Ok, so I have been doing a simple engine swap, for like a year and a half now...(life happens), plus restoring some things from the mouse apocalypse (see previously posted threads) I had the stock 305 TPI that I took out to swap with a 383 that I picked up from ATK like forever and a day ago. I took my time researching how I wanted to set it up and finish out the crate engine. I ended up going with a HSR intake, with all the normal stuff everyone has used (nice little blue print to follow along that had been proven already-just a ton of reading 'cause everything is here and there). swapped to a serpentine setup. Put in a new A/C system. Cleaned up the engine bay, etc. Really took my time and then some (not as quick as I hoped). I'm not a tuner, dont want to be a tuner, etc. so I went with the holley HP to run things. I figured at least this way I could get things running, and more easily find somewhere/someone to help get the tune where it needs to be with this setup afterwards. (fingers crossed). Things have finally settled down enough, and my son has been itching to get back to geting this thing put together. Soooo.

My question is when I took this apart, the engine really took some tugging to get it apart. When I put this new crate engine in, will it be as hard to get it together with the tranny again? Should it just go right together super simple? I read where some people put studs in the tranny bolt holes on the block to help line up the tranny (put some bolts in, then unscrew the stud/s and pull them straight thru). Don't let the bolts pull the tranny and block together, lube guide pins to help, etc. I'm just trying to get a realistic idea of what to expect. It is just me, virgin swapper, and my little guy who is building this and learning all this with me knowing that this will be his one day. I just need to align the new oil dip stick where it will work with the headers bolted up, before i drop this in (it's sitting on the hoist still, ready to go (when I had to suddenly abandon it a couple of months ago). I just want to get it in before it gets any colder so I can start trying to figure out the tranny wiring, new ALT wiring (now from the other side), other wires that are needing to go to the other side etc. So if anyone has some knowledge they want to come off of that I should look out for while I'm attempting this, kind of a "you don't know what you don't know", I'm listening. This approach has saved me some headache already, so I figured I would ask first. Maybe a little more than a Step 6: put in engine. Thanks guys!

 

Installing an automatic trans is cake. Just make sure you can wiggle the transmission all the way up to the block by hand. If it doesn't then the torque converter probably isn't fully seated and you'll need to take the transmission back down and get that torque converter to sink in all the way.

Don't let the little kiddo help you install the trans. It's just too heavy and dangerous if it falls off the jack, and a child doesn't have enough strength to protect themselves.

 

No worries, I steer him clear of anything like that of course, even though he's 14 now and thinks he can do it all. He is a big help though. I took the engine out only, and left the tranny in and had it supported, but now i have it on a jack so I can at least move it up and down to try to mate them together. I was going to put in a new torque converter to give me a better stall, but after I pulled the old one off, I counted the spline to be sure of what I had, and thats when I found out for sure I had the 27 spline. crap. (not what I bought for the TC) So I put the old one back on, trying to do it exactly as the many threads said to do, couple "clicks" for it to seat properly and go all the way back, but instead it seemed to just go smoothly and quietly into place. It's all the way back as far as I can tell, can't get my fingers behind it and looks right. Is there anyway else I can make sure. Is it ok if I get them to mate (block and tranny) and have distance between the flexplate and converter, or can it still not be seated correctly even with a gap between like it is all the way back? Also when mating them, should I start off with the tranny jacked up as high as I can get it to the top of the tunnel to start and angle the block as I bring them down and work them together, or try to keep them level-close to where they will be once bolted up? trying to figure this out ahead of time and take out some of the learning curve since I will mostly be doing this part on my own, but like I said, never did it before. If I didn't have so much dang money in the block I guess I wouldn't be so hesitant to figure it out on my own, but I know my luck and am trying not to test it, lol.

 

Does anyone use anything to seal the oil dipstick into the block? I bought a new GM one that is supposed to be for the block I have. I am test fitting it with a header on so that I know i have the right angle as to not have a problem with the headers or plugs, but when I put this all the way in permanently, do I seal it with anything on the lip that meets the block at the hole? Seems like it could work oil up between the block and outer tube there. It's not a super tight fit, I can still turn it, but lightly snug.

 

I usually just stick the dip stick in dry or put a very light skim of rtv right on the rim that rests on the block. Never seems to leak.

 

I've read someone else doing that also, thanks for the reply. No takers for any input on the proper/easiest way to mate the engine to the tranny when it's already in?

 

Set the engine down in the motor mounts and slide in the bolts, but don't tighten them yet. Use the engine hoist to tilt the engine until it lines up with the tranny. Use a floor jack under the tranny to do the same. It's best to have the trans rear mount loose so you can slide the trans forward and back a bit.

If you do it right then the alignment dowels will just fall into place on the transmission housing. If not then you'll need to jockey the trans a bit by hand. Get a bolt started on each side as soon as you can. Once you do that you're in the home stretch.

Tighten up all the flywheel housing bolts first. Then bolt the torque converter to the flywheel. Loctite the converter bolts when you're happy with the fit. Tighten the engine mounts and rear tranny mount last.

 

Perfect! This was exactly the kind of input I was looking for. Thanks QwkTrip! I wouldn't have tried it with bolts in the motor mounts first, so this was very helpful. Maybe I can get this in this weekend then before the nastiness comes back. Last few days weather has been brutal when your not used to it. Kerosene heaters just don't keep up that well when it's that cold, especially in a big garage that's only a 1/3 insulated.

 

Yeah, and you don't need to follow my prescription exactly. There's really no wrong way to do it unless you break something or the transmission is hanging out the front of the car when you're done.

 

Just to update for anyone else that would come across this, the engine went in ok. Doing the engine mounts first was definitely the way to go for me. It did take some finagling to get the flexplate in the tranny just right, though. I was using the engine hoist to raise and lower with a load leveler on it to get the right angle and my son helped with the jack that had the tranny on it. A little seesaw action and they came together nicely on their own-didn't even have to wiggle it together, they just went together touching perfectly. Still have to put the tranny bolts and the TC bolts in and tighten the engine mounts (after I get the headers on), but that should be this weekend if the weather warms back up some like it is supposed to. 17 degree lows is too cold to lay on the concrete for me. Then it will be off to putting the HSR on and fuel lines, the dizzy in, wire up the TPI harness that came with the Holley HP ECM, and figure out the new wiring for the dizzy/ALT/ BATT/mini starter that I had to swap aroung due to going with a serpentine setup from V-belts. Also I need a good detailed thread on how to wire up the TC lockup with the new Holley HP, I read one from a member here I believe on the Holley site, but wasn't really detailed enough for someone who has no clue on this. (prob just have to start my own thread when I get there). All my fuel lines and wiring and pigtail conversions have be made, so this shouldn't take too long.