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pulling engine

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.
 
Cherry picker , tool box , floor jack , couple jack stands , large pc of card board, tunes , couple cold ones.
just do it.
 
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.
 
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.
:lol:
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.
 
:lol:
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.
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 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.
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've pulled a few, big block Mopar engines, always, with a 727, automatic attached. I agree with the above regarding the tilt etc. -- Do it, in the car, if possible, and save a lot of work.
 
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 always used a floor jack. to guide the rear of the assembly, as it moves forward, up, and out -- same idea -- works great.
 
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.
Exactly, as I said. :)
 
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!
 
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

thanks for it, you do have a good point.

Buy that kit ! Makes things so much easier especially when you can't get a good swing with a hammer in the engine bay!

already did!

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.

just found another use for my skateboard!

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.

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... :D
 
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:lol:
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.

I have an adapter for a floor jack:
?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.speednik.com%2Fwp-content%2Fblogs.dir%2F1%2Ffiles%2Fimp%2FTCI-Floor-Jack.jpg


but my current jack is a piece of Chinese junk. I need to get myself a good one.

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!

no worries, I'm very meticulous about that sort of safety.
 
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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... :D
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.
Remember there are freeze plugs in the back of the block as well...
Sometimes, when you try to cut corners is when you get bitten and have to do it again anyways. Take your time and think it thru before you go off half cocked. IMO
 
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!

I've checked it, one on the left and one on the right came out. I'm already on this for a year, and now that I bought a new radiator I want to do it right, and fill it up with anti-freeze.

because I didn't have the proper tool to put the plugs in, I was considering removing the engine, but now I ordered this snap on tool that I posted in one of those previous posts, and it should do the trick.

I drove a lot already with the 2 plugs 1/2 way in, and no problems so far, but as I said, now it is time to do it right.
 
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.
Yeah, I've used a floor jack before. Problem with those is they are very linear in their movements,
whereas the trans jack's wheels swivel in all directions.
Minor point.
 
I made mine out of a piece of 2x8 wood I had laying around and some casters from an old creeper I had laying around. It worked perfectly and didn't cost me a dime. Best part about it was i could roll the trans exactly where I needed it and then slide my floor jack under and lift the whole assembly into place.
 
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
 
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
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.

s-l1600.jpg
 
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