sharkthehunter77

I was going to take out the motor and tranny as a unite but the rear end bolts are just too stubborn. Do I have to support the tranny while i unhook the engine at the torque converer/flywheel. How hard will it be to attach the new engine to the transmission when i am ready if i say, have the tranny supported by wooden blocks? I have had enough frustration with this so i need your advice because the guys at the hobby shop are not al that helpful!

dman535

You don't need to support anything while you undo torque convertor bolts. You don't even really need to support anything while your remove the bellhousing/tranny bolts. When it comes time to seperate the motor/trans put a floor jack with a piece of wood onit under the trans pan, that should be plents to support the transmission. Make sure you have all the ground straps and electrical connectors removed. Good Luck !

theandies

First, I would really try to get those bolts that are stuck out. It is ALOT easier to pull both the engine and tranny as one unit IMO. Just to be on the safe side, I'd block the tranny before removing any bolts....this may be over kill but its better that having to explain to St. Peter that the reason you are at the Pearly Gates is an automatic tranmission fell on your head :lol:
I removed the hood and I also got a piece of plywood and strapped it to the back side (engine side) of the radiator just in case to keep from poking a hole in it by accident. The hoist I rented would no allow me to pull the engine from the front so I went at it from the drivers side. I had my car up on jack stands so I removed the front left wheel for easier access. If you do have the car on jack stands, remember that you are taking 500 to 700 Lbs. off the front of the car so be sure to add some extra support at the very back part of the car to keep from tipping. I suggest to buy/rent a engine load leveler. All I used was a chain and I had to lift the engine/tranny combo, found out I was off a little with my links in the chain, lower it, adjust the chain, lift it, off a bit, lower, adjust, lift, off a bit, lower, adjust.......you get the picture. A load leveler would have made it faster, safer and easier.
Good luck and have fun.
John


[Modified by theandies, 7:03 AM 3/20/2003]

nunus79

Sharkthemechanic77,

I must have missed some of your recent posts. How did you get from doing a cam change to pulling your engine??? Did you get caught up in the moment? :lol:

Gator81

The load leveler suggestion is a very, very good one. It will help you avoid untold frustration, especially when going back in.

Have someone help you remove the hood. Put some tape around the hinge mounts before you loosen the bolts, so it will be easy to see where to line up the hood when it goes back on. Use rope or wire to hang the hood from the latch loops (rear edge of the hood), and put a blanket over the hood before you hang it up as far as possible from all the action. These tips will keep a dinged up hood from taking the pleasure out of an otherwise successful engine swap.

I'd pull the distributor before lifting the motor, to avoid interference problems. Depending on what you're doing with the motor, you may want to use a piece of tape or some such to mark where the distributor is pointing. If you bring the motor up ready to fire on #1, then note the distributor position, it should be easy to get the rebuilt or new motor (or whatever) also at that position on the crank, and then drop the distributor back in without a hassle.

When I did my motor swap, I removed all the peripherals off the front of the motor except the water pump, and I had no trouble. I did not pull the trans. I did not need to remove the radiator, although I did use the trick of covering it up with a piece of thin plywood to avoid poking holes in it, as advised above.

I'm a little dumber than most, so I don't trust myself to remember where things hook up. So I label every wire, hose, you name it, with tape and a permanent Sharpie marker. Bolts go in baggies, labeled on the inside with the Sharpie, e.g., all the fan bolts are in a bag by themselves, etc.

Good luck!!! :seeya

cardo0

That hood has come off but first make sure you mark the hinge positions well enough to replace it. My shop manual recommends removing trans along with the motor. For this you'll need to remove radiator/core support first.
Possible to separate motor from trans but reinstallation has alignment difficulties.
I think rear end bolts your talking about are the u-joint bolts? If the trans shifter and mount are disconnected along with the exhaust to crossover mount the driveshaft should slide out as trans moves forward. But you'll still need to disconnect/remove driveshaft before reinstallation.
Yes everything is cramped and tight but just chill out and look for better tools/tricks. :banghead:

GaryS

There is a book out called "How to REbuild Your SMall Block Chevy". Chock full of hints and techniques for the inexperienced in pulling engines. I used it with great success for my first engine lift.

It covers things I would never have thought of: distributor removal and installation, accessory removal, starter removal, etc.

On the other hand, I think you will find that a load levelor and a good hoist will make pulling the engine and tranny together a fairly straight forward task.
Gary

gkull

I just pulled my motor and I never remove the hood.

Disconnect the battery!!!!!!!
If you have a fan remove it.
If you have headers remove them and the spark plugs. I
f you have a mech fuel pull it off the side of the block and wire it back out of the way.
Pull all your hoses off and wire them back out of the way.
Pull the alternator and power steering and wire them back out of the way. Pull the oil pressure sending unit off the block.
Remove the starter and wire it back with all the power wires still on it. Remove the three bolts from torq Cont to flex plate.
Remove all the bell housing bolts to the motor.

Place a floor jack under the tranny pan. Remove the long bolt holding the motor mounts to the frame. Put the hook to it and start to lift . I use a short crow bar and rock the motor to break it away from the tranny.

I've done it so many times now it's and under 2 hour job by myself. once it's out or before you pull the intake or heads. i unscrew the two two side block drain plugs and drain out the coolant. I used to have petcock installed to drain the system.


[Modified by gkull, 3:11 PM 3/21/2003]