Hi all

Been awhile since I pulled an engine out of a C3 and come to think of it maybe never with the body installed. I'm about 6 weeks out from pulling the engine on my newly acquired 73 L82 car to remove all the Hot Rod crap off of it and put it back to OEM original. The engine only has 43,427 original miles and the oil pressure is in the 26ish to 30 lb range. Between now and than I plan to do a basic compression test for no other reason than for piece of mind. The swap-a-rama will consist of cam, heads, intake, carb, A.I.R. system and clutch set.

For starters the transmission and bell housing will remain in the car. My plan is to remove the hood, depopulate the front of the engine, remove AC Comp, PS pump and disconnect everything on the underside than pull engine using a Gantry Crane. Question is can I do this without removing the radiator and fan shroud? I think there should be enough room.

Thanks
Dennis

 

Why are you pulling the engine, rod and main bearings?
Did you confirm those oil pressure readings with a hand held gauge?

 

don't think so. engine has to come forward 4 or 5 inches to get input shaft out of the clutch. shroud ain't that much and kinda has to leave with the fan anyway. radiator can stay in but i would not leave it. one little swing too far forward and i will be teaching you how to solder radiators over the internet...

 

It's a lot easier with the radiator, shroud, and support removed. Although I pulled each part individually, I reinstalled them as a unit using the hoist. Pretty simple and not a lot of wrestling since the hoist is holding the weight. If you don't want to pull the shroud, radiator, and support, you should also remove the water pump because that's a good 6" of added spacing for the engine to release and clear the firewall.

 

no, I'm pulling the engine for a cam, head and intake replacement.

 

I have heard others say that there is room to remove the cam if you remove the radiator and shroud....

 

there is room. but it is no fun. and oil pan should come off to get all the timing gear pieces and other nassness out of there water pump good idea and only 4 bolts and coming off anyway.

 

Working smarter not harder is something I try to lean into but in this case I might just have to go the harder route. I would never remove a engine for a head or intake swap or a cam for that matter. Did a cam swap on my 65 BB car a few years ago and it was no big deal. This 73 is a whole different animal because of everything being in very tight quarters. I have read every thread on the subject of removing the radiator and/or replacing the cam. The radiator and shroud removal seems to be the long pole in tent and can be very difficult depending on the year of the car with the 73-79 being the most cumbersome to get out. Also there seems to be a wide range of opinions on if the hood being removed is a requirement and/or the passenger side upper A-Arm having to be removed.

I would prefer to approach this without pulling the engine and if that takes longer I'm ok with that. I say that because I can do that in my garage vice having to ask someone else if I can bum a spot for a week or two in their shop, I hate asking other people for help. Also have to work this into my 40 hr week job. Oh and the shop space I could bum is 1 hr away from me. That has me leaning heavily towards doing this in my garage with the engine installed on my own time schedule.

My biggest hurdle to get over is the cam and radiator. Doing this solo I would need to leave the hood on if that is even possible. Having wrenched on C2/C3 Corvettes for 30 plus years and three frame off restorations along the way I know my way around these cars and a tool box but I find myself scratching my head on the whole radiator, shroud and cam thing being this 73 is also an AC car. Dumping the Freon and removing the AC compressor is no big deal and I guess removing the passenger upper A-Arm isn't either just not sure if all that is required. When I look at the radiator it would seem it will just slide up and out with a little clockwise rotation. But every time I say that will be easy or cost this much I'm almost always wrong. HA

Dennis

 

Not sure if this pertains but I just pulled and reinstalled my motor and transmission at the same time alone. I need friends.

 

Twinpack if I still had my last oversize 3 car garage or your garage this engine would be on the stand. I now have a small 3 car garage and the vette is in the single side. I let go a 30 year collection of big garage stuff when I move but kept all my tools.

 

just don't forget the fuel pump... rad support stays or hood has to come off. i think you can leave AC lines connected and just scootch compressor aside easy enough. still, pull the pan. gotta loosen it to get timing cover off anyway.

 

also pick it out from the side is easier than head on unless your picker has an unusually long boom...from my experience 👀

 

you will be putting that timing chain on virtually blind. use cell phone or better camera to make sure you didn't slip a tooth.

 

 

Yes I plan to pull the oil pan, depopulate the whole front of the engine, remove AC compressor etc. Going back with stock L82 GM cam & lifters, original heads, intake and Q-Jet. Basically putting the engine compartment back to OEM original.

Removing a set of World Products Sportsman heads, Edelbrock Torker Jr intake, Holley 1850 carb and Comp Cams CL 12246-3 (274H) cam and lifters.

 

Removing the transmission and bell housing will makes things a lot easier to remove. Not that hard. Plus, you won't be trying to line up the clutch splines will installing the engine.

 

one orig part to NOT reuse. the valvetrain. 45 year old valves and springs. 10 cents a lb. change from metal basket umbrella and o-ring seal to standard seals; slightly but only slightly stiffer than stock springs. manley or ferrea valves. get seats cleaned up. guides should be good.

 

Bringing this thread back up to the top. So I decided to just rebuild the engine back to OEM L82 specs, made no sense to pull it down to a short block for the head and cam swap and not rebuild it.

I searched both here and NCRS again today for C3 engine removal and there seems to be opinions from hood on, hood off, radiator in, radiator out, engine by itself, engine and transmission together, pull transmission and than engine (no thank you). I'm not trying to send Neil Armstrong back to the moon just remove a SB Chevy engine from a 73 Corvette.

Couple points to cover;
1) There is nothing wrong with the radiator that would warrant pulling it for maintenance or replacement.
2) There is nothing wrong with the transmission that would warrant pulling it for maintenance.
3) There won't be any well while I'm here going on, just minor engine bay cleanup (cleaning rag type stuff).
4) 4-Speed, AC & PS

This will be a clean engine out, rebuild, engine back in type project, nothing fancy. Will use an engine hoist and load leveler (if required) from the side with wheel removed.

Question is if I de-populate the front of the engine (fan, WP, pulleys, brackets etc.), lay the AC compressor and PS pump to the side can I pull this engine out leaving the hood, fan shroud, radiator and bell housing in place?

 

Yes. But... it's going to be tight with the shroud so go slow and careful. Some folks say to unbolt the radiator support at the top and middle to pivot the support toward the front of the car; mine doesn't seem to pivot much. Consider also removing the crank damper for a little bit more room. I think a leveler will come in handy to help "reduce" the length of the engine.

 

i pulled the engine out of the 71 last winter almost by myself. not a terrible job. biggest pia was the rad and fan shroud by myself. took the hood off first then waterpump and fuel pump. removed and tied off power steering and ac compressor and hoses. left bellhousing and 4 speed bolted to motor and lifted out as one unit. took top 2 bolts out of rad support and loosened the bottom ones and pushed it front with condensor still attatched. gave me enough room to lift out radiator and shroud. did this while the car was on a 4 post lift so it was pretty easy to disconnect everything underneath first.