Hi, Guys

I’m pulling the 350 SB out of my ‘78 Corvette and looking to buy a Hoist. eBay has the Big Red 2,000 lb hoist listed. I have a car lift in the garage and need a recommendation on which hoist works best.

Thanks.....

 

Thats the one I used to take my 350 out good luck u need 2 people

 

Ok. Thanks. Did you remove the trans first???

 

My engine and trans were separated for the removal, but reinstalled as a unit.

http://www.harborfreight.com/2-ton-c...ane-69514.html

$240 but frequently on sale and you can always find a 20% off coupon in their advertising fliers. It worked very well for dropping in my assembled 454 and TH400 as a single unit. I found it well made and well-finished; all parts were there for assembling it.

The issue on C3s is that you can't go directly in from the front as the nose is too long for just about every portable engine hoist. Pick up a "leveler" while you're at it. $50 is well spent on one of these things to work the angles removing and replacing the engine. I figure I can easily sell the hoist for $140-150ish once I'm sure I won't need it any longer.

A gantry crane and leveler would be the cat's meow but I couldn't justify the $650 for a one-time (I hope) job and felt it might be more difficult to find a buyer when finished with it. Plus it wouldn't store as easily as a regular folding hoist.

 

Awesome. I’ll look for a coupon. With my lift, I have to come in from the side anyway. I’m adding a TH350 trans, but I’m told no to attach the trans until after
installing the engine. It would seem easier to attach the trans and install as one unit. Am I missing something?

Thanks.

 

Maybe. Maybe not. I don't have a car lift, so raising the car enough to get the transmission and a trans jack underneath would be a huge chore. The shop that did the trans rebuild highly recommended mating the engine and trans out of the car so there'd be full access to everything and an easier time getting the clutch or converter lined up and secured. Hell, I even installed the starter and exhaust manifolds – though I'd probably leave off the manifolds if I were to do it again.

One of the tips I got here on the forum is to jack up the rear of the car so that the approach angle isn't as severe. Worked well for me working all by myself. (I also had the complete radiator and support removed from the chassis.)

 

Ok. Thanks. I also thought it would easier to mate the engine and trans first. I’ll contact the manufacturer of the trans to get their advice.

 

I just removed my engine from my 74 vette last weekend.
Where the car was sitting, it was nearly impossible to pull the engine from the side.
I rented a longer reach 3-ton hoist from our local tool rental shop for $25/day.
Unfortunately, the boom was still 6”-8” too short to reach, but I went to our Interstate Steel dealer and purchased a replacement 2”x3” inner boom pipe, and ordered it 12” longer than the original pipe. I drilled the bolt holes for the pin as well as for the chain.
Worked like a charm. I get to keep the extended pipe to use when it comes time to rent the hoist again to re-install the engine.
With the very short added distance of the boom, (8”) I seriously doubt the hoist will become front heavy as the rolling “legs” under the hoist extend way out there.
I hope to install engine/trans as one unit, but will carefully test the setup beforehand.
If need be, I will install them separately.
SAFETY FIRST!

 

Agree and like 67:72 just did this job by myself twice on my 327 recent rebuild, messed up the cam on startup (another story) so the memory and experience is recent. I too used a HF engine lift as above. Got to have the 2 ton, I have another smaller engine lift but not enough reach. I have a HF gantry crane too, but I elected to use the HF 2t engine lift to better handle the engine/tran after you get it out. With the gantry, I would have had to roll the gantry or roll the Corvette so the engine lift seemed to be easier and more maneuverable . Also bought a HF load leveler. Got to have a load leveler, otherwise hard for me to see how you would angle it in, plus the leveler gives you more control. Took the rad/support/shroud out and removed intake/carb/distr/starter/fan/wp/exhaust hdrs. Also removed with the 4sp connected. Unbolting bell housing/trans and supporting under the Corvette did not seem like a good idea in a limited small space. Also put the rear on the tires on castors and pull the tires off the front and lower as much as you can. Turn the wheels hard right and access the engine lift from the RH pass side. I connected the leveler to the heads 4 corners with grade 8 bolts. I know some lift off the intake carb mount but that seemed a bit light to me. I also blocked up the tail of the 4sp level with the cross member to help guide it in better. All went well and the second time went a lot faster. So, I suggest be careful, go slow, try to keep your hands and feet out of harms way as much as possible. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks. That's pretty cool. Good luck with the install.

Cheers

 

Great advice. I will definitely secure a "leveler" with a 2 Ton Lift. I can't decide if I should pull the trans first and then the engine or just lift both out at the
same time? With a leveler, it would seem to make sense to just pull both at once. Then install both at the same time.....

Cheers,

 

Are you planning on removing the radiator and core support assembly? If not then I think you'll have some angling issues pulling both together. Since you have a lift, physical access to the trans/engine bolts and flywheel/converter bolts isn't so uncomfortable. However, pulling together only entails removing the cross-member and mounting bracket attachments along with the two engine mounts. Then the trans to engine can be separated with full access. I think you're in a situation that it's 6 vs. a half-dozen.

 

I am planning on removing and replacing the radiator and core assembly, just to make it easier. I will be installing a new radiator after the engine/trans are in. Is the torque converter a problem if I decide to pull the trans first? Is the converter a problem installing after the new engine is in. To me, it seems easier to mate the
new trans with the new engine first and install both at the same time. Just not sure which way to go....

Thanks.

 

I pulled my old 327 with trans attached (4 speed) and installed my stroker 383 with trans installed using the HF hoist on the 1/2 ton setting from the side.
https://www.harborfreight.com/2-ton-...ane-69514.html

 

Awesome! Thanks. That works for me.

Cheers.

 

Northern Tool's comes with a leveler for $260 which would make it about the same price as HF without a coupon.
They ran the 2-ton for $189 just before Christmas.

 

Thanks. That's a great price. I will check Northern Tool. I'm not sure they have one here in Scottsdale, AZ. Shipping is pricey due to the weight.

Cheers.

 

There are pros and cons to either method.
No problem at all with the torque converter if you pull the trans first. If you've never pulled a trans from a car, be aware that they're much heavier than you may expect and you don't want to tilt the converter end of the trans so that the converter slides off and you lose all the oil inside. It's a royal mess if that happens. There isn't any sort of mating shaft like a manual trans -- just three bolts from the engine side of the flexplate to the converter and a very short snub nose on the converter that registers on the end of the crankshaft. The most difficult part of pulling apart the trans from the engine while in the car are the two top "bell housing" bolts to the engine. Very little room to get anything in there and you can only turn the bolts maybe 1/8 turn at a time.

I decided installing both as a unit was better for me because I wanted to make sure the torque converter was properly engaged into the trans pump and could then mate to the flex plate with everything level and in a very controlled environment. I wasn't sure I could do that if working under the car that was only elevated a foot and a half off the driveway.

 

Just to add a bit: The most important part of mating the trans to the engine is that the converter must be properly inserted into the trans so that it engages correctly or else you can ruin the trans when first started. I didn't want the converter to slip away from engagement when the trans was maneuvered into place and mated under the car so chose to do it outside the car.

 

If you go with a leveler get the one with the hand wheel attached. Mine needs a socket and a racket wrench.