[DaleB]

Yesterday my son and I tried to pull the 289 out of my '66 coupe. I have a load leveler bolted to four points, and the hoist attached. We disconnected all of the lines, hoses, wiring, etc. Removed the starter. Unbolted the trans. Got both engine mounts taken apart so they're not hanging us up. I'm not in the mood to spend a bunch of money on a transmission jack, and my motorcycle jack won't slide under the car far enough, so I cut a couple pieces of 2x12 long enough to fit under the transmission oil pan to support it.

The engine is free, and we managed to get about 1/2" or so separation between the block and the transmission, but for some reason I simply cannot get the engine and transmission apart any further, and can't get the engine out. We've tried various combinations of height and angle on the engine. I tried lowering it so the tranny is resting on the blocks, then tried moving the load leveler pivot point forward and back to see if it's just binding. Nothing seems to make a difference.

I've never done this before, so I'm unsure of how to proceed. I was under the impression that there's just a splined shaft connection between the engine and the transmission, but I don't want to resort to a 4' crowbar and break or bend something. How hard should this be to get the two un-mated so we can pull the engine out?

 

[MrFlash]

Did you unbolt the torque converter from the flex plate?

 

[New2me]

You didn't mention the exhaust...

 

[gregb]

Automatic? Did you remove the inspection plate on the lower part of the bellhousing? Been a while but it can also hang up on the steering if it’s not high enough. I think you may get some hydraulic suction from the torque converter where it goes in the pump, might just have to keep slowly at it. I wouldn’t use a huge crowbar, but I’d try a smaller one on each side at the same time. Shouldn’t take much pressure.

 

[DaleB]

Did you unbolt the torque converter from the flex plate?

Nope. How would I get to it to do that? The shop manual is pretty thin on details... basically "Disconnect this wire, that hose, the other wire, remove starter, hook up the load sling, pull the engine out".

As noted, I've never pulled an engine and am fairly ignorant of how the engine and tranny are actually connected.

 

[DaleB]

Ah, there we go.

And yes, I did un-bolt the exhaust... as noted, the engine is free of everything except the transmission. Thanks guys. This has been and continues to be a learning experience.

 

[66sprint200]

Remove the inspection plate. It is right behind the back end of the oil pan. You will need to rotate the crankshaft to access & remove all the nuts. Dean

 

[DaleB]

Hmm, is there a "Remove a thread that makes me look like a complete dumb-a$$" option? Seriously, thanks guys. I appreciate it. The only engines I've ever pulled prior to this were from lawnmowers and a '55 Vespa scooter.

 

[Skidoodave]

Looks like the boys have you hooked up with the information you need. Don’t fret about it. I’ve seen lots of people pulling an engine for the first time and not know about the flex plate bolts. Good luck and be careful, keep your son away, engines are heavy especially when swinging on a chain 5 feet off the ground. Lower it as soon as it clears the rad cradle. Hope you have a good engine stand for it.

Have fun!

 

[cruising68]

Hmm, is there a "Remove a thread that makes me look like a complete dumb-a$$" option? Seriously, thanks guys. I appreciate it. The only engines I've ever pulled prior to this were from lawnmowers and a '55 Vespa scooter.

Don't feel bad, we've all had those moments. Like when I first started my new motor without a water pump belt and wondered why it overheated:grin2:

 

[DaleB]

Good luck and be careful, keep your son away, engines are heavy especially when swinging on a chain 5 feet off the ground.

Hahaha... my son is 29, bigger than me, and could probably still bench press this long block if needed. He used to bench 525, probably could only do 400 now. I have him for the heavy lifting work! But, yeah... there's an engine stand we'll be bolting that boat anchor onto as soon as we pull it, and I'm a little paranoid when it comes to big heavy things that can crush people and break things. And I trust Harbor Freight hydraulics about --><-- that much.

 

[gwstang]

I pull the engine/transmission together. It seem to be easier that way. Easier to put back together and get it right and then install together. You mess up mating the tranny to the engine and it's screwed. Usually screws the torque converter.

 

[DaleB]

I pull the engine/transmission together. It seem to be easier that way. Easier to put back together and get it right and then install together. You mess up mating the tranny to the engine and it's screwed. Usually screws the torque converter.

I thought about it, since it seems to be a popular approach. In the end, the logistical aspects of getting them un-mated once out of the car, and where to put the C4 while I work in the engine, made me decide to leave it in there for now. I'll pull the trans later, and will most likely put them back together and drop back in as a unit... but that's many months away. We'll see how it shakes out. For now, I decided to just do one major assembly at a time.

 

[gwstang]

" where to put the C4 while I work in the engine" In a bucket!

 

[subpar63]

I thought about it, since it seems to be a popular approach. In the end, the logistical aspects of getting them un-mated once out of the car, and where to put the C4 while I work in the engine, made me decide to leave it in there for now. I'll pull the trans later, and will most likely put them back together and drop back in as a unit... but that's many months away. We'll see how it shakes out. For now, I decided to just do one major assembly at a time.

On craigslist, then source yourself a top-loader and the associated man-pedal bits. :wink:

John

 

[DaleB]

Ha! nah. If the C4 was good enough for the original owner, it's good enough for me. I'm not opposed to some improvements in the engine, but that kind of surgery is not what I have in mind. Besides, on the off chance that I actually keep this, it'll be mostly for my wife to drive. I already have my man car... and man truck... and man airplane... though come to think of it none of then have a manual transmission.

 

[alex1965]

We've all been there! Glad you got it resolved. This is a great community for stuff like that.

 

[DaleB]

Well, that was pretty easy.

 

[DaleB]

Oh -- the really fun part? Once we got the engine hoisted out, the car rolled back, and rolled the engine stand over, I realized... there is no way to transfer the engine from the hoist to the stand. The stand won't fit between the legs of the hoist. The two are incompatible. We ended up doing some semi-inadvisable maneuvers to get the job done... if either of us had been 100# lighter it wouldn't have worked. The problem is that big wide front crossmember on the stand. I picked it up used, and never really thought about that. Never done this stuff before, you know?

Told my son I didn't know how we were going to reverse the process to get the engine back in... he said we won't have to; by then it will have an aluminum block and all titanium internals, so we can just lift it in. He's a funny guy.

 

[Tallguy]

I bet you a dollar that the stand is put together wrong. It should be reversed so the smaller member is in the "front"