I am going to be taking out the tired 305 and replacing it with a 400sb. This is a question for experienced motor swappers. In what fashion did you go about draining all the fluids from the motor w/o making much of a mess? Should I drain tranny fluid or seal up the housing at the back of the transmission so that it all stays intact? If so, how do I go about doing this. Any other pointers would be great. Thanks

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Drain engine oil. If you're going to be tilting the engine upside down or close to it, also remove the oil filter and put a clean one on.

The third gen factory radiator doesn't lend itself to draining well (at least mine didn't!). If you're not reusing the hoses, puncture the lower hose with a knife and drain into a bucket. Lift the radiator to drain more fluid.

If you're not pulling the tranny, don't bother draining it. If you're pulling it you can either get a spare yoke and slip it in, or drop the pan to drain it.

Loosen your gas tank cap to relieve system pressure before you disconnect the fuel lines. Cap them after disconnecting.

 

Thanks afgun, I will be replacing the tranny too. I don't have a spare yoke around so I will just drain the pan. I mayjust put a hole in the pan since the new one already has a pan and drain plug.

 

Drain the block of coolant as well. This is best done after the exhaust is out of the way. On the passenger side, you drain it by removing the knock sensor. On the driver's side, there's a pipe plug in instead.

Doing this will avoid spilling coolant when the engine is tilted down in front.

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R4. 2.93 limited slip. 2-1/2" cat-back, ZZ3 intake, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress (LG4 CC system w/'87 LB9 block, ZZ3 cam, ported World 305 heads, Hooker 2055 headers, 3" Catco cat & 3" catback, restalled TC, Spohn SFCs).
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. '66 396, 9.7 CR forged TRWs, Weiand Action+, Holley 750VS w/4150 conversion, GK 270 cam, Magnum rockers, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" Hedders & 3" Warlocks, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & Trans-Scat shift kit, MegaShifter, 3.08 8.2" 10-bolt w/Powertrax, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Idles smooth @ 600 RPM in D. Best 15.02/95.06 @ 5800' Bandimere (corrected 13.93/102.4 @ sea level).

 

An easier way to drain the block is once you've drained the radiator and removed the hoses is to remove one of the short head bolts by the #1 cylinder, run an appropriate diameter (clear preferably) hose down to the bottom and syphon it out. To get the rest to the same thing on the back side of the block.

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Arian Boy
'86 IROC-Z (Stock)
Gotta save the cash 'cuz 155 HP ain't gonna cut it!

 

I don't see how thats easier? I've always taken out one of the coolant plugs when I was done draining the oil.