Pulling an L-82 Short Block
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,451
Likes: 974
From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN
Pulling an L-82 Short Block
As some of you may know, I discovered a bad piston while removing the top end of 78 L-82 which was going to get new AFR heads and retrofit roller cam. I know have just the short block in the car which needs to be pulled as is. The car is a 4 speed.
What is the best way to pull the short block including where to mount the hoist chains? From what I have read most people recommend pulling the engine and transmission together. Should I leave the 4 speed in the car and just pull the short block or remove them together. Prevailing wisdom with whole engines seems to be to pull the whole engine and trans together from the side with the front wheel off and on jack stands.
Any and all advice welcome. Thanks.
What is the best way to pull the short block including where to mount the hoist chains? From what I have read most people recommend pulling the engine and transmission together. Should I leave the 4 speed in the car and just pull the short block or remove them together. Prevailing wisdom with whole engines seems to be to pull the whole engine and trans together from the side with the front wheel off and on jack stands.
Any and all advice welcome. Thanks.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,000
Likes: 299
From: New York
Not sure why you would pull it from the side , with the hood off and rad out you can pick it from the front and roll the picker back away from the car.
I would pull it all at once , check flywheel and clutch , replace what is needed there and then once engine is set tie them together out of the car and set them back in .
If heads are off use to opposing head bolts to secure lift chain
I would pull it all at once , check flywheel and clutch , replace what is needed there and then once engine is set tie them together out of the car and set them back in .
If heads are off use to opposing head bolts to secure lift chain
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,451
Likes: 974
From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN
Not sure why you would pull it from the side , with the hood off and rad out you can pick it from the front and roll the picker back away from the car.
I would pull it all at once , check flywheel and clutch , replace what is needed there and then once engine is set tie them together out of the car and set them back in .
If heads are off use to opposing head bolts to secure lift chain
I would pull it all at once , check flywheel and clutch , replace what is needed there and then once engine is set tie them together out of the car and set them back in .
If heads are off use to opposing head bolts to secure lift chain
The heads are off as well as most of everything else. I have heard that many hoists can not reach far enough from the front which is why I referenced from the side. Thanks for the response.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,714
Likes: 42
From: Austin Texas
I just did this so the wound is still fresh. I did this from the side due to room in the garage. I pulled the hood off, and removed the front wheel. I did not remove the transmission so I put one of those wooden furniture dollies under it so it would not sag.
My hoist is just a home unit and the leveler is from harbor frt. I put grease on the leveler screw so it would be smoother. No complaints with it.
I attached the front two bolts to the water pump bolt holes. and then temporarily attached the back two chains to a rear head bolt hole. I wasn't crazy about that idea but it was only temporary.
I lifted it just enough to get to disengage from the transmission and then I moved the chains to the bell housing mount, one at a time. Quickly.
Set it there so I could get the chains off.
I don't have room to remove both at one time. Hope this helps.
Cheers,
john
My hoist is just a home unit and the leveler is from harbor frt. I put grease on the leveler screw so it would be smoother. No complaints with it.
I attached the front two bolts to the water pump bolt holes. and then temporarily attached the back two chains to a rear head bolt hole. I wasn't crazy about that idea but it was only temporary.
I lifted it just enough to get to disengage from the transmission and then I moved the chains to the bell housing mount, one at a time. Quickly.
Set it there so I could get the chains off.
I don't have room to remove both at one time. Hope this helps.
Cheers,
john
Had a 1976 L-82, 4-sp
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 5,338
Likes: 1,213
From: Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant.
Royal Canadian Navy
I had to pull mine from the right side the same way as johnt365 and left the 4-sp in the car. It's not hard. The only thing I pulled off prior to the removal was the carb, distributor and fan. I also removed the hood and rad support but I no longer have the condenser installed.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,714
Likes: 42
From: Austin Texas
My car has an automatic. Ordinarily we would use the rear accessory holes on the heads to mount to but that is not an option at this point. I didn't want to use the head bolt holes in the block to lift it all the way out. I put a washer between the block and the chain but I still wanted to get it to the rear bell housing mount as quick as I could. As soon as I had a couple inches of room between the motor and trans, I stuck a floor jack under the oil pan to support the rear and swapped the rear chain positions.
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,451
Likes: 974
From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN
I had to pull mine from the right side the same way as johnt365 and left the 4-sp in the car. It's not hard. The only thing I pulled off prior to the removal was the carb, distributor and fan. I also removed the hood and rad support but I no longer have the condenser installed.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,451
Likes: 974
From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN
I am thinking of removing the short block without the trans. Looks like 4 bolts from the transmission to the bell housing. The only question is realigning the clutch/engine with the trans on reinstall. Some say that this procedure is very hard to do. It just seems easier to remove a short block, not a whole engine, without the 4 speed.
Also, appears that I can use the 2 bolts on the bell housing for rear attachment points for the hoist and the water pump bolt holes on the front of the short block.
What am I missing about doing the removal this way?
Also, appears that I can use the 2 bolts on the bell housing for rear attachment points for the hoist and the water pump bolt holes on the front of the short block.
What am I missing about doing the removal this way?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,948
Likes: 72
From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
I really don't like the idea of using a head-bolt hole to lift the engine. I think I would rather drop the transmission in order to get at the bellhousing bolt holes right from the start. I am also visualizing some sort of plate that would bolt to the deck, using at least 5 head-bolt holes. Seems like a big hassle, though, unless you had to do this sort of thing on a regular basis. Anyway, good luck,
Scott
Scott
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 6,936
Likes: 848
From: melbourne florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
with the 4 speed i always just took the trans off in the car. and bolted it together when i put it in. i can't remember why i always did it that way but thats how i always did it. i pulled it from the side, reason being i pulled a big block from the front one time and it started to tip. that probably wouldn't happen with a small block with the heads off.
good luck. not to beat a dead horse, but i will. i have heard this claptrap about the L-82 intake being the pattern for the performer intake, and while it may have some basis in fact. there obviously are big differences, look under the carb and see all that plenum material? the performer did away with that. people say there is no performance difference? you are putting a set of heads on it that flow twice as much air and that intake will be a restriction,( the performer will be too) some people have claimed headers don't add power, but then you find out they left the timing and jetting alone. you have non stock stuff all over your car, please get over the stock air cleaner and do tho right. i just did almost the same thing to mine and i wish you could drive mine . if you could i guarantee you would run that air cleaner over with a truck. I'm not trying to **** anybody off I'm just giving my thoughts.again good luck.
good luck. not to beat a dead horse, but i will. i have heard this claptrap about the L-82 intake being the pattern for the performer intake, and while it may have some basis in fact. there obviously are big differences, look under the carb and see all that plenum material? the performer did away with that. people say there is no performance difference? you are putting a set of heads on it that flow twice as much air and that intake will be a restriction,( the performer will be too) some people have claimed headers don't add power, but then you find out they left the timing and jetting alone. you have non stock stuff all over your car, please get over the stock air cleaner and do tho right. i just did almost the same thing to mine and i wish you could drive mine . if you could i guarantee you would run that air cleaner over with a truck. I'm not trying to **** anybody off I'm just giving my thoughts.again good luck.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,451
Likes: 974
From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN
I really don't like the idea of using a head-bolt hole to lift the engine. I think I would rather drop the transmission in order to get at the bellhousing bolt holes right from the start. I am also visualizing some sort of plate that would bolt to the deck, using at least 5 head-bolt holes. Seems like a big hassle, though, unless you had to do this sort of thing on a regular basis. Anyway, good luck,
Scott
Scott
I am not going to use a head bolt hole to attach the hoist on the rear of the engine-Bell housing bolts seem the way to go and with the heads off they seem fairly accessible for some straight iron.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,451
Likes: 974
From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN
with the 4 speed i always just took the trans off in the car. and bolted it together when i put it in. i can't remember why i always did it that way but thats how i always did it. i pulled it from the side, reason being i pulled a big block from the front one time and it started to tip. that probably wouldn't happen with a small block with the heads off.
good luck. not to beat a dead horse, but i will. i have heard this claptrap about the L-82 intake being the pattern for the performer intake, and while it may have some basis in fact. there obviously are big differences, look under the carb and see all that plenum material? the performer did away with that. people say there is no performance difference? you are putting a set of heads on it that flow twice as much air and that intake will be a restriction,( the performer will be too) some people have claimed headers don't add power, but then you find out they left the timing and jetting alone. you have non stock stuff all over your car, please get over the stock air cleaner and do tho right. i just did almost the same thing to mine and i wish you could drive mine . if you could i guarantee you would run that air cleaner over with a truck. I'm not trying to **** anybody off I'm just giving my thoughts.again good luck.
good luck. not to beat a dead horse, but i will. i have heard this claptrap about the L-82 intake being the pattern for the performer intake, and while it may have some basis in fact. there obviously are big differences, look under the carb and see all that plenum material? the performer did away with that. people say there is no performance difference? you are putting a set of heads on it that flow twice as much air and that intake will be a restriction,( the performer will be too) some people have claimed headers don't add power, but then you find out they left the timing and jetting alone. you have non stock stuff all over your car, please get over the stock air cleaner and do tho right. i just did almost the same thing to mine and i wish you could drive mine . if you could i guarantee you would run that air cleaner over with a truck. I'm not trying to **** anybody off I'm just giving my thoughts.again good luck.
No worries about offending me about the L-82 intake versus an aftermarket intake-dissenting comments are always welcome.
Just a reminder, I am not looking for all out HP at any cost of appearance. Having the short block rebuilt is something no one will ever see, even with non OEM pistons (forged and 9:1 though). The roller cam, no one will ever see that as well. The AFR heads are the only non stock item that will be visible. I want to try using the L-82 aluminum intake at least at first and to use the OEM air cleaner assembly. I may change my mind down the road. Heck, after doing everything I am doing now, changing intakes will be EASY-1-2 hour job, at most. Yes, the AFR's will flow a ton and probably outflow the intake, but that is OK, at least for now. Let's see how it goes.
Hope that helps!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,451
Likes: 974
From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN
One more thing I discovered yesterday. The block stamping for the L-82 matches the VIN number which I was expecting. The L-82 motor was made on October 5, 1977 and the build date for the car was October 21, 1977. All good!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,948
Likes: 72
From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
with the 4 speed i always just took the trans off in the car. and bolted it together when i put it in. i can't remember why i always did it that way but thats how i always did it. i pulled it from the side, reason being i pulled a big block from the front one time and it started to tip. that probably wouldn't happen with a small block with the heads off.
good luck. not to beat a dead horse, but i will. i have heard this claptrap about the L-82 intake being the pattern for the performer intake, and while it may have some basis in fact. there obviously are big differences, look under the carb and see all that plenum material? the performer did away with that. people say there is no performance difference? you are putting a set of heads on it that flow twice as much air and that intake will be a restriction,( the performer will be too) some people have claimed headers don't add power, but then you find out they left the timing and jetting alone. you have non stock stuff all over your car, please get over the stock air cleaner and do tho right. i just did almost the same thing to mine and i wish you could drive mine . if you could i guarantee you would run that air cleaner over with a truck. I'm not trying to **** anybody off I'm just giving my thoughts.again good luck.
good luck. not to beat a dead horse, but i will. i have heard this claptrap about the L-82 intake being the pattern for the performer intake, and while it may have some basis in fact. there obviously are big differences, look under the carb and see all that plenum material? the performer did away with that. people say there is no performance difference? you are putting a set of heads on it that flow twice as much air and that intake will be a restriction,( the performer will be too) some people have claimed headers don't add power, but then you find out they left the timing and jetting alone. you have non stock stuff all over your car, please get over the stock air cleaner and do tho right. i just did almost the same thing to mine and i wish you could drive mine . if you could i guarantee you would run that air cleaner over with a truck. I'm not trying to **** anybody off I'm just giving my thoughts.again good luck.
Scott
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,451
Likes: 974
From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN
An update to my own questions. I spoke with the engine builder/restorer today in person, and he would pull the short block without the trans and you can use the head bolt block holes for anchor points with no issues. Reinstalling the engine/clutch into the transmission is not that big a deal since the engine is movable on a hoist and easier to reinstall to the trans than when it is bolted in.
Had a 1976 L-82, 4-sp
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 5,338
Likes: 1,213
From: Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant.
Royal Canadian Navy
It's not that hard to mate the engine and tranny when you reinstall but you will need a helper. My helper was my wife but she didn't have the strength to move around the hoist easily so it took a bit longer. Make absolutely sure the clutch is aligned using the clutch alignment tool. If it is, the input shaft of the tranny will slide right in once properly aligned, which is the trick in the whole process. You may have to rotate the engine crank a wee bit to align the splines.