Engine Removal Prep Questions/Advice

[Alloyvert]

No worries AD as I was able to figure out the MEW pcv from your previous post and ordered the same valve covers. I still may get some more bling down the road, but these will get me on the road.

Slow day at work, so I took off the afternoon and was able to get motor moved from the trailer to the stand. Next up is more prep as I need to scuff up the paint on the new tins and then paint tomorrow.

Looking for advice on the install. What is the best way to work with these motor mounts as the single bolt from the frame perch into the motor mount seems like it could be tough to line up and get started? Is there a recommended approach?

The last time I dropped in a sbc Chevy it was the newer style mount with the horizontal bolt through the mount and perch.

[AcampoDave]

The single bolt is a little tougher, but not horrible. Keep your hoist around long enough to just get a bit weight off and sometimes a little backn'forth with the tranny tailshaft helps too. My bolts are pointed I think too.
Edit: Are you keeping the old fill tube on the intake?

[Alloyvert]

I assumed that would be the approach along with keeping the perches loose for additional wiggle room. Yes, keeping the fill tube for now. In hindsight, I could have eliminated it since I am going with new valve covers. But the intake was on the motor when it went to the machine shop and they had already installed it.

The carb and intake may be short lived anyhow as the Rochester 4G was already being finicky last year even though it was a replacement/rebuilt unit.

I did a quick coat on the timing cover last night and should get the rest painted this morning after installing the water pump.

[Alloyvert]

Paint is done, but needs to cure for a bit. Just as well since we are having our normal crappy spring weather, which leaves plenty of time to start getting some other things knocked out. Hoping to drop it back in when I get back from a work trip next week.

[AcampoDave]

sweeeeet

[Alloyvert]

My OCD got the best of me and I had to pull the trans and bell housing as they were the last of the of oil covered parts. I should have taken your advice and used the hoist when it was here as the tall trans was a bit of fun to remove with a Jack. But I prevailed and next up is getting them cleaned up.

[AcampoDave]

If you have any oddball holes in that firewall that you want to make dissappear, I had good luck with JB Weld Steelstick on mine. (I can't take credit for that idea though. That came from the late great Markeb01 who was a big time contributing member here.)

[Alloyvert]

Thanks as I do have a couple in the firewall along with several in the floor from the goofy seats that were installed.

Man, I don’t know how this truck was used. But the caked on crud and dirt I keep finding is a PITA to remove. The tranny and bell housing were a mess and even with the most aggressive tip on the pressure washer would not touch some it. I had to do some scraping and wire wheeling to finally get them cleaned. The cross member and parking brake support had the same crud. One step closer to not having to deal with cleaning that crap.

[Alloyvert]

More progress as the tranny and bell housing are painted. I still have a bunch small stuff to get back on the motor that I will hopefully wrap up next week after I return from work trip.

But I did make a bonehead move as I wanted to do a test pass with timing and installing the distributor. No matter what I tried, the distributor would not seat all the way into the oil pump. Took a pause and did a couple searches. First I thought the engine shop installed the wrong oil pump shaft. But a quick depth measurement confirmed that was not the case. Then after removing the distributor gear, I realized it was installed upside down after I tore it apart for a clean up. And course with it properly I installed, the distributor dropped right into place. Another lesson learned

[Alloyvert]

Pretty much ready for the install and could use some clarification on the best approach. I have everything out including the bellhousing and the original 4 speed, which is going back in for now.

With the very tall stock 4-speed, does it clear if you install everything at once? It looks pretty tight. If not, can you install the tranny by dropping in through the cab with the motor and bellhousing already installed?

Any advice or suggestions would be very helpful!

[AcampoDave]

Never tried doing it all together, but I would still pull the floor if I did. I've always put the bellhousing and clutch on the motor and done the tranny thru the door.

[Alloyvert]

More fun and delays. I planned to get it dropped in yesterday, but figured out Monday night that I needed a different style primer tool to get the motor pressurized for the passenger side. No one carried it locally, so I ordered one from Jegs as they normally deliver within 2 days. Nope as Fedex sat on the new priming tool until yesterday (which they have done many times in the past) as their service is terrible in my area with a BS excuse about the address being wrong. Motor is now primed, but I uncovered a couple other small issues.

The alternator will not clear the tall valve covers now that I have front mount ram exhaust manifold (it will not swing to right), but easy fix with some new covers. And plug wires I had ordered were the wrong style (too short for under manifold routing). So I have more parts in route. But now I need to find some time to do the install as the next couple weekends are busy with family stuff.

[Accelo]

And plug wires I had ordered were the wrong style (too short for under manifold routing)
Use the 75 Corvette wires for stock routing and a HEI.

[geezer#99]

To make those single bolts in the mounts go in easier, just chamfer the first couple of threads at a 45degree angle. You’ll need to dress the threads after with a small 3 sided file. Makes the bolts self centre when you screw them in.
Some info in the link.


http://toolnotes.com/home/machining/...ology/#chamfer

[geezer#99]

I’ve tried bolting motor/bell/trans and install but not any success.
Too much overall length to angle into place.
Put the bellhousing in first and then the motor. The trans in last.
When you put the trans in make sure it’s in first gear in case you need to rotate the input shaft for spline alignment. Sometimes a slight rotation of the input is all it takes to get it in.
Have fun!

[Alloyvert]

Good info and very helpful. Thanks!

[geezer#99]

One more tip!
Sometimes especially with a heavy bulky trans it’s a good idea to put your clutch linkage back together.
When you slide the trans in and the input spline slides into the disc spline have someone step down on the clutch pedal. The disc will be free floating and the nose of the input should easily align with the pilot bearing. Sometimes the input shaft alignment tool isn’t very accurate.

Do you have one of these.

https://www.amazon.ca/Dorman-HELP-14.../dp/B000C5G2WI

[AcampoDave]

Sorry about the valve covers. My alternator does have room enough to swing on the manifold mount. It's an old school externally regulated one though and they are smaller, and my slide bracket is an aftermarket jobber that anchors on the waterpump.

[Alloyvert]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

Do you have one of these.

https://www.amazon.ca/Dorman-HELP-14.../dp/B000C5G2WI

Yes as the clutch kit came with one.

Originally Posted by AcampoDave

Sorry about the valve covers. My alternator does have room enough to swing on the manifold mount. It's an old school externally regulated one though and they are smaller, and my slide bracket is an aftermarket jobber that anchors on the waterpump.

No worries as I never thought about this being an issue and those covers were pretty cheap. Not many short covers options without getting a little steep on prices or chrome (which I want to avoid), so I ordered a ball milled set of Billet Specialties.

[geezer#99]

Did you replace the pilot bearing?

[Alloyvert]

Yep as that was on my list and was removed right after it came back from the machine shop. New one is going in once it is off the stand.

[Alloyvert]

Made plans with my son today to rent the hoist, drop in the motor followed by the trans. Then play some golf. Well, the motor went smoothly once we had it prepped with the clutch, bell housing and clutch z-bar. I took a slightly different approach since the frame perches we already out for clean up and just loosely installed them before dropping it into the truck. Then the fun started with the trans, which was compounded with the hoist acting up as it decided to stop holding weight at lower heights and kept dropping as we were trying to get the beast lined up.

So we punted after wasting a couple hours and a bit of cussing. Returned the hoist, which they will hopefully fix and went for a late lunch since the trans wasted so much time. Regrouped and have my new plan as I did not realize the e-brake cross member comes out and was getting in the way. So I plan to grab a couple 1/2 inch bolts to make top guide pins, manually drop it through the cab, get another set of hands so we have 2 in the cab and 1 under with a Jack… then try once again. Starting more rearward with the brace out will solve a bunch of issues we experienced.

Humbling day, but part of the fun.

[Alloyvert]

Clear heads and a new day prevailed as my nephew I were able to get the tranny in place with just some muscle and will power. The 2 guide pins and having the parking brake cross member removed also helped.

The motor started right up and ran surprisingly well on an engine stand tune up (whew). The initial timing was at ~2 degrees before TDC and once I tweaked it to ~12, it ran even better. Oddly enough after running it through the 20 minute or so break in period, the first restart resulted in a heart wrenching debacle as the square o-ring style oil filter adapter suddenly failed and I had a mess on the driveway. I quickly shut it down and made a mad dash to Menards for some oil dry.

I decided to step away for the rest of the weekend to clear my head and started searching for a different style adapter. I found one on Speedway that had a much better design with a built in rubber seal. I installed it late last week and with a fresh round of oil (and my fingers crossed and oil pan in place), it was restarted and it seems all is well now. It has ran great since with zero leaks.

I took the maiden voyage early Sat. evening and could not stop grinning (not without a lot of anxiety). I am very glad to find an original deluxe steering wheel as you need the extra leverage to drive this beast. That short drive made up for all the stress and fun over the past year. Next up is a real drive and hopefully a future cruise in and or car show. But of course, another list of to do items including all the door seals, rubber, and felts.

Thanks for all the help!

[AcampoDave]

That's great. Now it's a driver. Congrats