Trouble Getting 305 and Manual Trans Separated

[ChaseDale3and8]

Working on my 1986 K10 short bed 1/2 ton 4x4 with a 305, manual trans. Attempting an engine swap to a built up 355. Here's the problem.

Okay, I have everything disconnected and have made several attempts to pull the engine out with NO LUCK! The giggered thing seems to be seized to the transmission somehow! ALL the bell housing bolts are out, and the inspection cover is off. I hooked the shop crane chain hook up to the center hole on the carb plate on the intake manifold, and it lifted it UP fine, but I can't get it to break loose from the transmission!

Tried hooking up to the other two holes on the plate with the same result. Tried wiggling it with it lifted up, twisting it, didn't matter. She won't budge! I'm about ready to hook up my John Deere lawn tractor to the front of the shop crane and give it a yank! Don't want to tear something up trying to get it out though. I haven't pulled an engine from a manual trans truck since my last one that I had back around 1995.

I grew up around this kind of stuff, I'm 46 years old now, and know my way around these old square body trucks. I've owned so many of them that I can't even recall how many over the years. Heck, my brother and I used to be able to strip one of these trucks down to the frame in less than 8 hours back in the day, so I'm no stranger to them, but this one has me stumped! This was SUPPOSED to be a simple engine swap like I've done a hundred times before, but it has turned out to be a nightmare!

I just can't figure out what the heck the hold up is since I should be able to pull it by myself without any issues! Does it matter if the trans is in gear or in neutral? It seems that I always put the trans in reverse when I pulled an engine for a swap or clutch change in the past. It's been a few years since I've done one though so I might have forgotten something that I should have done. I sure named this truck right when I bought it and started working on it. I call it the Blue B#@% for all the trouble she gives me EVERY time I put a wrench to her! I have always pulled them apart at the block to bell housing instead of bell housing to transmission. Never had this much trouble before. It's kind of got me thinking that maybe the release bearing is stuck to the transmission input shaft. I'm sure having to WORK to get this wimpy 305 OUT!!!!!!!!! ...Joe