pull engine and trans as a unit?

[barnett468]

Pulling or installing the engine with the trans attached is a major accident waiting to happen unless you have someone to help you and you have done it before and you have the correct engine hoist and a tilt bar.

Most portable hoists have fairly short legs but sometimes have lift arms that are able to be extended far enough that the weight of the engine can cause the lift to tip forward so be aware of that as well.

 

[turtle5353]

I have pulled my motor and trans numerous times by myself and can have it out and on the floor in less than hour and half. I do it without a tilt bar most of the time and just use my carb plate. Although the tilt bar is nice, it is not necessary.

 

[73pony]

+1. I just use a carb plate as well.

 

[7173Vert]

Did both myself, no issues coming out, but way more nervous putting it back in... The carb plate almost wore through the lift hole, found out after the fact - it was made in India... Be careful what brand you use...

 

[Fabrice]

Little "in the middle" question:

I'm gonna order a 2 ton hoist very soon, its having long legs but I will do a 2 steps install, because a 429+C6 scares the little guy that I am to do this alone in one go. The question about removal is made for me, as I got that car with the 429 in pieces. The C6 that I will try to refresh is still on it.

My question is: how can I remove the trans the best way via the engine bay?

I can put some "skateboard/rolling thingy" at the tail so it rolls a bit while i'm lifting & moving forward. Are there plates for this or should I weld something (and bolt it) to help? I'm really not after lifting the car 50cm high and get it out from underneath without a lift (that I don't have). It will be lifted on jack just enough so I can disconnect it properly from shifter linkage/electrics etc... Once in my garage, with flat floor etc... I will at some point reinstall it via side/underneath (or may be via engine bay if easy) but as of current situation, I'd really want to do it via engine bay.

Any tips to do this or is it a no brainer?

 

[Don C]

A transmission jack makes it much easier to remove the transmission jack from the car, or from the engine when they are both out. Also makes it easier to mate the engine and transmission either in or out of the car.

https://www.harborfreight.com/2000-lbs-low-profile-transmission-jack-60391.html

Because your engine is already out I would pull the transmission into the engine bay, that way you won't have to raise the car a couple of feet to get it out under the sides.

 

[Fabrice]

A transmission jack makes it much easier to remove the transmission jack from the car, or from the engine when they are both out. Also makes it easier to mate the engine and transmission either in or out of the car.

https://www.harborfreight.com/2000-lbs-low-profile-transmission-jack-60391.html

Because your engine is already out I would pull the transmission into the engine bay, that way you won't have to raise the car a couple of feet to get it out under the sides.

mmm yeah, the famous harborfreight site, the only shop that prevents europeans to see the website content yet allows to order

Could you take a screenshot of this incredibly smart page for me Don?

 

[tony-muscle]

Little "in the middle" question:

I'm gonna order a 2 ton hoist very soon, its having long legs but I will do a 2 steps install, because a 429+C6 scares the little guy that I am to do this alone in one go. The question about removal is made for me, as I got that car with the 429 in pieces. The C6 that I will try to refresh is still on it.

My question is: how can I remove the trans the best way via the engine bay?

I can put some "skateboard/rolling thingy" at the tail so it rolls a bit while i'm lifting & moving forward. Are there plates for this or should I weld something (and bolt it) to help? I'm really not after lifting the car 50cm high and get it out from underneath without a lift (that I don't have). It will be lifted on jack just enough so I can disconnect it properly from shifter linkage/electrics etc...  Once in my garage, with flat floor etc... I will at some point reinstall it via side/underneath (or may be via engine bay if easy) but as of current situation, I'd really want to do it via engine bay.

Any tips to do this or is it a no brainer?

This is how I removed my transmission, https://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-muscletang-mod-project-thread-1971-m-mach-1?pid=306727#pid306727

I lifted the car 13" and used a 2x8 attached to my floor jack (bolted through). The jack with the 2x8 worked well as an option instead of a dedicated transmission jack.

 

[Fabrice]

Yes, I did that once too with the fmx on my 73 and on a good flat floor its fine. Not on the floor where it currently is (stones).

I'll prolly place it back this way once I'll have the underside done and car in the garage on flat smooth floor.

As an engine with trans can be placed in in one go or the reverse, a trans alone via engine bay should not be a big challenge with a 2 tons hoist.

Just after tips/tools/experiences going via engine bay...

@Don, is it something like this that I was supposed to see on the HF site?

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200640984_200640984

 

[Don C]

Yes, that is the same kind. Because the plate the transmission sets on can be tilted forward and back, as well as sideways and can be attached to the transmission, they are very useful. The handle on them also swivels from side to side, and is a shorter throw handle than most floor jacks so it's easier to use under the car. The only downside to them is they are heavy.

In fact, the one you linked looks exactly like mine. The ones that HF currently has are different,

 

[Bentworker]

What little experience I have pulling and installing V8 engines has led me to believe that using a manifold lifting plate and having the engine and transmission married is easiest.  Don't even need a tilt bar, I just leave the front end of the car on the ground and raise the back in up quite a bit on jack stands.  Tilt action was only needed to nose the tip of the transmission down the tunnel.

I have the same transmission jack that Don posted.  Has served me well in removing some pretty heavy truck transmissions.

 

[tony-muscle]

Got to love this thread. It is a testament to the flavors of life and diversity. You mix people from different backgrounds and experience to perform the same tasks. You get to the same goal in different ways. Like "all roads lead to Rome"

Cheeres everyone!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[Hemikiller]

Jeez - how did we ever get by without all these doodads to pull an engine? I did plenty of parking lot tranny R&Rs in my early twenties by sliding under the car. dragging the tranny onto my chest and bench pressing it up into the car. That crap I don't miss.

Pulling as a unit is easy, just get a friend or two over to help and/or act as a counterbalance by standing on the back of the hoist. If you still have the stock Hurst shifter, you only need to remove the handle, method is shown in the manual. Plug the output of the trans and the speedo cable socket to prevent a mess. Hardest part is getting the oil pan and bellhousing up over the radiator support - make sure to keep the hoist tight to the intake and if needed, let the air out of the front tires. Once the pan clears, pull it back and have someone grab the tailshaft of the tranny and guide it as you pull the rest of the way. Always extend the legs as far out as they'll go. You might need to remove the crank pulley, just to make life easier. Sometimes it's easier to roll the car back than the engine hoist.

 

[barnett468]

Pulling as a unit is easy, just get a friend or two over to help and/or act as a counterbalance by standing on the back of the hoist.

This is very risky and potentially dangerous and I suggest that nobody ever tries this.

 

[Bentworker]

Pulling as a unit is easy, just get a friend or two over to help and/or act as a counterbalance by standing on the back of the hoist.

This is very risky and potentially dangerous and I suggest that nobody ever tries this.

Humans are pretty expensive ballast, I prefer to spend my money on car parts instead.

 

[scgamecock]

 I did plenty of parking lot tranny R&Rs in my early twenties by sliding under the car. dragging the tranny onto my chest and bench pressing it up into the car. That crap I don't miss.

Yep, been there done that!!!  I've even pulled on while laying on a gravel driveway!!  Talk about painful!!  I had rock indention's in my back!!! rofl  

I will have a buddy helping me and removing on a nice flat garage floor.

For the manifold plate, those have always scared me with aluminum intakes.  I've always been afraid the bolts will pull through.  Should I worry about this?

 

[Hemikiller]

Pulling as a unit is easy, just get a friend or two over to help and/or act as a counterbalance by standing on the back of the hoist.

This is very risky and potentially dangerous and I suggest that nobody ever tries this.

Oh, please. Working on cars is risky and dangerous. Pulling an engine is always safer if you have an extra set of hands and if needed, another 200lbs on the back of the hoist. Some are not designed properly and will risk overcentering it if the engine starts swinging, or people don't extend the legs out far enough. Out of habit I'd stand on the back crossbar of the hoist when jacking, since I can feel what the hoist is doing. I've R&Rd dozens of engines by myself and never lost one. Still have ten fingers, ten toes and two eyes, so I might have an idea how to do it safely.

 

[turtle5353]

Pulling as a unit is easy, just get a friend or two over to help and/or act as a counterbalance by standing on the back of the hoist.

This is very risky and potentially dangerous and I suggest that nobody ever tries this.

Oh, please. Working on cars is risky and dangerous. Pulling an engine is always safer if you have an extra set of hands and if needed, another 200lbs on the back of the hoist. Some are not designed properly and will risk overcentering it if the engine starts swinging, or people don't extend the legs out far enough. Out of habit I'd stand on the back crossbar of the hoist when jacking, since I can feel what the hoist is doing. I've R&Rd dozens of engines by myself and never lost one. Still have ten fingers, ten toes and two eyes, so I might have an idea how to do it safely.

Yep! Done it many times. I also stand on the back of the cherry picker when jacking it up out of habit.

I remember pulling a 460 and c6 from an old f100. Had 2 guys bouncing on the back to get it to clear everything. You gotta do what you gotta do!

 

[turtle5353]

 I did plenty of parking lot tranny R&Rs in my early twenties by sliding under the car. dragging the tranny onto my chest and bench pressing it up into the car. That crap I don't miss.

Yep, been there done that!!!  I've even pulled on while laying on a gravel driveway!!  Talk about painful!!  I had rock indention's in my back!!! rofl  

I will have a buddy helping me and removing on a nice flat garage floor.

For the manifold plate, those have always scared me with aluminum intakes.  I've always been afraid the bolts will pull through.  Should I worry about this?

I have never had any problems with the aluminum pulling threads out.  Use a carb plate all the time on aluminum intake with motor and trans hanging.

 

[Don C]

For the manifold plate, those have always scared me with aluminum intakes.  I've always been afraid the bolts will pull through.  Should I worry about this?

I've run the calculations and there is plenty of surplus strength. Just make sure the thread engagement on all bolts or studs is at least 3/8" and all are tightened down so the load is distributed to all four corners of the plate and manifold.

If the engine gets hung up on something don't keep lifting until the front wheels are off the ground.