How do you pull a van's engine?

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'74 Sport

'74 Sport

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Sorry, this isn't A-body related, but I figured it would be the best place to get an answer. I know some of you probably own, or at least have worked on, a full-size van. How do you pull the engine? Do you have to remove the entire front clip, or can you come out the passenger door with a cherry picker?

My parents have two Dodge Maxi-Vans sitting behind their barn, each with a 360 V-8. One is fuel injected, the other has a carburetor. I'm considering pulling them to save for a future bracket racing project.

Thanks for any helpful info,
Jerry
 
UGH! Vans. What a pain!

Dropping the clip would make the engine pull easier.
I knew a guy that would wrap a chain around book as it rested on the intake-less engine. I never thought it a good idea for some reason.
You may have a better time pulling the intake when you do it.
 
I've done alot of Fords, not sure about Dodge but the Ford grill comes out the rad support unbolts and you reach in from the front with the picker, I imagine Dodge wouldn't be any different.
 
After you pull all of the above stated parts from the nose I use a plate with a hole bolted to the intake that hooks direct to the hoist. This way the hoist boom is tight to the engine to give you enough room to get it by the dash and firewall.

Chuck
 
I had a buddy with a slant six Dodge van, we would pull it from inside through the dog house using a standard hydraulic engine lift with the arm all the way out through the sliding door if I remember correctly. After you do it a couple of times, it went real fast and easy.
 
I was wondering this myself as in the summer I bought a 77 Dodge Shortie with a 360. Most of the guys I have talked to thought coming out the pass. door would be easier. It looks like that would be the easiest to me. You have to take out the seat but I think you would save a lot of time by not removing the parts on the front. The motor is more inside than under the hood so IF I do it, thats the way i'm goin. Let us know what you do.
 
I pulled one through the side door as stated above-worked good and saved the van.The other I sawzalled the hell out of and took it stright out-didnt save alot of time but it was more fun.
 
I pulled a 360 w/trans out the front by cutting a notch in the firewall/dash for the cherry picker to fit into,(used a sawsall) tight but came out. The hoist has to be mounted as close to the intake as possible.
Bruce
 
if your just swapping motor its better through the side, but if you remove the intake you can bring the trans out the front with the motor. i would bolt a chain tight from side to side and hook as close to the block as possible...i droped one out the bottom with a torch once too, then rolled the van on its side to get it off the engine..easy way but rough on the van lol i didnt have a cherry picker
 
Pull the passenger seat and door and both exhaust manifolds and take it out the passenger door with a long arm picker. It's about a 3 man job. Have fun.
 
The van is pretty much scrap anyway, so I don't have to worry about damaging something. I like the idea of going out the door. I'll give that a look, first.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm about to get two vans from my parents. Both have a 360 - one EFI and one carburetor.

Jerry
 
I have done this SO many times in my short WB 77 van, I can do it with my eyes closed. Big block or small block, they pull the same. Mine originally was a 360, now it is a 440. I got good enough at doing it where I did quite a few other vans, swapping engines, rebuilding and the like.

If you remove the grill by taking the little plastic tabs out of the top, and two screws just below the turn signals, you will see there are about 6 screws holding in the entire radiator support. You remove those screw and the entire front comes off in one piece after you remove the radiator hoses. You pull the motor through the front. I tried it through the pass door once, it takes at least 4x longer.

If you have a BB with AC, you may need to remove the valve cover and valvetrain on the right side, one Motorhome I pulled the motor on I had to pull the right head.

In either case, the exhaust manifolds need to come off, as the intake/carb. This is beacuase the clearance is tight, and you get a few precious inches without the intake. Make sure the picker is as tight to the motor as you can get it, tighten it up, kill the motor mounts, and pull away. You do not have to remove the pan, and the trans can stay there. I have a piece of square tubing, about 2.5 feet long, with a hole in the middle that I thread a tranny bolt into to support the trans with the engine gone. I do this by going across the floorboard on the inside.

Obviously, the normal things like fuel lines etc need to be disconnected, and the throttle linkage I found should be removed at the firewall. Anyone wanting to convert to a BB, with a 76-79 should find all they need is some headers, a right hand water pump housing, and the proper big block mounting brackets. Everything else works inc the factory radiator and motor mounts.
 
Unless the whole scheme of things has changed in the newer vans, the easiest way to drop the engine is to drop it. Unhook all the stuff on top, wires-hoses-etc and take the lower balljoints loose take the 4? bolts out of the crossmember out and raise the van off the engine. Leave the tranny connected and you get it all in one operation. Putting it back in would be fairly easywith a couple of all-threads in the crossmember holes to guide the whole mess back up. Working with the springs is the only downside. They are pretty potent if they take a notion to "free" themselves when you don't want them to. I chain them to the A-arm to limit their freedom to reach out and touch anything.
 
You know what the cool thing about vans are? You can work on the engine while its raining and not get wet. :thumbup:
 
These sound like core motors, not something you plan to run again as they are. If you dont mind tearing the motor down partly, assuming these are going to be stored dry - I'd pull the top of the motor off - meaning the heads, exhaust and intake, then you'll have lots more room to yank it out. After its out you can oil the heck out the cylinders and plop the heads and intake back on and run the bolts down snug. Just a thought...
 
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