[mikebert]

Feel like a story? If not, skip to the third paragraph.

Alright guys, I'm sure nobody remembers but I was going to swap out everything on the top end (heads to MAF sensor). The mountain of bullshit was pretty high before you even factor in that wreck I had when someone cross the interstate median and hit me and my family traveling in the opposite direction. Whatever.

So I finally got the damn thing to run with everything I wanted on it, it purred, it sounded great. All I had to do was find some bolts to secure upper intake down better than it was. I went to crank it the next day and it sounded like marbles were bouncing around in the engine. From perfect to disaster, over night. I took off one valve cover and everything was tight and in place. I didn't even bother with the other, because something is very, very, very wrong and with my luck, it looks just like this and I just blew $400 of port work and maybe the entire block. I'm so fucking tired of it I just went out and bought a truck so something I have may be able to stay on the road (it's a Chevy, so we'll have to wait and see).

So I'm ditching my car until I can pull the entire engine out because I've fucking had it putting the thing back together over the fenderwells. I want to know what it would take to pull the engine out. I may have to leave the engine itself sitting for a while, so I was even thinking about taking the engine and transmission out in one piece so everything stays nice and dust free (I'm in the processing of getting a job, having recently graduated, so it'll stay at my parents and I'm going who the hell knows where in the city).

What all do you have to take off exactly? Is it much more difficult to take the trans out with it? Would you even bother with the trans? How do you lift your engine out - chains, straps, screw in to the lower intake? Do you have to take the hood off? I have a Haynes and Chilton, but I'd rather listen to experience. I couldn't find any walkthroughs on the web - do you know of any place to look?

And while the damn thing is out, I may as well rebuild the whole thing (145,000 miles young). What rebuild kit would you recommend? Any tips or tricks? Anything else I should do while it's out?

Thanks guys

[Iownastang]

it is much easier with the hood off and leave the trans in it.when i pulled my motor i bolted my hoist chain onto the heads with the heads bolts and if your gonna build the whole motor build a stroker

[mikebert]

Originally Posted by jordan it is much easier with the hood off and leave the trans in it.when i pulled my motor i bolted my hoist chain onto the heads with the heads bolts and if your gonna build the whole motor build a stroker

Did you just drop the headbolts through the chain links and tighten them down?

Also, any recommendations for an engine stand?

[Iownastang]

yes i did.I have a jet/wilton engine stand and hoist but it really dont matter they all do the same thing

[mikebert]

Originally Posted by jordan yes i did.I have a jet/wilton engine stand and hoist but it really dont matter they all do the same thing

Yeah, I never put one on a stand, I didn't know how universal they are. What do you actually attach the stand to anyway? Bellhousing bolt holes?

[Iownastang]

yes bell housing bolt holes and you will also need 4 bolts the same size as the bellhousing bolts except they need to be longer

[mikebert]

Originally Posted by jordan yes bell housing bolt holes and you will also need 4 bolts the same size as the bellhousing bolts except they need to be longer

Alright, I'll see what I can scare up.

I appreciate all the info, but I honestly hoped to hear back from more people. Do you think they all stopped reading when said "Chevy?"

[Iownastang]

no hold on just a minute.

[Stangzilla]

Originally Posted by mikebert Originally Posted by jordan it is much easier with the hood off and leave the trans in it.when i pulled my motor i bolted my hoist chain onto the heads with the heads bolts and if your gonna build the whole motor build a stroker Did you just drop the headbolts through the chain links and tighten them down? Also, any recommendations for an engine stand?

Just get a cheap one from like mine. A small block is not that heavy. I got mine from Harbor Freight a few years back. I think I paid less than 100 bucks. And either build a 331 or a 347. I would a do a 347. Get your kit from Coast High Performance.

[Iownastang]

Originally Posted by Stangzilla Originally Posted by mikebert Originally Posted by jordan it is much easier with the hood off and leave the trans in it.when i pulled my motor i bolted my hoist chain onto the heads with the heads bolts and if your gonna build the whole motor build a stroker Did you just drop the headbolts through the chain links and tighten them down? Also, any recommendations for an engine stand? Just get a cheap one from like mine. A small block is not that heavy. I got mine from Harbor Freight a few years back. I think I paid less than 100 bucks. And either build a 331 or a 347. I would a do a 347. Get your kit from Coast High Performance.

+36864375864783754671`156787567483

[89LX347]

for sure take the time to take your hood off...it would be a heck of trouble getting your motor out with it on...i would leave your tranny in the car just for easier take out and easier installation of motor

[mikebert]

Originally Posted by Stangzilla Just get a cheap one from like mine. A small block is not that heavy. I got mine from Harbor Freight a few years back. I think I paid less than 100 bucks. And either build a 331 or a 347. I would a do a 347. Get your kit from Coast High Performance.

Yeah, I'm looking at a $55 stand from Harbor Freight right now. Still need the hoist though. I think I can get one from close to $100 than they offer.

Originally Posted by 89LX347 for sure take the time to take your hood off...it would be a heck of trouble getting your motor out with it on...i would leave your tranny in the car just for easier take out and easier installation of motor

Um, really? I didn't think about it til now, but how the hell is it easier to reinstall when you have to link up the engine and transmission? Seems like a lot of fudging around trying to get all the bolt holes and splines to line up.

[Iownastang]

Originally Posted by mikebert Originally Posted by Stangzilla Just get a cheap one from like mine. A small block is not that heavy. I got mine from Harbor Freight a few years back. I think I paid less than 100 bucks. And either build a 331 or a 347. I would a do a 347. Get your kit from Coast High Performance. Yeah, I'm looking at a $55 stand from Harbor Freight right now. Still need the hoist though. I think I can get one from close to $100 than they offer. Originally Posted by 89LX347 for sure take the time to take your hood off...it would be a heck of trouble getting your motor out with it on...i would leave your tranny in the car just for easier take out and easier installation of motor Um, really? I didn't think about it til now, but how the hell is it easier to reinstall when you have to link up the engine and transmission? Seems like a lot of fudging around trying to get all the bolt holes and splines to line up.

I would still pull the trans but not with the motor

[TheUNZippee!]

It's not hard to line up, Mike. Slow and steady is the key with the hoist as you lower the engine. An extra pair of hands is great for this too. You just lower the engine in to place, until it's just about ready to back in to the transmission, and wiggle it gently back. If it goes in, you're golden. If not, just rotate the crank at the harmonic balancer bit by bit until she slips in. You can also just spin the flywheel from underneath the car until she lines up.

When you take the hood off, make sure you scribe around the mount where it bolts to the hood, before you loosen the bolts, so when you go to re-install the hood you don't have to fart around aligning it.

[mikebert]

Ah, Zippie. I missed you a little but I missed your avatars a lot.

So if I leave the transmission in the car and it's going to be sitting out for some time, what should I do to protect the open bellhousing / trans? I imagine it'll be sitting at a storage place outside for a while.

[TheUNZippee!]

lol hey man. Sorry to hear things are going shitty for ya.

Grab some plastic and wrap it around the front of the transmission, then blast some duct tape or rubber straps around that bitch.

[87foxbodylx]

Originally Posted by mikebert Ah, Zippie. I missed you a little but I missed your avatars a lot. So if I leave the transmission in the car and it's going to be sitting out for some time, what should I do to protect the open bellhousing / trans? I imagine it'll be sitting at a storage place outside for a while.

my brothers left his bell housing/trans open in his R302 block for quite a few months, none the less nothing will happen to it. the only thing that happened was where the tranny links up with he clutch rusted.. but it caused no inconvenience

[mikebert]

Originally Posted by TheUNZippee! lol hey man. Sorry to hear things are going shitty for ya. Grab some plastic and wrap it around the front of the transmission, then blast some duct tape or rubber straps around that bitch.

Yeah, I kinda figured that'd be the best Ghetto-Tech Approved hermetically sealed system for it. Thanks for the empathy because I can see this whole problem revolving around a washer I dropped into the engine as I literally tightened down the last five bolts on the fucker, having had it not run in eight weeks at that point.

[TheUNZippee!]

Ugh, that sucks man. Best of luck getting your bitch back up and running though.

[mikebert]

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