Supporting the engine?

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Muswagon

Muswagon

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Ready to pull my 727 to be replaced with A833...

Question is how do I support the back of my 440 when I yank the trans?

The two most likely stupid ideas I had or a combo of both;

There is a one inch ish space between the oil pan and the drag link, I thought about placing a 1x1 piece of wood sideways across the pan. Only the pivot weight is there with the trans gone, can't be that bad? Yes yes I know dumb

Some type of post with a jack under a part of the block?

I have a maxjax lift, so the car is in the air a decenrt amount but not as high as a real lift, giving me some room to make something work but also compounding options given height to ground.

Anyway, I have not asked a dumb question all long weekend so here it is.....
 
You can place a piece of wood across the bottom of the engine and support it with a bottle jack. I've also gotten my engine hoist out and put a chain across the front & rear of the block to support it. Whichever works best for you.
 
The problem is it's on a lift, engine hoist won't work as no room at the front of the car for it, and not sure the safest/best way to use a jack that will be 5 feet lower than the engine.
 
I've used a small chain across the torsion bars to hold up the front of the transmission. Might be able to do the same for the back of the engine. Come to think of it I've used it for the engine too.
 
The engine support bar is the best way of doing this job. It’s useful for a lot more than just under hood engine support, too.
 
Our crappy version of Harbor Freight up here sells an engine support bar.... gonna grab after work. Appreciate the suggestion

I have never used one, the ends go on the fender mount areas I assume?
 
I put a rag on my center link and lowe engine down and oil pan lays on center link. Rag prevents oil pan getting scratched. Have to make sure radiator hoses have enough flex, fan dont hit fan shroud, and since I have small block loosen distributor cap. That what I just did when had to install remove 6 speed to fab up trans tunnel.
 
I had thought about that but was worried that the oil pan might get damaged?
 
I've used a 1 inch ratchet strap on the frame rails underneath the oil pan
 
Muswagon said:
I had thought about that but was worried that the oil pan might get damaged?
Click to expand...
I lowered eng/trans down let oil pan rest on center link and T56 weighs 140 pounds. No impacts to oil pan at all. I have a Kevko oil pan on there which is a reproduction oil pan with a larger sump welded on the bottom. Did same thing taking 727 trans in out in the past and those are heavy pigs too....
 
A 2x4 cut to fit on the inside lips of the fender can be used. I have also used angle iron across the torsion bars.
 
Don't forget, the engine has to tilt down a bit in the rear to get the trans in through the clutch into the pilot, at least mine did.
I put down 2x8s and placed ramps on those to get the car higher and stable.
Also put a bar in the back of the engine over the fenders with wood brackets I made, supported the engine with jack once trans was out.
First pic with the bar is when I pulled the k-frame. Bar came from parents farm, just a giant steel bar.

Also, instead of buying a trans jack, which would not fit under the car with the trans, I bolted a wheel dolly onto my jack.
That worked well the first 3 times I had to r&r that garbage A855, but when I put a rebuilt A833 back in, I flipped it over, built a cradle out of 2x4s that would fit over my jack.
That kept the trans from spinning over while jacking it up and made it very easy. No pic of that.

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20190916_150443.jpg
 
I way overthought this, I did the 1x1 wood wedged in between the centerlink and the oilpan and it worked well. Brainfart when I pulled out the dipstick tube to get it out from under the car tho....kitty litter run now
 
I have used a ratchet strap to support the rear of the engine when pulling the trans. Also, the same method works on the trans when pulling the engine. You can hook the strap hooks in the hood hinge area on each side. On my car, i hook to front cage bars.
 
Muswagon said:
Ready to pull my 727 to be replaced with A833...

Question is how do I support the back of my 440 when I yank the trans?

The two most likely stupid ideas I had or a combo of both;

There is a one inch ish space between the oil pan and the drag link, I thought about placing a 1x1 piece of wood sideways across the pan. Only the pivot weight is there with the trans gone, can't be that bad? Yes yes I know dumb

Some type of post with a jack under a part of the block?

I have a maxjax lift, so the car is in the air a decenrt amount but not as high as a real lift, giving me some room to make something work but also compounding options given height to ground.

Anyway, I have not asked a dumb question all long weekend so here it is.....
Click to expand...
Fabricate an engine support bar. It is fairly easy to do and there are a lot of places on the engine where you can attach straps or hangers. Here is the engine support bar that I used on my big block while I was fabricating new engine mounts.

DSC_4508 (Large).JPG
 
Fishyink said:
Harbor Freight sells an engine support bar. I bought one and used it when I swapped out the factory K frame for my QA1 one.

1000 lb. Capacity Engine Support Bar
Click to expand...
I made one out of a 4 × 4 cut to fit between the fenders and down where the fender bolts are. Bend a hook on the end of a piece of ready rod and drill a hole through the 4 × 4 to line up with the lift bracket. If you have to you can make a bracket out of 1/4" × 1" cold roll and bolt to an intake bolt.
 
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