pulling my motor tonight

[aGood'olBoy]

I'm just about positive I'm blew a freeze plug on my way home so I need your input on pulling my motor never pulled the motor before. I don't have a carb bracket to lift the motor out with so how do I hook chains up to the motor without it. Chilton's says I need to pull the distributor and drain the oil is this true? do I need the hood pulled off? how do I keep the transmission supported and how do I get the transmission disconnected from the motor? I need all this done asap so any input appreciated

 

[MadOgre]

well it would help to have someone help you that has done it before.

you don't need to drain the oil. but its not a bad idea.

you definitely need to make sure you secure your engine hoist chains properly. the stock 73-87 small blocks usually have a little bracket for a hook mounted at the back of the manifold and sometimes one up front as well. if not you will have to figure out something to make it secure. one chain in the back and one in the front. I always use the passenger side rear intake manifold bolt and the drivers side head has a threaded hole on the front face of the head where the power steering bracket attaches, I use that one

remove your hood

disconnect battery

remove all wiring from starter, carb, alternator, oil sending unit, distributor, water temp

remove alternator

need to remove your fan and shroud. is a good idea to put a piece of plywood infront of your rad so that when you pull your block out you don't accidentl damage your rad

disconnect coolant hoses

remove powersteering pump from block

need to remove ac pump from block

remove vacuum assist brake line from back of carb

remove fuel line that goes from the frame to the mechanical pump mounted on the block

remove carb so the chains don't bang it up

remove distributor

remove exhaust from exhaust manifold. just disconnect at 3 bolt flange both sides

must remove tourqe bars if you have them

remove engine mount bolts sometimes the starter needs to be removed from block to accomplish this

must separate transmission cooler lines from the bracket that holds them to side of the engine oil pan

remove transmission dust shield and remove all bolts holding tourqe conveter to the flex plate and push the tourqe converter back into transmission towards your back axle

undo transmission to block bolts 3 on each side 6 all together

use a floor jack with a small piece of plywood or 2x8 to support the transmission from directly under neath the tranny pan

use hoist to pull up and out. there are 2 alignment dowels between the block and tranny so you need to pull up to get your engine mount cups to disengage and then forward to separate from tranny.

I have probably forgot some thing, but the idea is to remove everything from the block and hang or set away from the block so the block can be pulled up and out.


It is a very good idea to label things with some painters tape if you have not done this before. as you may very well forget where they go when you eventually get back to reinstalling it

 

[bucket]

You should also positively diagnose your leak first. You 'think' you blew a freeze plug or you 'know' you blew a freeze plug? In my experience, a freeze plug rarely fails.

 

[aGood'olBoy]

I know I blew a freeze plug. I have a 4 speed if that changes anything

 

[350runner]

I used screws on the accessory holes on the front and back of the heads

Sent from the dust in front of you!

 

[MadOgre]

What do you mean by SCREWS ?

4 speed auto ? or manual ?

 

[Driver4r]

Just get one of the squish type freeze plugs........ so much simpler than pulling the engine.

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ORRR, you could get a freezeplug block heater.

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[aGood'olBoy]

Manual but I considered the screw in freeze plugs but more than one of them went in locations that can't be easily reached. Im simply going to fix it right the first time.
Another update a friends dad let me borrow a carb plate. All I need to do is put that on and yank her out.
For freeze plugs I've heard many different opinions on sealing. Usually people say one of 3 things contact cement of a sort, locktite, or install dry. Opinions?

 

[Mr Clean]

I have always used Brass Freeze plugs, and I have always put a thin coating of Red RTV, when you get the plug set, wipe off the excess. The RTV fills in the minor scratches, that might be there.

 

[350runner]

What do you mean by SCREWS ?

4 speed auto ? or manual ?

I bolted the chains from my AC Delco engine leveled to the accessory holes on the heads took the engine/ trans out and put a new ones in...

Sent from the dust in front of you!

 

[aGood'olBoy]

I got black rtv and gray rtv.. Do I need red or will the run of the mill black do the job?

 

[Driver4r]

Machine shops Press them in dry.

 

[aGood'olBoy]

Alright pressing them in dry in the morning. Hopefully have it wrapped up today or tomorrow.

 

[aGood'olBoy]

I'm having a really ******* hard time lining up the motor and the tranny. I aligned the clutch perfect and the damn thing wouldn't go in. I tried loosening the pressure plate bolts so the clutch floats around and it would find the input shaft but still no luck. Don't know what I'm doing wrong and I can't afford to spend any more time on this pig.

 

[HotRodPC]

You should also positively diagnose your leak first. You 'think' you blew a freeze plug or you 'know' you blew a freeze plug? In my experience, a freeze plug rarely fails.

Maybe not in Ohio, it's not common to lose a freeze plug, but is So Cali. many times we didn't use Coolant. Didn't need to. Just used water and a pressure cap. Doing that, if you have standard plugs and not brass, it was a bit common to have freeze plugs rust through. I always paid $7 for my BRASS freeze plug kits instad of $3 for a silver freeze plug kit.