pulling engine for the first time
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 248
Likes: 11
pulling engine for the first time
I am about to pull the L82 engine out of my '77 C3 and I will have to move the car back to one side of the garage in order to use a portable hoist. It is currently in the center so I have purchased 4 wheel dollies which should make it fairly easy. I can support the trans with a jack but I will need to move the car back to center. How do I do this in order to keep the trans from dipping down out of location. After the rebuild I will have to again move it back to install the engine. Are there any tricks to making sure the transmission main shaft will find its way into the pilot bearing. I could drop the trans but really don't want to unless it becomes necessary. Thanks!!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 248
Likes: 11
I was planning to pull the engine away from the bell housing so I guess it is better to leave it attached so you can use the bolt holes on the trans. and install the bolts or all thread , makes sense. Well I will be going under the vette again oh goody!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3,218
Likes: 679
When I pulled the engine trans out of my 71 I had to come in from the side since the C3 nose is quite long. I have a heavy duty cherry picker. Once I had the car in the right spot in the shop I put it up on jack stands and removed the front wheels. That gave clearance to move the cherry picker as needed. It was a bit scary but I had no problems. I have a engine "leveler" so the makes angling the engine much easier. Since you aren't pulling the trans it may be a bit easier.
Just a thought. Maybe unbolt the trans mount and pry the trans away from the engine a bit to come off the block dowel pins? Then you can lift the engine straight up and out?
Just a thought. Maybe unbolt the trans mount and pry the trans away from the engine a bit to come off the block dowel pins? Then you can lift the engine straight up and out?
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
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Ive always pulled the engine and trans together to make life easier. The only way you are going to do this with the trans in is to be able to get under the car, align the input shaft with the through out bearing and then slide them together as you drop it in. This way is a 2 man job to make it easy. Otherwise you will have to pull the driveshaft, slide the trans back, drop in the motor, then slide the trans into the motor. If you dont have a removable trans mount it just got even more of a pain in the ***........alone its a lot of up and down climbing from underneath that thing
Dr. Detroit
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 10,090
Likes: 4,015
From: New Braunfels Texas
Just a tip...remove the hood and come in from the side.......at an angle........I pull a wheel from the side I drop in to give the picker legs more slide room......
Pulling and Installing with an Automatic is pretty straightforward.....but with a manual trans, you HAVE to have a cutoff piece of old input shaft to line up the clutch disc.....the plastic tool in the kit will not do it......if it is even slightly off, you will play hell getting the bellhousing to pull up........
I think Rescue above is thinking if you pull the bellhousing with the engine.....which you really do not have to do.....just separate the engine from the bellhousing.....the clutch disc slides off the input shaft and home free......
Jebby
Pulling and Installing with an Automatic is pretty straightforward.....but with a manual trans, you HAVE to have a cutoff piece of old input shaft to line up the clutch disc.....the plastic tool in the kit will not do it......if it is even slightly off, you will play hell getting the bellhousing to pull up........
I think Rescue above is thinking if you pull the bellhousing with the engine.....which you really do not have to do.....just separate the engine from the bellhousing.....the clutch disc slides off the input shaft and home free......
Jebby
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Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,036
Likes: 9,157
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
O Im talking removal and installation as one pice...Ive pulled the engine alone which isnt an issue but reinstalling the engine while trying to align dowels, input shafts, motor mounts and the rest is a hassle.....i assemble the whole mess as one unit and droo it in...all you have to reassemble is the drive shaft
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2010
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I didn't catch the point that it's an manual. No question I pull the engine and trans as a unit. Trying to line up the trans input shaft thru the clutch while trying to slide the engine could be a real mess.
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,036
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From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
If you have a removable crossmember, a tranny jack and hopefully a friend, it can be done one at a time. You have to get the tranny out of the way so you can get the engine on the motor mounts while keeping the motor level and supported at the rear. Then using the tranny jack from underneath while trying not to drop it off the jack onto your face. then slide it all to gether at the proper angle.......ya, lots of fun
I'cve had to pull the tranny fromn underneath about 6 times last spring for various issues and it was never that fun reinstalling it.....this time it will come out together, get swapped then reinstalled
I'cve had to pull the tranny fromn underneath about 6 times last spring for various issues and it was never that fun reinstalling it.....this time it will come out together, get swapped then reinstalled
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
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From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
I never never remove the hood even on BBC. Waste of time.
Vettes with a removable tranny cross member I just supported the transmission with a floor at the balance point. Pull the engine and then the transmission. Put the tranny on the ground and raise the front of the vette up far enough to take the transmission out of the way.
I have man hour timed the whole R&R... Never ever remove the hood or radiator. Just the accessories, fan, and shroud. it's easier to install the engine still supported by the host and put the engine mount to frame bolts in. Then stab the tranny to the motor.
It's sometimes is difficult to stab the motor to the fixed transmission because of the splines. Two people rock and stab the tranny to a tilted down engine.
I do take the time to convert non removable tranny cross members
Vettes with a removable tranny cross member I just supported the transmission with a floor at the balance point. Pull the engine and then the transmission. Put the tranny on the ground and raise the front of the vette up far enough to take the transmission out of the way.
I have man hour timed the whole R&R... Never ever remove the hood or radiator. Just the accessories, fan, and shroud. it's easier to install the engine still supported by the host and put the engine mount to frame bolts in. Then stab the tranny to the motor.
It's sometimes is difficult to stab the motor to the fixed transmission because of the splines. Two people rock and stab the tranny to a tilted down engine.
I do take the time to convert non removable tranny cross members
Last edited by gkull; Mar 8, 2023 at 09:16 AM.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 21
Likes: 7
From: Cullman Alabama
Pull it all ! Then you can clean up the trans as well. I have done a ton of transmissions and engines and bolting the engine to the trans sucks when the engine is hanging there. Put in in as one unit. Good luck !
Safety Car
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,340
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From: los altos hills california
One more vote for pulling the whole thing. I also scribe the hood hinge positions and then remove that. You need to plug the tail shaft, otherwise you will have an oily mess.