Pulling a motor
 

Probably a dumb question, but can i use that hole attatched to the block on the d/s to lift the motor out, thinking i could use that and the hook up front on the pass side and have the chain from one end to the other, never did it this way, wanted to check with you guys if anyone has done it this way, also would i need the chain alot tighter from the way i have it now on the pic.

I do have a leveler/tilt deal, just hate hooking stuff to the aluminum heads.......and tips would be appreciated

Rich

Should be fine.
 

That should be OK, especially with aluminum heads.

I have done it that way before. Coming out it doesn't have to be too level to just get it out. Putting it back in would be more difficult to align everything.

The hook thingy on the front though will probably bend when used. The factory had a metal bar thingy that worked good.

A piece of steel long enough to bridge the chain to keep the angle on the front loop from bending could be fashioned probably.

But I usually used the head bolt holes to pull the engine with no problems.
(could use some metal shim to protect the head surface from the bolt/chain rubbing it)

:)

Will it work, sure.

The lifting points are more than adequate.

Unfortunately you have no control that way, if the chain slips in the hook or if it wants to go wonky you may end up banging into things.

Just attach the leveler to the heads, it’s not like the threads in the aluminum aren’t strong enough.

I would bolt the intake back on and use a carb lifting pad long before I’d run a chain like you have pictured to do the engine removal.

I retired my leveler ever since I bought my Mac’s Pivot Plate. As pictured below attached to the center carb flange on the ‘64 Tri-Power intake, small-base Rochester at that. I’ll never do it any other way.

Those four 5/16” carb studs are plenty strong, even with an aluminum intake.

So here we go. Last time I pulled my 3X2 engine I used the chain just like you are. I left the carbs on and put a BF screw driver thru the chain against the cook to keep it from sliding. I'm alone. Works good. Installed the same way. Everyone does it differently. If you feel confident, go for it. 78 and still wrenching!!!!!!!!!

"Bill"!

Thanks guys, i will use the old leveler, b-man i was thinking about gettting one of those years back, just worried the center carb flange studs with the alum manifold..........thought too risky, but it seems you pulled it off, trans included lol...........i only have the motor, the tkx i already pulled out.

Hoping to get this done tomorrow

Rich

FWIW, the 5/16-18, grade 2, studs/bolts are rated for a tensile strength of 2900 lbs. each. 4 will hold 11,600 lbs. they'll easily support a Stratostreak V8 at around 700 lbs. and 850 lbs. with a T 400 hanging on the backside. The worrywarts can relax............:D

:2cents:

I like this best
 

Attachment 658267

Engine comes out and goes back in nice and level

This brings up the question, to pull engine/trans as a unit or to pull engine alone then remove trans…

We almost always pull the motor by itself. Even if it's a four speed, I'll remove the trans and pull the engine with the bell housing attached. Only time I use a leveler is when doing the motor and trans together.

Almost always pull both together using load leveler - usually working alone…

I am a engine and trans separate guy. Done it too many time to change now. Besides, have a mid plate now and its not happening together. Mid plate, elephant ears and Mighty Mounts all together.

Hey thanks guys, got that puppy out today, went fairly easy, other than more anti-freeze leaking was not too bad of a job.......still thinking of getting one of those tilt deals like b-man has, just cant get it out of my head hanging the whole motor with the center carb on a tri power manifold. sometimes those studs feel loose just taking off the air cleaners. lol.

Next step finding someone who can get a one pc rms on without it leaking, this will be the 4th time for me.

Thanks again.......Rich

You should definitely contact BOP for tech advice on this

Do you did not remove the 1/8” pipe plugs below the motor mounts on each side of the block to get all the coolant out?

The thought never crossed my mind untill i seen more green stuff coming out. lol............will look into taking them out this week

Hey Will, did talk to Wade, picked up all my supplys at his house, hes only a hr or so away from me...................the shop that re-ringed my motor said they had alot of experience with this one pc seal, who knows.

Just get the leveler rich. Once you do you'll wonder why you didn't have it sooner.

We've talked about this around here many times and I posted pics just like bman posted making many around here nervous lol.

I've pulled more engine trans combos than I can count with that leveler and it makes it extremely easy, especially if you're on your own like I am most of the time.

I've pulled GM 502's with iron heads and a 400 turbo attached using that leveler with an aluminum intake. Iron Ford Y-blocks fully dressed with iron transmissions attached, you name it that little leveler is a work horse.

Can one of you guys post a few good pics of that leveler ? The mechanism . I could make one out of scrap metal at work. Night shift is great.

Anyone that has done it for a living leaves the transmission in the car, and pulls only the engine. You eliminate a lot of work by leaving the transmission in the car, plus it saves on transmission fluid and the red lake you almost always end up with on the garage floor. You eliminate taking cooling lines off, plus reinstalling the driveshaft, shift linkage etc.

If you have ever worked flat rate, it saves you money, and time.

No leveler required, it goes in and out level without 120 lbs hanging off the rear.

:2cents:

As a former flat rate tech I agree with you but most of the folks on here are doing this in their garage at night with minimal tools and or help so picking the easiest method makes sense, also a lot of us myself included will be pulling the motor AND the trans to service/seal one while replacing/upgrading the other so it makes sense to be aware of other ways to make the job easier for folks who don’t do this regularly.

Hell I use the leveler even with a simple engine R&R just because it's super simple to tilt a few degrees here or there when it's not quite lined up to the bell or I need to slide a motor mount bolt in. plus its just easier to bolt that thing on the intake and do it rather than screw around with chains.

When I was 15 YO I started pulling engines and swapping them with a chain fall and a cross chain bolted to the intake with longer bolts, because that was what I had to work with. I always pulled the engine trans as a unit because I never thought I could unite the two units in chassis easily. It's also how I saw my buddies doing it so I followed suit. My father was livid when I dumped many quarts of ATF on his fresh asphalt driveway, and threatened to banish my car repairing out of his garage. Another reason I tried just pulling the engines, and leave the transmission in chassis was to placate my dad. Years later the picture of why he was soooooo POed about the mess is crystal clear.

After graduating from high school and Vo Tech I went to work at a Pontiac dealership, and saw how the line mechanics always left the transmission in the chassis when they changed engines. After observing how easily the transmission while supported by a floor jack, and the engine supported by an engine crane went together I finally tried it in chassis. It was a major change for me swapping engines. Unless I needed to remove the transmission I always just pulled the engine by itself and saved a lot of unnecessary labor, as well as clean up.

Now at 72 I've never used any leveler or tilter, because I never felt it would save me any time or labor. If I can do it at my age I would think that anyone younger could do it also...........:noidea:

Since I probably won't be changing engines on a wholesale basis I'll likely never change how I do it, nor invest in a tilter/leveler. As has already been said a screwdriver through a chain link will not let the hook slide, pretty basic, and effective.

Anyone that has perfected their engine swap another way good on you, keep doing it the way that suits you.....;) I'm just relaying what has worked for me over 50 plus years with minimal investment.

Interesting tidbits here. Up until 2023, I had never pulled an engine from anything that wasn't a tractor. I had to pull the engine to replace a broken dipstick. I then had to pull that same engine in May of 2024 after it spun a bearing. In both instances, I never even thought about taking the engine and transmission out as a single unit. That to me just sounded like more work and chaos than it was worth.

Yes, the upper bolts on the transmission suck to get in, but I had very little trouble getting everything aligned and back into place. Heck, with a load leveler in use and the hood removed, I was able to spin the engine as it was coming out and going in such that I didn't even have to remove the radiator from the car.

Hey Brad i get what your saying about leaving the trans in the car, your talking about an auto right, im thinking if i left the 5 speed in the car, wouldnt that make it pretty difficult pushing the motor into the trans, in my case it doesnt matter i have them both out, was wondering out of curiosity if i would have been better off leaving the 5 speed in the car. Just trying to learn stuff here.

Rich

Rich, I've done plenty of cars and trucks with stick shifts, it's sometimes a little bit harder than an automatic, but it comes down to eyeballing the surfaces to make sure that the distances on the top and bottom are the same, same as doing it out of a chassis. Also with any split you need to have a good pilot tool to get all the clutch parts aligned properly.

I've done sticks separating them at the bellhousing to block surface as well as splitting the transmission from the bellhousing and putting them back together with the bellhousing still bolted to the engine. If done like this, pilot bolts make it easier to slip the two back together. Pilot bolts are simply transmission to bellhousing bolts with the heads cut off to be removed after the transmission slides into the bellhousing. Most older GMs use 1/2 inch coarse thread bolts.

I also use pilot bolts when replacing clutches to make alignment easier, as well as a way to rest the transmission on when you get tired and need a rest without taking the transmission down to the ground. Once you have it up in to the transmission tunnel, taking it back out clear down to the ground is kind of disheartening when you're getting winded from wrestling it.

I use 2 bolts cross corners from each other, and I make sure I can remove the bolts after you get the two together, some transmissions can make removing pilot bolts difficult due to the casting webbing, just look at the casting to make sure you don't have to pull the transmission back out to get your pilot bolts out. Of course I'm speaking from experience having not looked into removing the pilot bolts after the two pieces are seated together, things that can make you cuss a blue streak..........LOL

I use 2 bolts cross corners from each other, and I make sure I can remove the bolts after you get the two together, some transmissions can make removing pilot bolts difficult due to the casting webbing, just look at the casting to make sure you don't have to pull the transmission back out to get your pilot bolts out. Of course I'm speaking from experience having not looked into removing the pilot bolts after the two pieces are seated together, things that can make you cuss a blue streak..........LOL

Brad, thank for the info, i will try the cross corner deal when i put it back in, the last couple times i had the pilot bolts in the top of the bell housing, seemed to work ok, but maybe crossways could be easier....im still working up the courage to put the motor and trans in together, just cant get over using those two barrel bolts to hold everything up..........might knock off a few beers and go to town. lol

Rich