foney_email

Okay, here is my situation. I have a donor car that has an engine. My current t/a has an engine. I want to swap the engine and tranny from the donor to my t/a.

I do not own a stand, crane, or a drive way. This is truely a back yard deal. Dirt, grass everything.

I have disconnected everything I can think of from the donor, but can you give me a list of what needs to be done to take the engine and tranny out at once? I have disconnected the wires hoses, and the exhaust. What about the bolts from the tranny mount? THere are only 3, right? is that all I need to take it out at once. Can you give me a check list? I don't want to try to lift it and take the car with it, if you know what I mean.

My plan is to take 2 large planes of wood stacked up to provide some room for the crane to lift and rotate on. This shouldn't crack and fall, right? the wood crack, I mean. I have a shop that is willing to offer the use of an engine crane. It is huge, 2 ton or more. THey are letting me take it home as a loan.

Anyway... just how much weight am I involved in? A 350, with 700r4 tranny. fluids drained obviously. When I have it in the air, I plan on painting it. I am going aluminum in color. That should look okay, I guess.

should I try to take the engine and tranny out at once? Is it too much to try while resting on 2 big planes of wood. I am willing to build as much of a platform as nesscessary, because the location is absolutely definate. I cannot move the cars...

I plan to take the engine and tranny out of my t/a, and lay it on the ground. Then I will paint the bay. Then I plan on taking the engine and tranny out of the donor, and painting them both. rotating the crane 180*, and dropping them into the t/a. The cars will be nose to nose, but any easier suggestion would be appreciated. I can move the donor and place the t/a there, but that would mean pushing 2 cars without engines.

I really don't know what I am asking. I am really disorganized in my thoughts. What ever advice you can offer me will be appreciated. Anything besides taking it somewhere else. I can't do that this time. What kind of platform should I build for this operation. Enough to support engine, tranny, and enough time to prep, and paint.

Please don't think I am not serious. THis needs to be done by the end of april, if not sooner. Anyway, thanks for any info.

Jay

SPIKE

iTrader: (1)

been there. yes you can pull engin with tranny. remove all hoses wires and lines. remove tranny cross member and put a couple of blocks under tranny. remove drive shaft & radiator also remove water pump pullys and as much as you can off front of motor so it will clear front of car or remove front clip. if ground is solid a couple pieces of 3/4 plywood should work for hoist. if ground is soft use more. dont forget engin mount bolts.

foney_email

Yeah, I wasn't very clear on what I had already taken off. The accessories are off, the radiator is off, and after sleeping on the idea, I have decided on the go ahead. Should I try to take the crank pulley off yet, or check for clearance first?

I have the mounts off, but I wasn't wanting to take off the crossmember yet. I guess your idea of bracing it up is smarter than taking if off later. I am going to heavily wrap the tail shaft of the tranny that way it will not scrape when it is dragged off of the blocks that I am having it braced up with. Fortunately I have a practice engine and tranny, that I don't have to care about to get my checklist complete for the donor engine and tranny.

I guess I can install my lockup controller while I am at it.

Unless I can think of anything else that is not mentioned, I guess that I am done unbolting after the crossmember.

I could normally figure it out on my own, but being in the back yard, I cannot really get a good look underneath. I am going by feel. So if I know what I am going for, it makes it easier.

Thanks spike.

SPIKE

iTrader: (1)

pull the crank pully too but you can leave the ballancer on, mine cleared fine. one trick i found was to put a strip of plywood under the car and use a rolling floor jack under the tail shaft of the tranny so you can lower it down and roll it out and not tear it up. also have a couple buddys help, makes it a lot easier. do not try to swing engin around on hoist by yourself (accident waiting to happen).