Engine Install
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 446
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From: Pennsylvania
Car: 1989 Camaro RS
Engine: 350 Holley TBI Personally Tuned
Transmission: 5 Speed
Engine Install
Will a small block with headers already mounted fit when lowering in an engine in a third gen? And does anyone have any tricks to putting a automatic trans back on the engine easily and getting the tab in the trans to line up with the torque converter? Thanks guys!
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 10,763
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From: Calgary, AB, Canada
Car: 1982 Trans-Am
Engine: 355 w/ ported 416s
Transmission: T10, hurst shifter
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt, true-trac, 3.73
I removed my steering shaft as well, makes it easier on your hands and whatnot. It's only 2 bolts, so...
Yea, headers will not fit, a fan mounted on the front of the motor will not fit, neither will any accessories. Fuel pump, leave that off, for ease of putting in the motor mount bolt. Water pump can be on, but alt and power steering probably not.
watch the valve cover to brake fluid reservoir, and watch that you don't put the engine down on the brake lines on the k-member. The rest should be pretty easy. A big pry bar will probably be needed to get it to line up in the motor mounts. Use copper anti-seize on every bolt you put back.
Yea, headers will not fit, a fan mounted on the front of the motor will not fit, neither will any accessories. Fuel pump, leave that off, for ease of putting in the motor mount bolt. Water pump can be on, but alt and power steering probably not.
watch the valve cover to brake fluid reservoir, and watch that you don't put the engine down on the brake lines on the k-member. The rest should be pretty easy. A big pry bar will probably be needed to get it to line up in the motor mounts. Use copper anti-seize on every bolt you put back.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 446
Likes: 0
From: Pennsylvania
Car: 1989 Camaro RS
Engine: 350 Holley TBI Personally Tuned
Transmission: 5 Speed
Ok, for all of those who said to leave everything off because it wont fit, sorry but I didnt listen to you. Here is what I had on the engine. Complete block, automatic transmission, starter, fuel pump, water pump (without fan or pulley), alternator, crank pulley, distributor and rotor, headers, and tall valve covers. And with all that stuff on there, it slid right in, all we had to do is remove the drivers side valve cover because it wouldnt clear by about 1/4", so to all those out there said said it wouldnt fit, there you go, so next time you go to put an engine in, you can put some of that stuff on before hand. It took about 15-20 mins, to actually drop and bolt the engine in. It went alot easier and quicker than I ever thought.
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iTrader: (1)
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 10,763
Likes: 4
From: Calgary, AB, Canada
Car: 1982 Trans-Am
Engine: 355 w/ ported 416s
Transmission: T10, hurst shifter
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt, true-trac, 3.73
Well, good for you I guess. I had hedman 68470 headers with the 3 bolt flange, and tall valve covers. It absolutely would not fit, unless I removed the valve cover on the DS (as you noticed), and the PS header. I noticed removing both headers and accessories made it easier to swap in ALONE. With help I suppose manoeuvering would have been easier. :shrug: glad you got it in !
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,675
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From: Arab, Alabama
Car: 1988 Trans Am GTA
Engine: 350 4BBL
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.27
... It absolutely would not fit, unless I removed the valve cover on the DS (as you noticed), and the PS header. I noticed removing both headers and accessories made it easier to swap in ALONE. With help I suppose manoeuvering would have been easier. :shrug: glad you got it in !

I didn't have to lose the valve cover but you may as well tywrap that P/S header in place
Last edited by Supervisor42; Sep 21, 2006 at 08:45 PM.
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