Best engine lifting method

Lifting by the carb mounting is plenty strong enough and if it disturbs your intake gaskets, then they weren't done correctly. Lifting by the 4 corners is fine, but I find I have a lot more flexibility lifting by the carb base.

We do it by the carb base as well, but we use studs that bottom out in the threads before installing the lift plate.

I am puzzled.

I just undo the bolts, brace my legs, and pick it up and over the core support with my arms.

I leave the trans attached for leverage.

You can do either method. The intake bolts aren’t high torque so it’s ok to remove it and retorque it.
Just comes down to what you have available. I’d use an engine leveler for sure though.

Most definitely the load leveler makes removal much easier no matter if you lift using a carb plate, or four corners method. I have only used the four corners method with my load leveler on the cherry picker as it seems like I could get more tilt of the engine.

A load leveler on a carb plate isn't going to do much to the motor....

Another vote for using a load leveler - a good one was $50-ish dollars, and absolutely worth it. My son and I, neither of us having ever pulled an engine before, used one to yank the 289 and toploader out in our small 2-bay garage. Used good bolts to attach to 4 outer corner of the heads, and yoinked it out like we were pro's. Same method for reinstallation.

Another question guys- do you like having the car up on jack stands so you can get at the transmission cross member?

Mach1 Driver said:

Another question guys- do you like having the car up on jack stands so you can get at the transmission cross member?

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Depends on if I'm pulling or leaving the trans.

If youre looking at load levelers I do NOT recommend the harbor freight one. It's a POS. I got so mad at the hunk of garbage I threw it out into the yard. My buddy says "That's what you get trying to put a 10k plus motor in with a Chinese leveler."

Redneckgearhead said:

If youre looking at load levelers I do NOT recommend the harbor freight one. It's a POS. I got so mad at the hunk of garbage I threw it out into the yard. My buddy says "That's what you get trying to put a 10k plus motor in with a Chinese leveler."

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I used the Harbor Freight 3/4 ton leveler, the screw adjuster did bind until I loosened the bolts and adjusted the brackets on the ends. Greased it and it worked fine. It would be nice if everything was perfect out of the box, but while working on my Mustang I haven't found many new parts that didn't need tweaked.

Mach1 Driver said:

Another question guys- do you like having the car up on jack stands so you can get at the transmission cross member?

Click to expand...

I actually Jack the rear end of the car up high and put on Jack stands so it makes an easier angle up front for pulling out the engine.

I guess I am an old traditional 4 bolts on the heads person. I put one ratchet strap on the 2 rear bolts and one on the fronts. That way I can adjust the tilt of the engine one click at a time. It has never failed me. I also never stab the transmission with the engine. I install the transmission in first.

I might be ok with a carb mount, never liked the idea but 2nd66 used one once on the day I drive to his house adn forced him to install his motor, he had a serious bout of procrastination and was missing the entire Autocross season wiht a perfectly good 302 on the engine stand. BUT, I would never use the intake bolts. I consider intake bolts sacred as I have squished too many intake gaskets and squeezed them out. Once they are correct, I don't mess with them. I you want to go 4 point, us the heads, there are threaded holes on the ends of each. That is exclusively how I do mine. Most of the time to be honest, I use a 2 point off the heads, front of one head, rear of the other, seems to work fine

When I pulled out the 289 and trans I used a manifold plate. I was nervous about it but it worked out fine. I bought a load leveler from harbor freight to go back in with the 408 and AOD.