Engine & Trans removal

[MR4V]

I'm currently doing a winter ( Cold in Oz ) clean up project on the Duster & I'm going to remove the engine & trans, I have never removed one from a US car & I have noticed quite a few differance's. So I have a few question that Im sure you all can help with.

It looks like I have to remove the steering draglink to get the factory starter out past the headers, is that correct or is there a better way?

Can I remove the engine & trans at the same time?

Can I leave the headers in the car or is it easier to remove them?

Is there any tricks or problems I should keep an eye out for?

This is a manual steer, 340 & 727 & I would perfer to remove in one piece.

Cheers

 

[RichardJ916]

It's not a very hard project, seeing that i just finished mine this month. I wanted to pull both the trans and engine together seeing that i was putting in a bigger engine and didnt what to have to deal with the headach of installing the trans under the car. I did unbolt the headers and leave inside the bay as the motor was half out i removed the starter. And yes I did have to remove the centerlink to have enough room the work things out. It wasnt that hard to re-install as a whole unit, it took us about 2-3 hrs to refit all the parts to reinstall. Heards on drivers side with the starter was the hardest parts, but with 2-3 guys helping it was in. Here are a few pictures of the mator and trans together, let me know if you have any other questions, mine was a manual trans so i had a few more troubles to installing both as a unit, but beeing my first ever it wasnt that bad. I took my time and it all worked out in the end.....

Good Luck,

Thanks

 

[sdahmer]

I pulled a 318/904 out of my 72 dart. It was my first pull and I did it alone. If you're pulling the trans attatched there's no need to pull the starter (I didn't, PITA). Be sure to disconnect the shift rod/strut assembly, it's attached to the frame with one bolt. I didnt undo the centerlink, but I did remove the hood.

 

[SirDan]

I just did this last weekend, 318 and 904 with headers and the factory BIG starter. I don't think it would have came out with the starter on. unbolt the header and you should be able to get it out the backside. I got the passenger side header out of the way once the engine came up a bit and left the drivers side in the car since it went through the drag link. It was my first a body pull, It only took me about 8 hours going at a pretty slow pace.

 

[krazykuda]

I've done this many times.

Yes, you can remove the engine and trans together, but it is much easier if you have one of the engine levelors where you can tilt the engine.


I prefer to remove the headers and starter before pulling to make more room to maneuver the engine. Also remove the alt, P/S assy from engine, fan and w/p pulley. You will need all the "wiggle" room you can with a 727. You will then have to deal with the trans mount and crossmember. Remove the two bolts for the trans mount to the trans through the clearance holes in the crossmember (5/8 socket on an extention), then as you are starting to lift the engine, remove the last of the four bolts for the trans crossmember to the frame (3/4" bolts & nut heads). As soon as you drop the trans crossmember, start to tilt the engine. Then pull the engine forward with your engine lift and keep tilting until you get to the radiator support. The crank pulley will be tight to the radiator support and you will have the trans almost to the top of the trans tunnel. Sometimes, you may have to tilt the engine sideways slightly to get the crank pulley to clear the radiator support while the trans it bottoming out on the top of the trans tunnel (removing the exhaust manifolds/headers makes this easier and keeps you from denting your header tubes). Then once you get the crank pulley past the radiator support and the trans tail clear of the trans tunnel, start to level the engine out and lift it clear. Once everything on the engine is disconnected and you hook up the engine hoist with a levelor, the engine can be pulled in 10 minutes or less (if you didn't forget to disconnect something - like the trans neutral safety switch wire) once you get the process down. The main thing is to remove the trans crossmember just as you left the engine off of the motor mounts, then start tilting.

I hope this helps.

 

[MR4V]

Thanks everyone. I have removed a heap of Fords engines & the OZ Chryslers don't have the drag link going through the headers.
I have removed all accessary's & disconected the netural safty switch, I will try to remove the lot without droping the draglink.
This is were I'm up to & next weekend we will remove the lot.

 

[Bulldozer]

still lovin that intake...

 

[SirDan]

not sure if it was mentioned yet but if you pop the water pump off you will gain another 4 inches at least of room to work with.