Pulling Engine and Trans

[GeorgeG]

I'm going to pull the engine and trans out of my '61 and am looking for the recommended way to do that. My gut feel is to pull the trans first and then the engine, but I could always pull them both out at the same time, or even pull the engine first and then the trans I guess. I have a lift and engine hoist. Any words of wisdom?

George

[Alan H. Tast]

The factory installed the engine and transmission as a single subassembly. Provided you can lift high enough that's what I'd do, and how I've pulled engines/transmissions in the past. I HATE crawling under cars to position transmissions and would rather they be mated to each other before removing and reinstalling. If you want to beat yourself up crawling under the car to unbolt the transmission and busting your knuckles against the firewall, have at it.

[GeorgeG]

Thanks Alan. I'd have to measure to see if I could lift out both units in my garage. Come to think of it, I guess I could always roll the car into the driveway and do it outside, but my driveway is gravel and I could have an issue setting up a stable platform for the engine hoist. The car is on a 4-post lift, so crawling under is no big deal. The last time I did this (a hundred years ago), I pulled the engine and trans out separately but installed them as a unit. That made it easy to align the trans and engine properly. Different garage though.

George

[El Leon]

Pulling them as a long block will be easier. and with a 4-post if you could get a comealong above the car and do most of the work with the lift up, then just lower the car and roll the beam forward as the engine comes out.

FYI: I recommend leaving the power steering line attached so you can replace it with a new one. I've done that twice, so it should be in everybody's playbook.

[vince]

You have a lift? That is great. I would go with your thought of dropping the tranny and then lifting the engine out. If you went to shop, that would be their approach. The weight and length of the combo often makes it a more difficult pull. The length is an issue you already pointed to. The trickier thing to figure out is a 'catch' for the tranny. If you having the tranny rebuilt by a shop they may loan you a transmission low profile floor jack. It sounds as if you have done this before but friendly reminder to mark the drive shaft at the diff. and once out the car moves pretty freely. Good luck.