Replacing engine without removing the tranny?

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homecloned

homecloned

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Just wanted to see what the pro's and con's are with swapping my 273 out for my 340 without taking the transmission out with it. Tranny is rebuilt and works fine. I have a 727 that I will be freshining up, but for now will just keep the rebuilt 904 in there.
I have never done just the engine, always the engine and tranny together.
Does anybody have any tips they can share with me? Or is it more trouble to unhook the tranny?

Also, I purchased a engine lift plate that bolts to the intake manifold. It says it can be used for aluminum intakes as well. Is this safe to do or should I bolt the steel manifold on for installation purpose.

Thanks for any help.
 
Remove torque convertor bolts. upper trans to block bolts. exhaut bolts. starter and lower trans to block bolts and swap.
 
get a set of stubby wrenches, there is not a lot of room between the bell housing and the firewall.
 
73moparx3 said:
Remove torque convertor bolts. upper trans to block bolts. exhaut bolts. starter and lower trans to block bolts and swap.
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Thanks 73moparx3
Is it as easy as it sounds. Because it does sound to easy. When reinstalling or removing, do the engine mounts get in the way? Or do I have to loosen the tranny to keep from binding?
 
blk00rt said:
get a set of stubby wrenches, there is not a lot of room between the bell housing and the firewall.
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That is a small concern. Thanks blk00rt. I have a air ratched I was going to try and use for those if it will fit. Dont know if the profile is small enough.
 
It's just like taking the tranny off the engine with both out of the car, but this time you're leaving the tranny in. Starter, dust shield, have to come loose. Gotta spin the engine over to get the convertor bolts. I'm sending you a PM with a question. Take tranny loose. Everything else is pretty much like you'd be pulling the assembly: exhaust, wiring, etc.

The pro is that you can pull the engine fairly balanced so you don't have the tranny tailshaft at such an angle swinging around on you wanting to hit the inner fenders. Also makes it a little easier doing it as a one man project.
 
ramenth said:
It's just like taking the tranny off the engine with both out of the car, but this time you're leaving the tranny in. Starter, dust shield, have to come loose. Gotta spin the engine over to get the convertor bolts. I'm sending you a PM with a question. Take tranny loose. Everything else is pretty much like you'd be pulling the assembly: exhaust, wiring, etc.

The pro is that you can pull the engine fairly balanced so you don't have the tranny tailshaft at such an angle swinging around on you wanting to hit the inner fenders. Also makes it a little easier doing it as a one man project.
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Thanks Robert. I can have the engine out in about 2 hours from start to finish with the tranny on and everything hooked up. I was trying to avoid having to unbolt the cross member and drive shaft but if I cant save that much time I might just pull the whole thing.
I do like the idea of having it balanced. Do the engine mounts get in the way of sliding the engine back onto the tranny? Or can I tilt it just enough?
 
I remove the distributer ( and fan shroud bolts if so equiped ) first then remove the trans cross member and go after those upper bell housing bolts with unversal and long extensions. Then I put the trans cross member back ( temporary, just bolts through holes).
Then I put a tie down strap around the torsion bars to cradle the front of the trans. Out with the engine and roll the vehicle away If I need to.
 
I just did what you are planning to do. Removed 318 and installed 340.
Remove hood(two people is a must), radiator, fan, battery, exhaust manifolds, engine to trans brackets, starter, trans dust shield, flexplate to torque converter bolts, motor mount bolts,engine block to trans housing bolts(5 of them), and place a floor jack under the trans to support it. Its best to have two people. Pretty straight forward. Take care with the wire bulkhead on the firewall. Lift a little and tug forward. The engine will seperate from the trans. Make sure that you have plenty of room above the engine lift. Use a short chain.
 
I drilled some 1.25" holes in the firewall so I can get to the top 4 tranny to engine bolts. Now I just use a socket wrench from inside the car to take out the 4 top bolts. I put in the plastic body plugs when i'm done. Its under the carpet so you never see it.
 
i.ve use the carb. mount to pull and install engines on aluminum intakes just use long bolt so they get a good hold. this was on a 351m bigger and more weight. beter if the hood comes off. IMI. als
 
imho it sucked because it took forever to hook the motor to the tranny. when we unhooked it. id take wrasting a motor and trans anyday
 
IMHO, I'd rather pull both together as a unit. It's not that much more difficult.
Plus, it is a whole lot easier to bolt the transmission and engine together while they're out of the car than it is while leaning over the fenders and/or laying on cold concrete.
 
340_833 dart said:
IMHO, I'd rather pull both together as a unit. It's not that much more difficult.
Plus, it is a whole lot easier to bolt the transmission and engine together while they're out of the car than it is while leaning over the fenders and/or laying on cold concrete.
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exactly its much easier
 
Take it out in one shot though plug up the trans end with an old yoke or somthing to lessen trans oil spillage. If you have headers lay them in and through suspension parts etc before re-installing motor wayyy easier. Just be prepared for the feeling of wanting to beat the car with a hammer before you are done!
 
You can leave the radiator in just pull the fan, pulley, shroud and place a piece of plywood across the front or the radiator, the lift plate will work fine but a load leveler is the best thing to have, unhook exhaust from the manifolds, pull distributer, unhook hoses/electrical, unbolt the converter from the plate, unbolt the tranny, put a stck of wood or a small floorjack under the tranny, have a friend watch one side while you watch the other and pull the motor. It shouldn't take that long.
 
I busted the front pump on my 904 putting the motor back in. Had to take the transmission out anyways and get it fixed! What was I thinking??
 
Thanks for all the feedback. I will have everything else out of the way and will be painting the bay while the engine is out. It sounds like its just as easy to keep the tranny hooked up and pull as a unit.
 
homecloned said:
It sounds like its just as easy to keep the tranny hooked up and pull as a unit.
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Just remember if you do it that way you will have to cap off the tail shaft of the tranny or you will have a nice big red mess and you will defiantly want to get a load leveler and put the car up on jackstands if you are pulling them as one unit.

Oh and watch your tranny cooler lines when you pull it out, it sucks when you bend one and it leaks all over the place.
 
frontmotorshot.jpg
For my two cents, I would say leave the tranny and put a floor jack under the tranny with plywood on it to support the tranny while you have the motor out.
If you swapping in the garage there might not be enough room {Height} to get the motor and tranny in one unit.

I swapped both of mine 318 /904 and slid the tranny under the passengers side, then dropped the motor in then jacked the tranny into place much easier than trying to do both at the same time . I'm glad I did it this way , a couple of bolts are difficult to get to on the bell housing , no big deal you just deal with it !
Good luck and get some help gliding the motor in and lifting the tranny onto the tranny jack under the car.
 
If leaving trans in, best way I have found is to get a load leveler. Then I take some threaded rod and cut it 2 or 3 inches long and grind a point on the end. I make two of these and thread them into the bellhousing to make a guide for the motor to slide in on. Put motors in by myself with this method in very little time.
 
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