Removing a 318 from a van

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Syleng1

Syleng1

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So I’m considering removing a tired 318 from my newly acquired 84 Dodge van.
1st thought was remove radiator and bumper/ grille and slide it out the opening.
2nd thought was take the van off the frame and roll the frame out and work on it like a gentleman. Swap out 904 for an over drive, rip off homemade exhaust for headers and side pipes.
You know - normal Mopar stuff.

Thoughts?
#318willrun got a thought?
 
The other choice is to remove the passenger seat and pull it through the passenger door. I've done this method before. Transmission needs to be removed first. Probably the cleanest way is to pull it out the front.
 
Are you keeping the van or just taking off what you need? I pulled a 360 with trans from a 75 van years ago. I used a Sawzall to make space in the front. If you take take carb off, you can chain it really tight and slide a engine hoist in and pull it that way. I cheated and did all the same, but used a forklift.
 
Syleng1 said:
...Swap out 904 for an over drive, rip off homemade exhaust for headers and side pipes.
You know - normal Mopar stuff.
Click to expand...

i feel seen.

anyway, i know it can be done with a shimmy shake thru the pass door and it's not the worst thing in the world. i believe to go thru the front you gotta take off all the accessories + heads along with all the front end junk that's bolted on up there.

pick your poison, i guess.
 
junkyardhero said:
i feel seen.

anyway, i know it can be done with a shimmy shake thru the pass door and it's not the worst thing in the world. i believe to go thru the front you gotta take off all the accessories + heads along with all the front end junk that's bolted on up there.

pick your poison, i guess.
Click to expand...
wouldn't it have been nice if they would have made the entire front end (grill/supports/etc) swing open like a gate? That would have been genius.
 
I pulled the engine out of my '78 Good Times van. The front radiator support unbolts, had to remove the intake manifold and stick the cherry picker right down in the valley. Not real difficult, just use your head, take your time. Not sure about taking it out through the cargo door.
 
Never pulled one from a van. Can a lift be used to drop out from under? IDK You probably don't have a lift accessible?
 
I have done 4 engine swaps in the Dodge vans.
1. Pull trans.
2. Remove passenger seat and it’s floor mount.
3. Jack up van pass. side remove front tire
4. Remove hoses, wiring, exhaust system and other miscellaneous, attach cherry picker pull motor mount nuts and out it comes. Lift it up some and spin it sideways - all through the passenger door. ** KEEP READING **
If it has carpet put down cardboard first. One thing I missed is after the trans is removed, use a couple of the trans bolts in the two holes near the top of the bell housing mount on the block to support the rear of the engine across the opening with some wood blocks. Patience and care comes in play but it really doesn’t take long.
Also if it has air conditioning remove the compressor first, the power steering pump and alternator removed also makes it easier.
And- don’t forget the fuel line.
 
I pulled a 400/727 out of a 77 van.

No way was it coming out the side.

Out the front was actually not too bad.

That engine screamed for a "smog" motor.
 
4fortyDemon said:
Are you keeping the van or just taking off what you need? I pulled a 360 with trans from a 75 van years ago. I used a Sawzall to make space in the front. If you take take carb off, you can chain it really tight and slide an engine hoist in and pull it that way. I cheated and did all the same, but used a forklift.
Click to expand...
Keeping and installing a better engine.
 
So far no one voted for lift body off frame.

I’ve done a few engines out the passenger side of Chevrolet vans my company has owned in the past - 350 and 400. In G20-30 series. Dog house area ends up taking a beating because of little room and only 2 people can see only 2 sides at a time. Sealing afterwards for water and wind noises.
 
Just lift her up high and unbolt the crossmember it'll all drop out from below. As the manuals state installation is the reverse of removal.
 
I removed a 318 from 79 Van and dropped the motor out the bottom with body in the air. I did it 45 years ago so very little is remembered. I know when I put the motor and trans in a 70 Dart, it ran great, only had 5000 miles on it so just broken in.
 
YY1 said:
I pulled a 400/727 out of a 77 van.

No way was it coming out the side.

Out the front was actually not too bad.

That engine screamed for a "smog" motor.
Click to expand...
i love 400s... give them some compression and a cam :)
 
Member "slant six" here has done the "drop the cradle out the bottom" on a "77 van, 318. Showed it on the /6 site about a year ago
I've done the pull the radiator and AC condenser, plus core support and out the front in a 79 and an 86 Dodge van. Motor out of rotted out 79 went into the 86
 
The way we did it in the junkyard was take the front doors off and throw um in the back. Then cut the front of the door jambs into the floor all the way to the dog house in either side. Then cut the door jamb at the front top just behind the windshield all the way over to the other side and just yank the whole front end off with the wrecker. Bout 30 minutes and you're right on top of the motor. Unless of course you wanna save the van.
 
Kendog 170 said:
Never pulled one from a van. Can a lift be used to drop out from under? IDK You probably don't have a lift accessible?
Click to expand...
Yes I have an 13ft 10,000lbs life at my shop to easy take the body off.
Sorry I missed this earlier today Kendog170
 
RustyRatRod said:
The way we did it in the junkyard was take the front doors off and throw um in the back. Then cut the front of the door jambs into the floor all the way to the dog house in either side. Then cut the door jamb at the front top just behind the windshield all the way over to the other side and just yank the whole front end off with the wrecker. Bout 30 minutes and you're right on top of the motor. Unless of course you wanna save the van.
Click to expand...
The goal is to repower with more power. So yes save the van. She is super clean. 318/904 8passenger -cute little thing.
Van is from your neck of the woods Rusty. It was a church van from “The great state of Georgia.” - Governor- Dukes of Hazzard movie.
 
Syleng1 said:
The goal is to repower with more power. So yes save the van. She is super clean. 318/904 8passenger -cute little thing.
Van is from your neck of the woods Rusty. It was a church van from “The great state of Georgia.” - Governor- Dukes of Hazzard movie.
Click to expand...
Cool!
 
Syleng1 said:
Yes I have an 13ft 10,000lbs life at my shop to easy take the body off.
Sorry I missed this earlier today Kendog170
Click to expand...
you mean take the body off the suspension crossmember and motor/trans yes? as already mentioned (post 14) these vans are unibody so no seperate chassis. everything bolts up to the bodyshell.
neil.
 
I always pull trans first, passenger seat and out the side.
Sadly I gave my 2002 1 ton van 360 over drive away when trans took a dump. Ran well but was very tired at over 350K miles. Was a former mechanic van to fix DHL trucks, vans on the road. Road hard put up wet. As we ran it as a work van from La, to South Miss.12 miles a gallon loaded up.
 
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