BeepBeepRR
Well-Known Member
Broke my kids wooden skateboard using it to surf a trans out... It worked but on the 3rd car and trans it was tired and fell apart.
I used an old mechanic's creeper.Broke my kids wooden skateboard using it to surf a trans out
Broke my kids wooden skateboard using it to surf a trans out... It worked but on the 3rd car and trans it was tired and fell apart.
I have the HF trans jack but its way too high to get under the car unless you have it 3 feet in the air.... Skateboards are thin,low and apparently can only tolerate a few 727's.
I laugh because I've been there. Skateboard? Yep. Furniture dolly? Sure.
Mechanic's creeper? Yep. Finally "learned" and bought the cheap transmission jack from
Harbor Freight and used it as the "skate". Gotta get the whole car up in the air to use one
of those, though.
Haha. I wonder how many of us have used a skateboard to get a transmission out of the car! I did it with my 727 back in the day as well!!!I have the HF trans jack but its way too high to get under the car unless you have it 3 feet in the air.... Skateboards are thin,low and apparently can only tolerate a few 727's.
-- I always used a floor jack. to guide the rear of the assembly, as it moves forward, up, and out -- same idea -- works great.Haha. I wonder how many of us have used a skateboard to get a transmission out of the car! I did it with my 727 back in the day as well!!! --
Exactly, as I said.I have the HF trans jack but its way too high to get under the car unless you have it 3 feet in the air.... Skateboards are thin,low and apparently can only tolerate a few 727's.
So it seems you may be able to do the work without engine removal, but with respect to engine removal: There is nothing wrong with either way, so please understand, I am not trying to bash pulling an engine out of the top. But each has it's pros and cons.
If we forget about all the stuff you need to disconnect anyway to remove an engine (battery to starter,, ignition wires, fuel lines, radiator hoses, etc.), we can compare some of the differences. If you drop the engine out the bottom of the car you have to remove the torsion bars, disconnect your upper control arm, steering connection to your steering box and shocks. Then you remove the K member bolts and transmission mount.
By contrast, if you pull it out the top you have to remove the hood, headers/ exhaust manifolds, carb, wiring, alternator, power steering (if equipped) and radiator. Then you loosen the motor mounts and trans mounts and remove.
I may have missed a key item or two, but the point is that I really don't think the work is that much different. And let me tell you, it is WAY nicer to install headers, starter and lots of other parts when the engine is sitting out of the car than wrestling with them in the car!
Just offering food for thought...
Hawk
Buy that kit ! Makes things so much easier especially when you can't get a good swing with a hammer in the engine bay!
Broke my kids wooden skateboard using it to surf a trans out... It worked but on the 3rd car and trans it was tired and fell apart.
I'm just wondering if going after the frost plugs with the engine in the car would be less trouble. Even if you have to remove a manifold or header to give you more access. You definitely want to do them all. If two are leaking the others are not too far behind.
I've replaced them back in the day and I never had to remove the engine.
I laugh because I've been there. Skateboard? Yep. Furniture dolly? Sure.
Mechanic's creeper? Yep. Finally "learned" and bought the cheap transmission jack from
Harbor Freight and used it as the "skate". Gotta get the whole car up in the air to use one
of those, though.
If your'e gonna replace any like stated replace them all. Also aren't some "inside" the trans bell housing area? Meaning it should all come out.
Take you're time whatever route you choose and be smart. If you think it's not safe it probably isn't. Remember what somebody said about weight, if the combined weight is 1000lbs please use the 1/2 ton mark on a 1 ton hoist. I've seen so many photos of people using the 1/4 ton mark with a thousand pounds on the end of the hook.
Good luck!
IF your freeze plugs are compromised like you said, if it were me I would replace every plug in the block, may even check the heads. If the freeze plug did its job hopefully the block didn't get cracked.thanks for it, you do have a good point.
already did!
just found another use for my skateboard!
yes, I'll remove both headers and the started. I've done it already twice, but without the proper tool I couldn't get the new plugs all the way in.
and the plugs are not leaking I was just too cheap to buy anti-freeze, you figure what happened when winter came and I forgot to drain it out...
If your'e gonna replace any like stated replace them all. Also aren't some "inside" the trans bell housing area? Meaning it should all come out.
Take you're time whatever route you choose and be smart. If you think it's not safe it probably isn't. Remember what somebody said about weight, if the combined weight is 1000lbs please use the 1/2 ton mark on a 1 ton hoist. I've seen so many photos of people using the 1/4 ton mark with a thousand pounds on the end of the hook.
Good luck!
Ex-wife accused me of that once.... hence the "ex" part.Take your time and think it thru before you go off half cocked. IMO
Yeah, I've used a floor jack before. Problem with those is they are very linear in their movements,I have an adapter for a floor jack:
View attachment 949707
but my current jack is a piece of Chinese junk. I need to get myself a good one.
no worries, I'm very meticulous about that sort of safety.
If there is something catching then something is still connected. Can't tell you what's catching but Look all around the engine under,over,behind and in front. We can't see your engine its up to your eyes.. THe one thing I can think of though is did you take out the torque converter bolts? The torque convert bolts directly to the flex plate. That could be a snag point. Did you remove the lower inspection plate on the transmission? Those are items I would suspect since you dont mess with automatics much. Inspection plate shown below. You will have to remove this to get to the torque converter bolts.I'm going to add a question to this thread because it seemed like a relevant thread to ask my question: I've decided to remove my 400 engine from the top without the auto trans. I have hoisted the motor and slid it about 1/2 inch from the transmission but now it seems to catch. Before I start working at it in earnest, is there anything I need to worry about in separating the motor from the transmission? (I've done manual transmissions before but never an automatic.) Thanks! Terry