Hey man, let the arm of the picker out to the next hole.
Trouble getting a slant six in the car
- Thread starter SpriceyStuff
- Start date
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SpriceyStuff
Well-Known Member
There isn’t a next hole
Wow. I have never had to take off a bumper to pull an engine. A, B,Or E body. Damn.
SpriceyStuff
Well-Known Member
I got it in the mount but now the problem is I can’t get the driveline back in. I mean I can’t possibly be expected to try and rip the engine in and also try and guide the shaft in. I’d have to be in two places at once. How is it done??
Remove the drive shaft from the rear end. Then install it into the transmission and reinstall it in to the yoke in the rear end.
SpriceyStuff
Well-Known Member
Okay thanks man. You guys are really saving me here.
Well......some people might make fun of you here......but I won't. You obviously have mechanical ability. You just lack experience. We all gotta start somewhere. The difference is here, you're ASKING for advice and following right along with it. You're doin a good job on it.
SpriceyStuff
Well-Known Member
Thanks man. Me and my brother were given these cars when we were little and they just sat out the back yard for years. When we were little my mom and dad each had a dart swinger. My dads was a 71 and my moms was a 72 so he worked in that stuff a lot. Put a 340 in my moms, but it had cooling issues after that lol. But as we got older he didn’t wanna do that stuff anymore or teach us much so they’re cars just sat there. Now that we’re young adults we’re trying to figure this stuff out so it means a lot that guys like you guys in the forum are so willing to help out. I really want my kids to experience these old cars like we did someday
You obviously have the drive and ambition and interest and great attitude. All of that will get you a long way.
SpriceyStuff
Well-Known Member
One day last year I was reading vintage truck magazine and one article stuck with me. A woman related the story of her family taking a trip in their 48 Power Wagon and at some point during said trip the water gasket broke. Being too far from a parts store to just grab one, her dad fashioned one from a cereal box or something like that. So since I have no thermostat housing gasket I cut one out of a Coors box with a pocket knife and used a little silicone and that should be good enough for a couple days til my new housing and gasket come in
That'll work!
I've swapped several engines and tranny's over the years, and I can't remember ever doing both together. I've pulled a few engines with the trans attached when junking the body but can't remember the last one I put in as a motor/trans combo. Even when putting both in, I've usually put in the engine and then put the trans in seperate.otherwise the trans stays put when I swap an engine. Even with a cherry picker.
Many, over the years, I've done with an a frame and a chain fall, having to push the car out from between the a- frame, and back under and back a pickup truck between the rails to set the old engine into, and to pick up the replacement from, then push the car recieving the transplant back between the rails. What is available for the job definitely dictates how that job gets done.
Many, over the years, I've done with an a frame and a chain fall, having to push the car out from between the a- frame, and back under and back a pickup truck between the rails to set the old engine into, and to pick up the replacement from, then push the car recieving the transplant back between the rails. What is available for the job definitely dictates how that job gets done.
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I guess it would depend on the cherry picker. I've seen a few that had poor reach.
mcodecuda
Senior Member
I’ve actually replaced the 440 engine in my 69 cuda with the transmission attached and believe it or not I didn’t have to remove the hood.
Don, I've done it like that in the past too. For some reason as age has caught up to me, it just seem easier to do it all together.
To "ME" it just gives you so much more freedom and room to reattach the transmission without the car wrapped all around it. When the transmission only has five or six things to disconnect, it just makes sense to me.
SpriceyStuff
Well-Known Member
It worked out great for me. I’ll probably do all future swaps like that too. When I eventually go to put a 360 in the ole dart with my V8 904 trans I’ll definitely do it like that. Just have to rebuild that 360 first. Definitely needs a set of new lifters. I think that was the issue it had. I know some of the lifters have no play at all, others have a little and others have way too much. I think that’s why it idles okay but chokes and dies when you get on the gas cause we checked timing and carb tuning, different carbs, we tried every possible option without actually taking it apart.
anyway, I’m almost done putting my car back together for now. Need to stop somewhere and grab a 1” crow foot for the speedometer cable cause I had no foresight whatsoever and failed to reattach that or the tranny lines before bolting the trans all up. Get all that attached, reattach fuel line and get a new hose for the power steering since i broke that. Delete the vented fuel filter and return line since I’ve never heard of a slant six getting vapor lock and I don’t feel like routing another line back to the tank. Button the interior back up with a new ignition switch and we should be good to go!
anyway, I’m almost done putting my car back together for now. Need to stop somewhere and grab a 1” crow foot for the speedometer cable cause I had no foresight whatsoever and failed to reattach that or the tranny lines before bolting the trans all up. Get all that attached, reattach fuel line and get a new hose for the power steering since i broke that. Delete the vented fuel filter and return line since I’ve never heard of a slant six getting vapor lock and I don’t feel like routing another line back to the tank. Button the interior back up with a new ignition switch and we should be good to go!
Congrats on asking advise and taking the "bull" by the horns and getting it done!!! It all gets easier as you go!!
SpriceyStuff
Well-Known Member
One day I hope to be one of you guys that can have an engine swap done and have it running again in 2 hours lol. One day. Once I have the drivetrain where I want it I’ll get the metal work and painting done and restore it. I got big dreams for that car. Here’s some pictures of it in the white, and the purple one is what I want it to look like, plus a full canopy white vinyl top! Probably also the white stripe decals down the sides. I think that will look cool. I’ll keep the black interior though, since it’ll still look good and won’t show dirt as easily lol.
Glad to see you're making progress. You'll find after the job is done you learned so much and what not to do next time (Yes there will be a next time you'll see) After all the struggles and the car fires up and runs down the road you'll have a sense of pride and accomplishment you wouldn't have had otherwise.
GOOD JOB!!!
GOOD JOB!!!
SpriceyStuff
Well-Known Member
That’s the thing that worries me. If after all this it doesn’t run… rewiring it and engine swapping, if it doesn’t fire up I’m gonna be crushed lol
my68barracuda
Well-Known Member
Figuring out problems is part of the intrigue of working and driving older cars. You just have to accept that there are going to be delays and periods of thinking your way through that next roadblock. When it all comes together you will smile. Remember if it was easy, anyone could do it.
Wiring for the engine is pretty basic and simple. Check the bulkhead connector and make sure it doesn't look "fried" Are you running a points ignition or electronic ? One thing I always seem to forget is to run a ground strap from the engine to the body make sure you have one. Go slow ,take your time, check twice YOU GOT THIS!!!
I always like the " run the hot wires in and out the bulkhead thru holes. It eliminates so many times where you are not getting fire inside. Maybe not the right way, but it works!!! NO NOT trying to sound like those dudes on RoadKill!!! BUT....
I am 74 and still have a lot to learn. It doesn't help that I have forget half what I did know either!
But, learning is so much fun and the sense of accomplishment is rewarding. For me, even the smallest victory! Who can afford to pay someone to build your hobby car!????
Hint: Bodywork. Remember IF at first it does make YOU happy you an go right back and keep on till it suits YOU!!!
I am 74 and still have a lot to learn. It doesn't help that I have forget half what I did know either!
But, learning is so much fun and the sense of accomplishment is rewarding. For me, even the smallest victory! Who can afford to pay someone to build your hobby car!????
Hint: Bodywork. Remember IF at first it does make YOU happy you an go right back and keep on till it suits YOU!!!
SpriceyStuff
Well-Known Member
The engine wiring should be A-OK. I put a new harness in there I bought from a guy on here from his 74 Dart. Fit like a dream! All the wires looked good too. The only roadblock there was figuring out where to splice all the wires in that go to the headlights and things up front. I traced wires and followed my diagram and figured it out though. His car didn’t have AC and mine does so eventually I’ll have to figure out how to wire that in, but I’ll worry about accessories after I get it running. After all the AC doesn’t even work if the engine isn’t running first so. But it will be nice in that old steel box in the summer time cause it gets up to 115+ EASY around here
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