How to lift the motor out?

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

How to lift the motor out?

87 player bird · Poncho Master!

Post a pic. Then maybe we can figure it out. Maybe use an intake bolt hole?

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

87 player bird wrote:

Post a pic. Then maybe we can figure it out. Maybe use an intake bolt hole?

Here's one - note that the intake and exhaust manifolds are on the same side, so if I bolted up there, when I lifted, the motor would tip, I worry about balance ..

So I don't think a manifold bolt would be safe enough. But if anyone has done it that way and it worked OK, I'd appreciate knowing.

Other ideas?

Thanks,
Dave

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

Why don't you get the brackets off your V8 and use them temporarily to pull the engine?

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

73SC wrote:

Why don't you get the brackets off your V8 and use them temporarily to pull the engine?

Umm, sorry, what brackets? Attached where?

Dave

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

Usually on the front two intake bots on left sid eof engine and last two on right side of engine.

Ghost Post · Poncho Master!

If you're dropping the trans and bellhousing first, use one of the bellhousing holes on the pass. side and loop around the manifold at the front driver's side?.

If not, is there any empty threaded holes on the front/rear of the head?.

~

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

73SC wrote:

Usually on the front two intake bots on left sid eof engine and last two on right side of engine.

Ah, OK, but I have no such brackets - the big block I am building is from the ground up, all new aftermarket parts - except for the block itself, which is the only GM factory piece - so I did not get those nice brackets as part of a complete crate motor.

Also, the big question is - where to bolt such brackets to? (actually if I had well-placed threaded holes in block somewhere that would do it, as long as they were not both on the same side of the block)

Thanks,
Dave

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

Ghost Post wrote:

If you're dropping the trans and bellhousing first, use one of the bellhousing holes on the pass. side and loop around the manifold at the front driver's side?.

If not, is there any empty threaded holes on the front/rear of the head?.

~

Trans will be out by the end of today, but since the 6-cylinder bellhousing is part of the deal, I plan on leaving that attached to the block. I guess maybe I could use the tranny bolt hole, although it is bigger than would pass through my chain (7/16" whereas chain will only let 3/8" bolt through) - I guess I could fabricate a simple bracket to bolt to the bellhousing with a 3/8" hole in it.

There are threaded holes on the front of the head where the thermostat housing bolts on.

So maybe that could work. However I checked and my chain is not long enough, though.

Good ideas.

Any more, guys?

Especially anyone who has pulled one of these 261's out?

Thanks,
Dave

87 player bird · Poncho Master!

How about A heavy pair of nylon straps? Wrap around the engine ( bellhousing/balancer) And liftg that way?

57poncho · Uber Guru

When we took mine out we used the exhaust manifold but what on the other side I can not remember

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

87 player bird wrote:

How about A heavy pair of nylon straps? Wrap around the engine ( bellhousing/balancer) And liftg that way?

Good idea, not sure where I would find some rated for 350 pounds each? And I do worry about slippage with straps?

Thanks,
Dave

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

57poncho wrote:

When we took mine out we used the exhaust manifold but what on the other side I can not remember

Yep the manifold side is easy, but I can't find anywhere strong on the passenger side? Only thing there are 2 threaded holes in the head where the coil bolts on, but there is very little meat in the casting there so I worry about it supporting half the weight of that old chunk of iron? Is the threaded hole for the distirbutor hold-down strong enough (I have not pulled the distributor yet)?

Dig into that good memory Vern, what did you use on the other side?

Thanks,
Dave

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

And I do worry about slippage with straps?

Thanks,
Dave

nope! well confuse

only if it slips

87 player bird · Poncho Master!

Buy them at any truck supply parts store. Maybe a fastenal or a store of simmiler worth like indusrial safety store. If you "choke" the straps, they will not slip. Just make sure they are the right length. To bad you're not closer, as I have some and we could pop it out in a jiffy.(A few frosties to boot as well!) I would however have some help, as you never know.

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

87 player bird wrote:

Buy them at any truck supply parts store. Maybe a fastenal or a store of simmiler worth like indusrial safety store. If you "choke" the straps, they will not slip. Just make sure they are the right length. To bad you're not closer, as I have some and we could pop it out in a jiffy.(A few frosties to boot as well!) I would however have some help, as you never know.

Hey if it was winter and you had 10 feet of snow on the ground up there, maybe you would fly down here with those straps and I could even supply the frosties, eh? But I have to have the AC on in the garage now, and even then towards 3PM you start to sweat so much you cannot really see the MF bolts you are trying to loosen ...

Thanks for the ideas, somehow I will get that piece of iron out ...

Dave

dualquadpete · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

How "aboot" taking a head bolt out frt. & back, either use a lift hook or put bolt back thru chain & haul "her' out that way????

66 Beau · Poncho Master!

EDIT - dualquadpete beat me to it !!! I'm too slow a typist I guess!

Does your engine have the engine mounts on the sides or are they at the front/back?

If they're on the sides, can you use them? You'd still have to watch that the engine didn't flip front to back (should not be a problem if you're pulling the engine and tranny together).

I cannot remember which engine it was, but I do recall that on some engines we used to pull a couple head bolts out to attach the chaiins to. Wasn't thrilled by that approach, but it worked, and the bolts we used were the last ones in the torque sequence so that made me feel a little better.

-- Edited by 66 Beau on Friday 7th of May 2010 05:53:21 PM

Stephenzone · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

straps i used to lift my 454 w/ farmer 4 speed and transfer case are rated for 10,000 lbs

gparis7 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

I removed manifold bolts and used hardened ones for lifting. Cast iron trans remained attached. No issues except that I should have removed the carb - the chain dropped slightly and broke the base. But I will say I was worried the whole time - that unit was so heavy the front springs in the car had sagged. As soon as I put in the 283 and alum PG, the front rose to same height as the rear so I didn't need to replace the springs after all.

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

gparis7 wrote:

I removed manifold bolts and used hardened ones for lifting. Cast iron trans remained attached. No issues except that I should have removed the carb - the chain dropped slightly and broke the base. But I will say I was worried the whole time - that unit was so heavy the front springs in the car had sagged. As soon as I put in the 283 and alum PG, the front rose to same height as the rear so I didn't need to replace the springs after all.

Thanks John. Did you leave the manifold in place and just use longer front and rear bolts? Did the motor raise pretty much straight up? Or did it want to lean to one side?

i'm expecting my big block w/ aluminum heads to be maybe a little lighter than the old straight 6 - I'll see ride height once it is in.

I do think either using head bolts or manifold bolts is the way I will go. Photos to come soon!

Thanks,
Dave

I will have transmission off so that will help with weight a little.

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

Solution: I bought an engine leveler from Harbor Freight for $30, it has angle brackets (with 1/2" holes) attached to short chains that bolted up perfectly to the front and rear center head bolts (which are 1/2" diameter), and it worked perfectly:

Here's a closeup of the leveler bolted to the head:

Thanks again to everybody for all the good ideas.

Dave

-- Edited by davelacourse on Saturday 15th of May 2010 11:10:48 AM