Engine Removal Help

[tin_soldier]

Hey Guys,

II am still plugging away at the "Dodge"  my latest update is that I dropped the Tranny, got the entire wiring harness out of the way and removed the motor mount bolts.  So here is where I need some advice.  I put together my engine stand.  What type of bolts should I use to hold the engine up on the stand??  By the looks of it they have to be a bit long, I am not sure thus why I am asking.   

But before I get to that I need to hosit the motor our.  This I have never done before.  Like I said above I remove the motor mount bolts, but where is the best spot to attach the hoist to?  is there a good way /bad way of hosit the motor?  Other than the fact you don't want it to drop on the car or the ground.

Any pointers would be great.  I'll send progress pictures once I start to attempt it.

thx
tin

[General_01]

Not sure what size motor you have. On my 383 heads, there is a bolt hole on the intake side of the head on the drivers side near the battery and a hole just like it on the passenger side towards the rear. Usually I run a chain between the two and hook the hoist to the chain. If you look at the pic you can see the rear one on the passenger side. I used a weight transfer because my tranny was still attached so I could tilt it. If your tranny is already off the motor, you wont need to tilt it.

[68n70]

I do the same as General 01.  Be sure you have enough ceiling height to get it up and over as the car raises (you can let air out of the tires if you have issues, to lower it)  and also enough room to roll the car back and/or the cherry picker to lower the motor, if that's what you are using. (If you are using one, BE CAREFUL while the engine is at it's highest as it is easy to tip over if you get careless!)
Take your time and be sure nothing is hanging up as you lift and get on the floor as soon as possible...Good Luck!

[mikepmcs]

This should help on the bolt selection.  Go to your local NAPA and get the good stuff.

four 3/8''-16 x 3-1/2'' and four 3/8''-16 x 4''  that should tackle any combo needed IMO

don't forget the flat washers.

[tin_soldier]

Thanks guys for the info.   

I have a 383 as well.  I assume that on the chain there is a washer as well.  I figure about 3 to 3.5 ft of chain will do it. 

the tips are great.  (ie lower tire pressure)  I should clear the height but it will be close.  I hoping to yank it this weekend but it is not looking good time wise.  So lateset will be next weekend I'll let ya know how it went.

[41husk]

Soldier, If you have never pulled one you may want to invest in an engine leveler.  They are not expensive I think I gave $40 for mine.  You can also borrow one from most part stores.  They are a must for pulling engine and tranny together and are very helpfull in getting the engine back in.

[tin_soldier]

Hey fellas,

I'm back with good results thanks to your help.  I got hte engine out with out a hitch.   

Here are some pics

[The70RT]

Make sure you use grade 8 bolts when bolting it to the engine stand.

[General_01]

Glad it worked out for you.

[Steve P.]

Good job, but I would suggest that when going back in you shorten your chains. I use a leveler myself for a few reasons.
1) I don't pull/install a motor with the carb on and I can make the leveler chains very short.
2) I like the idea of using 4 points of pick on the motor.
3) I can adjust for tranny install whether the tranny is part of the pick or if I am aligning the motor to the tranny. (This is extremely helpful when doing FORD motors with automatic trannies). 


While the motor is on the FLOOR, not the engine stand, I shorten chains. You don't want your chain too short to set a motor down on the floor. Too much chain and you can lose some control of the motor while it's lifted over the car. Not good.....

Also, when you are going to put the motor back in you will want to take some precautions. Large blankets to cover fenders and firewall and some trustworthy buddies to help guide it into place. Nothing sucks like scratching up fresh paint.

One more thing. You didn't say what engine stand you have. Most times people buy the cheaper stands to save for motor parts. That is fine. Just know that some cheaper stands are NOT very strong. I have one myself. I left a 440 on it overnight just after bringing it home from machining. Forgot to put my 2 x 4 block under the crank. I walked into my shop the next day to watch my motor taking a nose dive. NOT GOOD!!!
So I recommend that you cut a 2 x 4 long enough to go from the cross leg of the stand up to the crank and put it in place anytime you are not working on the motor... Mine was fine until I hung the heads and headers for mock up.