, to evaluate the difference between the two set-ups. We think the results will surprise many people!
First, one of our plates was attached to the iron intake with four high strength carburetor studs. With the plate and manifold in a level position, the leveling device was positioned at each end and pulled to 2000lbs with no deflection. The leveling device was then centered and the entire set-up was pulled to failure. The figure below shows the results (failure point highlighted in red). It can be seen that the system did not break until it reached 7,890 lbs! Having established a baseline, we were anxious to see the results for the aluminum manifold.
The second test was conducted in precisely the same manner, except the plate was attached to an aluminum manifold. The results of this test surprised even us. For this test the load was applied progressively from 1250 lbs to 2000 lbs and then to ultimate failure. At 1250 and 2000 the leveling device was actuated from one side to the other. The load was then centered and pulled to destruction. The ultimate load was 8950 lbs.
The plate in the first test failed at a lower load simply because the lifting eye was not perfectly centered and at around 4500 lbs the plate began deflecting at a slight angle which in turn reduced the amount of force that the plate could withstand. The plate in the second test (aluminum manifold) began deflecting evenly and remained even until failure. The difference between the ultimate loads in the two tests has nothing to do with the manifold material.
Upon inspection of the manifolds after the tests, we found that the steel carburetor studs could still be removed by hand on both the iron and aluminum manifolds. No visual damage to the manifolds was apparent.
#20
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Will do, Tom.
Right now, my bud is dragging his feet a bit. He's gotten most of the accessories off the engine. The radiator is out, the hood is off, etc.
He wants to pull the engine/trans as a unit.
I gave him my leveler/chains/brackets last week. He has his own cherry picker hoist.
I'm just waiting for the phone call.
Chuck
Right now, my bud is dragging his feet a bit. He's gotten most of the accessories off the engine. The radiator is out, the hood is off, etc.
He wants to pull the engine/trans as a unit.
I gave him my leveler/chains/brackets last week. He has his own cherry picker hoist.
I'm just waiting for the phone call.
Chuck