Dropping my motor and 4 speed into my 71 charger this week!!!

[jenkins71]

Hey guys.


So last night, me and a friend attempted to put my fresh 440 into my 71 charger. I started off trying to do it with my 4 speed trans already in the car. That ended up being a bad idea, so we pulled out and I yanked the tranny and bolted it up to the bellhousing.

One thing was weird about that. The trans wouldnt go all the way in just by pushing it into the bellhousing by hand. Just about 1/4" short of meeting the back of the bellhousing. We used the bolts to pull them in the rest of the way. Didn't have to wrench hard on the bolts. Maybe 25 ft/lbs of force? But now I'm worried that something is out of alignment because the trans didn't just slam home easily. I'm thinking about pulling the clutch out again to check if everything is okay.

The other problem I'm having became apparent when we were trying to drop the engine is without the tranny on it.... The cherry picker won't reach! The nose of the 71 Charger is so long (There is like a foot and a half of space between the radiator support on bumper) that the jack of the cherry picker hits the front bumper before the motor can move all the way back to being over the mounts! Any suggestions there?

Thanks!
Sam

 

[Daves69]

What I do is rock the tail housing up and down while snugging the bolts up. It may have been hanging a bit on the bearing retainer/bell housing. It went in without breaking the trans bolt hole off, you're Ok IMO.

Find a longer tube to extend the lift. Careful, you may need some ballast on the back side of the lift.
Beg for, borrow, or rent a gantry and chain hoist.

 

[mopar 3 B]

Do not know what the problem was, more than likely the clutch disk was not completely aligned with the pilot bushing. I attach the bellhousing to the trans with release bearing and fork in place and then drop the engine in with just the dampner on the front side. Leaving the water pump, pulleys and oil filter off the engine allows for a few more inches on the front side. Make sure you plug the output shaft on the trans if you have grease in it and pad it or the nice paint job on the firewall is going to look like a mess. You are going to have to jack up the front end of the car some more after the engine and trans have started in to get enough clearance as they will have to be tilted about 60 degrees to clear front and back. With out the front bumper and grill in place the hoist will reach, but to late for that without disassembly. You at least have help on site, I get stuck do installs by myself.

 

[jenkins71]

Yeah. I'm gonna take the trans back off and try it again. I read somewhere it helps to pull the release lever when you put the trans in, and the input shaft will align. That plastic alignment tool is so sloppy.

Should I have lubricated the splines on the trans input? And what about where the throwout rides? A little grease there? We were really thrashing last night and I didn't do that. Today I am going to try a calmer approach.

Also, what about removing the front wheels and bringing the cherry picker up through the side? Just a thought. Anyone have experience using a cherry picker with a 71 charger??

 

[mopar 3 B]

Lub the input shaft and bearing sleave with white lithium grease a little goes a long way here. If you greased the pilot bushing make sure to allow room for the input shaft or the grease can force the pilot bushing out of the crank when going together. If you have access to a set off solid car trailer ramp block them up some your hoist will go under them and leave the tires on you will need to be able to roll the car back and forth on the ramps to take care of lost movement of the side entrance on the hoist. I also support the front of the trans off the torsion bars getting the input shaft angled as high as possible will give a better angle when sliding the clutch assemble onto the input shaft. I don't tighten the clutch pressure plate bolts completely until the transmission has been attached this allows the clutch disc to float and the input shaft to be used as the alignment tool. Hope this all helps.

 

[jenkins71]

So, i got it in yesterday. Decided to attach the trans to the motor. Took off the driver's wheel, went through the side. Didn't really jack the car up at all, just went in at an extreme angle. I'm happy!!!!

 

[Bb70charger500]

Well i just saw this. You did what I always do come in from the side the cars to long ,unless the front end was coming off then I go from the front . Looks good though .

 

[NJRR]

Nice job !!!!

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

Nice pictorial:grin: Ihave never seen a cherry picker used from the side,that's pretty cool!