Getting ready to put in my 440, any tips ?

[skip68]

I'm putting my motor in in another week or so and was wondering if you guy's have any tips on making it easy.  Thank's ,  Chuck.................

[SeattleCharger]

  Hmm, I am going to attempt that in a month or two, I don' know, except I was told to maybe put on an old set of rims in front with no tires, to make the front lower, or if you don't have any, take off the front wheels and set the car down safely with stands or something, not sure how I am going to do this.  Then bolt together trans and engine and put in as one piece, and put on exhaust manifolds first also.   Someone may correct me, I don't know, but that's what I know at this point,

[skip68]

Yeah, I was looking at the motor and cherry picker and at the front of my car.  I was thinking of letting the air out of my tires. Then I was thinking, DAM, that motor is big. 

[Rolling_Thunder]

I'll be swapping in mine this weekend ---   im dropping the K-frame and installing it that way....     MUCH easier...    however not alot of people can do it in their driveway...     

[SeattleCharger]

Yeah, I was looking at the motor and cherry picker and at the front of my car.  I was thinking of letting the air out of my tires. Then I was thinking, DAM, that motor is big. 

  I am definately not going to attempt this by myself, at least for safety reasons. 

[RD]

instead of swapping out tires and such, just jack up your rear end.  use a engine swiveler on your cherry picker so you can adjust the angle of the motor/trans (i recommend putting in your motor/trans as one piece), and git er' done.

if you are using a oil pan that is a deep sump, you will most likely have to put your motor trans in separately due to k member clearance issues.  (this is from personal experience)

oh, and good luck!

[Jon Smith]

If you're using headers and dropping the engine in from above you can assemble the exhaust first then tie the headers to the top shock mount out of the way, much easier than trying to thread the headers in with the engine in place 
when I did this it as with the trans already in the car, so make sure there room if installing engine and trans together

[Lord Warlock]

I've taken the motor out and reinstalled one twice on my charger.  In my case I didn't even use a cherry picker to do the job, i used a cable come-a-long, a 2 foot length of chain bolted to the heads, and used a 4x4 going across 4 open rafters in my garage.  I lifed the motor until it was higher than the fenders, ( I mounted the transmission to the motor prior to lifting it up) tied the exhaust manifolds out of the way to make as much room as possible.  (they were still attached to the factory exhaust and pretty much stuck in place from corrosion, so I left them attached to the pipes) Anyway, lift the motor and tranny up, to the point where the engine is higher than the fenders, allow the tranny to hang down.  You can lift the tranny tail section over the nose and fenders.  I rolled the car into position once the engine was up in the air.  I had one person help me hold the motor up as we rolled the car under the tranny.  Once in position, you lower the engine bit by bit until it matches the motor mounts.  I found it simple enough to do 90 percent of the work by myself without help.  But if you have a bud that can assist, it is worthwhile to have the extra hands. 

Both engine swaps went great without any major problems.  And the 2nd swapped motor is still in the car after 20 years in storage, and it still runs even though it hasn't been driven since 88.  (I took the calipers off the front brakes and the back drums haven't worked in a long while so I won't drive it until i rebuild all 4 of the brakes)

Lord Warlock

[skip68]

My tranny is still in the car. I didn't pull the engine out and have never done one so it should be fun.  I'll have a couple (cheby) guy's help but I'm still going to get my hands dirty and do most myself.    I should be OK.  Thanks for the tips.  HEY,  if some of you guys live around Sac./Folsom/Placerville Ca. and want to see my car, It will be in about a week. Oh yeah, bring some tools.     JK     Chuck.....................

[Lord Warlock]

The reason why i recommend doing the tranny while it is out of the car is that just reaching the bolts on the top of the the auto transmission (727) are real hard to reach otherwise, and much easier while out of the car.  But working the motor and tranny at the same time is a big deal, weighs over 700lbs with the engine alone, plus add whatever the tranny does.  By rolling the car under the motor, it is simpler to get it in position, I let the tailshaft of the tranny roll on a creeper once it gets to the floor level.  Or a skateboard if one is available.  Once bolted in place in the motor mounts, you gotta kind of twist the tranny mount to get it over the frame mounts so using a jack on the tranny helps once you are under the car. 

Good luck, its a fun job...snicker snicker.  Be ready to lose a little skin on the knuckles. 

[toqwik]

Make sure you use a engine tilter.  You will  crap your pants when you see how high that thing is.  I was sweating bullits till I got mine on the ground.  next day I bought me one.  I don't like to flatten the tires, cause I personally feel better pushing the car to the motor, than pushing the hoist.  Rims only would be my choice.  Then atleast it would still roll.  you might run into trouble though ehrn you try to push the hoist under the car with contacting the frame or suspension.  I also pulled my grille, don't want to try to find another, and shell out the $$$$$

[skip68]

OK, so how much will it cost to have a shop drop it in for me  Thanks for the tips. I CAN'T WAIT    Chuck..................

[jg68]

OK, so how much will it cost to have a shop drop it in for me  Thanks for the tips. I CAN'T WAIT    Chuck..................

I say don't sweet it too much , you can do it! If i can put BBs in A bodies by MYSELF , been doing it for years, engines to trannys, engine & tranny combined , you can shure get that engine in the charger, & i never worked with all those fancy devices to help things out, the easiest way i think is engine & tranny combined, take the hood off, i once install a 440, (engine & trans combined) in a duster with the hood ON by myself

[skip68]

Thanks guy's. I think it will be this weekend  I've got to get it done because I may be moving soon to Springfield Tenn. 

[SeattleCharger]

Make sure you use a engine tilter.  You will  crap your pants when you see how high that thing is.  I was sweating bullits till I got mine on the ground.  next day I bought me one.  I don't like to flatten the tires, cause I personally feel better pushing the car to the motor, than pushing the hoist.  Rims only would be my choice.  Then atleast it would still roll.  you might run into trouble though ehrn you try to push the hoist under the car with contacting the frame or suspension.  I also pulled my grille, don't want to try to find another, and shell out the $$$$$

What is an engine tilter?

[8WHEELER]

Nate, it bolts to the engine with chains and you can agjust the angle of the engine and trans as you put in
your engine.

Dan

[SeattleCharger]

I'm putting my motor in in another week or so and was wondering if you guy's have any tips on making it easy.  Thank's ,  Chuck.................

You know, wonder if you have a  digital camera, post some pics of the process here, 

[skip68]

I do but have had problems posting pics.  I've got lots of pics and I take them every time I do anything.    I've got to get my wife to post them for me.  She says they are to big and she'll have to spend some time on them.