Core support

[cmull]

I'm trying to pull the motor and tranny together out of my 83 and it would be easiest to pull the core support to pull the motor straight out. What all is involved? It seems easier to do this because I cant get the motor high enough with the tranny attached. Unbolted the tranny and torque convertor but it wouldnt come apart.

 

[chengny]

Truck engines are almost always removed as a separate unit - it is so much easier. Are your mounts free? The transmission to engine mount braces released?

An SBC is bolted to the transmission bell housing with just 6 bolts. If they are out and the 3 T/C to flexplate bolts are out - it should come apart.

The trick is to raise the engine and transmission together - at first. When the top of the tranny hits the cab, brace it in place with a jack under the oil pan or a 4 X 4 stuffed between the tail and the body/frame.

Now with both units up higher than the motor mounts, grab the front of the motor and yank it hard towards the front. If they are stubborn, use a bar to separate them. They have to come apart.

If and when the locating pins on the back of the motor clear their bores in the bellhousing, the engine will swing towards the front and (depending how you have it hung) it may tilt either up or down.

Look at this procedure again. If you still feel that you need to pull the radiator support, bump this and I will describe the process. But let me tell you, it is way more involved than lifting an engine from a GM pickup truck.

 

[cmull]

I'll give that a shot tomorrow and give an update. Thanks! And yes everything was unbolted they just are to stubborn to come apart easily I guess.

 

[chengny]

It will turn out to be that the motor mount brackets (on the engine block) are just catching the actual mounts. Even if you had the front clip open, you would still have to get the engine up and off those mounts.

If they are really giving you a hard time, do this (only coming out - not going in):

Climb under and remove the 3 bolts that secure the actual rubber mount to the bed plate. The mounts will then be free to slide across the bed plates/frame brackets. That will allow you to simply pull the engine straight out away from the transmission. Once they are separated you can lift the motor straight up.

 

[Thunder]

I find it easier to pull the full clip if I am pulling engine and trans together. Less bolts and head ache. Also more room to work and you can repaint your fire wall before putting clip back on.

 

[HotRodPC]

I find it easier to pull the full clip if I am pulling engine and trans together. Less bolts and head ache. Also more room to work and you can repaint your fire wall before putting clip back on.

This also works well for fat guys, or guys with back ailments, and those who have lifted trucks. It's not a bad idea.

 

[Thunder]

I have lost almost 60 lbs. in the last year. But I do fit into all three catagorys. I have always just pulled the clip and take care of all the small stuff while it's out of the way.

 

[highdesertrange]

well when I had a shop and we pulled these, we would not pull the clip or loosen the mounts. however when reinstalling an automatic we would loosen the mounts makes install easier. on sticks we would remove the mounts and reinstall after the tranny was bolted up. make it easier to align the tranny shaft with the pilot bearing. now on my own trucks I always pull the front clip. makes the whole job easier and you can pay much more attention to the little details. btw I would have done this on customers trucks but nobody wanted to pay the extra labor. highdesertranger