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7/23/20: Today I removed the engine from my truck, to diagnose a low oil pressure issue. It went quite well with the exception of the actual removal of the engine.

I started by draining the transmission and removing the floor cover to gain access from above. Listening to fellow Stovebolters, I super cleaned the drive shaft housing where the bell collar slides and it slid back perfectly with little effort. I borrowed a friends engine lift and used it to lower the transmission to a tire dolly, a trick I also learned by reading prior post on this forum. The engine lift also made easy work of removing the hood.

Next was the dreaded exhaust. As images of using OA torches and broken studs danced in my head, they broke freely with no issues. After removing all of electrical connections, linkage, gauge lines and the motor mounts the engine was ready to be removed. I fabricated a plate to bolt on where the coil mounts to act as one lift point and used a chain around the front of the intake manifold for the other as suggested again on this forum.

That’s when Murphy’s Law came into effect. My first attempt at removing the engine, the front mount got hung up. Having never removed this engine, it felt like it was still bolted in place and I thought I may have missed a bolt. The back came up but the front didn’t move. Relooking at the mount, I assured myself that it just needed a little more persuasion. I rocked the engine a bit more aggressively and it finally broke free. Thinking I was on the home stretch, the lift stopped lifting while needing only six more inches. Now I’m stuck halfway in and halfway out. I previously tested the lift, by pumping it up to the my nine foot ceiling and successfully lifted my hood off. I surmised that it needed more pump oil due to the additional weight. Looking for the fill plug, all I found was a rubber plug about a third of the way up. I pulled the plug, added fluid until it ran out, replugged the hole and proceeded to pump the engine up. Yea! It works. Disaster averted! I proceeded cautiously and got the motor high enough to clear the radiator support. I didn’t have enough room in front to clear the truck so I had to back the truck up which I had previously planned on doing. My plan was/is to store the truck outside while I work on the engine, parked under a temporary canopy. This will enable me to to clean the engine bay outside so it won’t make a mess inside my garage. Backing out was easy as my garage floor has a pitch for drainage purposes. Now Murphy wasn’t done with me as when I was lowering it down, pump oil started spraying out of the fill hole thru the rubber plug, squirting about six feet all over the floor. I suppose I may have overfilled it. What a mess! I did land it on some blocking and spent the rest of the day cleaning up and putting away my tools.

Please note that the rope was not used to support the engine. After putting a sufficient amount of strain on the chains I used, I got an uneasy feeling that disaster might occur and added the rope as a fail safe measure.

I started this project about 10:30 this morning and the engine and tranny was out by 3:30. Unfortunately my grandson was not available to help so I did this solo. Not to shabby for an old geezer!