I'm finally at a point where I attach the block to the cherry picker and drop it in.

If it was only that easy..

I cant seem to get the engine mounts lined up and the engine dropped properly. Does anyone have any tips that makes this easier?

What bolt holes should I be attaching the chain to for best balance?

This is so damn frustrating!

 

hooo hoo, you're going to have a fun weekend!
I did this about a month ago, major PITA!

I'd recommend pulling the trans, bolting it to the motor, then putting them both in. Also, your motor mount clams are bolted to the frame, and your clams shells are bolted to your block ok? (i've mixed up the terminology there, but forgive me, since that's what they look like, and should have been called...) So what I did, what unbolt the clams from the frame, and bolt them to the engine, via that 6" long bolt. Do this with the motor in the air, or on the stand. This way it's actually possible to bolt it to the trans, and have it clear those stupid clamshells. So, once you have the trans bolted to it, (unless you did that already, and are lowering them both in together...), now you just line up one bolt hole through the k-member, and drop a bolt through. Then you can use a crowbar to twist the motor so other ones line up, and drop other bolts through. Once all 6 bolts are through, you can put the nuts on from underneath.

I had no luck with this at all, so I ended up removing pretty much everything you can think of, until it was easy as pie... Well, sorta easy.

 

Thank god, I thought I was doing something wrong!

I've already invented 7 new swear words and 5 new "frustration dances" I also broke a pair of pliers by throwing them onto the ground violently.

GAH

im taking a short "brain killing" haitus for the time being, then ill come back more creative and ill think of something.

 

ha ha!

GOT IT!

took two old engine/trans bolts and cut the heads off, put them on the upper two bolt holes, lined them both up, slowly lowered the engine, pushed the block in.. voila, worked like a charm

 

i've got to leaving the trans in for engine R&R, use to always pull it with the engine ,but decided it's less work. i like to rig the engine with a slight reward tilt, maybe 3 inches from level. drop it in and use a pry bar to move it where it needs to go. takes a little while but it'll fall into place. it's always funny that it'll seem like nothing will make it fit into the correct location then all of a sudden it'll just go when you pull or push in the right spot.

 

Yeah I took a rubber mallet and whacked the crap out of the clamshell and it dropped into place, it was amazing.

 

it gets easier everytime you do it.