Pull Engine Time: Hood On or Off?:

[WileE]

If I have to remove a hood I like to drill 1/8" guide holes to make alignment easier.

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That's an old-school trick we learned a long time ago !

 

[Kern Dog]

The amount of work and care that it will take vs removing the hood is not worth it.....by a long shot.

Ok, having done this operation with various cars, various times, over 55 years or so, the engine can be removed 3 ways: hood on, hood off, dropped from underside. I personally prefer dropping the subframe method. Each method has it's own particular advantages and disadvantages. One caveat, if trans still attached, I've never done the "hood on method", and I don't think that would be possible, or worth the effort.

Maybe You two didn't see the pictures that I posted here ?
It isn't just possible, it was easy and simple.
If you haven't tried it then you may never know how easy that it is.

 

[kiwigtx]

Put a cradle under the engine/K-member, and lift the car off.

So much easier and done by one man under a couple of hours.

And before anyone jumps in and says they can do it in under 45 minutes.... I did this myself and took care of what was going on. Unlike the 'Avery Shoaf's' of this world who yank stuff out with a chain hoist, sabre-saw and a sledgehammer.

 

[Kern Dog]

I think the underneath method is great in theory but it involves doing more work than it may seem. The steering column has to come out, exhaust system, torsion bars, brake lines, suspension....
I'd only do the underneath removal/installation again for a few reasons:
Freshly painted engine bay, engine and trans together, (with headers) freshly refinished suspension and brakes...

Going in from the top works well for me in cars with "seasoned" appearance. If you have exhaust manifolds instead of headers, the in through the top
method is more convenient. The exhaust pipes stay in place, stuff like the power steering pump can be moved aside for room, the steering and brakes stay connected, fewer things to reattach and realign too.

 

[33 IMP]

I've pulled a motor in my 62 with the hood on.
It's a LOT easier with the hood off, IF you've got somebody you trust to help you get it off.... and ON!

 

[Don Frelier]

Step 1: remove hood
Step 2: everything else required....

 

[WileE]

You two clearly didn't see the pictures that I posted here. It isn't just possible, it was easy and simple.
If you haven't tried it then you may never know how easy that it is.

Ha, ha, you're right ! I clearly noticed the great looking engine and totally missed the "not so obvious" trans ! Of all the R&I's I'd done, never did an engine/trans with hood on, from a personal perspective. Funny how habits begin and continue, when we had an engine pull, first thing two of us do, is go pop the hood off.

 

[nitro_rat]

It will.



Have you actually tried it?

Done lots, been a LONG time since I've done one with the hood on...

before you pull the hood mark the edges of the hinge brackets and boom takes all the guess work out of realigning it.

You can usually see the paint outline where the bolts were, easy enough to re-tighten them in the same position...

The amount of work and care that it will take vs removing the hood is not worth it.....by a long shot.

100%

Ok, having done this operation with various cars, various times, over 55 years or so, the engine can be removed 3 ways: hood on, hood off, dropped from underside. I personally prefer dropping the subframe method. Each method has it's own particular advantages and disadvantages. One caveat, if trans still attached, I've never done the "hood on method", and I don't think that would be possible, or worth the effort.

x2 on the subframe method if I have access to a 2 post lift...

Because I work by myself, I leave the hoods on most of the time, I pull the carb and use a lift plate that attaches to the intake manifold, set the lift chain as short as possible. I then loosen the two front hood bolts and use a prop rod to hold the hood open as far as possible. Keeps you from losing the hood adjustment and I have issues finding room to store the hood off the car, and like I said I work by myself so I can't put it back on. Yes, I got buddies who will help if I need them, but I have to wait until they get the time to come over. Plus, I love my buddies like brothers but when they come over usually the beer starts to flow, and I have a lot of fun but I don't get much done the rest of the day.

I like a lift plate too but I still don't leave the hood on. I can get it off by myself if I have to...

I usually pull the hood by myself. I put moving blankets on both fenders, plywood on top of that to protect the fenders and windshield and hook the engine hoist to the hood catch using a fan belt. Undo the bolts and swing the hood around. Work carefully but it is easier to do than explain.

x2...

If I have to remove a hood I like to drill 1/8" guide holes to make alignment easier.

As stated above, the shadow where the bolt was is usually enough to get the hood realigned.

 

[WileE]

Everyone has a preference. However, when you're working on a customer's car, you have to be sensitive to any possible collateral damage. Back in the 70's in the garage, we always popped the hood. Only afterward on my own projects did I do the drop-subframe method.

 

[Runner 68]

Pulling / Putting it in from below is the only way to go if you don't want to pull the hood. Hood alignment sucks. Tears the **** out of the paint plus a bitch to get correct.

 

[WileE]

Everyone has a preference. However, when you're working on a customer's car, you have to be sensitive to any possible collateral damage. Back in the 70's in the garage, we always popped the hood. Only afterward on my own projects did I do the drop-subframe method.

As an addendum to this... the garage I worked in had a ceiling-rafter mounted chain hoist... so... it was yank the hood & get to work !

 

[tak419]

Pulled a few motors out of 71's with the hood on but always pulled the intake and heads while still in the car and left transmission in car. Not the easiest to align going back in, but didn't want to ruin fresh paint on the hood hinge bolts so the hood stayed on.

 

[SeabeckRedneck]

My 2 cents regarding the hood removal dilemma. I've found it very easy to remove the hood by myself by using the cherry picker and a couple tie straps. Just open the hood, secure the straps at the corners of the hood (underneath) and to the cherry picker. Get it fairly balanced, scribe/mark the hood at the edges of the hinges and remove the bolts. Lift and roll away. This photo kind of shows what I'm trying to explain.