The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Removing transmission and bell housing from the engine block

I'm a bit stumped on how to remove the bell housing and tranny from the engine block of a 216. Can anyone give a hand on explaining how to do this?

Is the engine and tranny still in the truck, pulled out? What year 216 (I don't know if things changed between years or not... just for other peoples knowledge). What tranny? Column shift or floor shift?

Okay, so the Engine, Bell Housing, and tranny are all out of the truck and all attached. It is a 4 speed transmission floor shift, and it's out of a 1951 panel truck.

Hy 1942ChevyPfost, you must remove the transmission first, four bolts, then remove the clutch and flywheel, now you can reach the bellhousing bolts that are behind the flywheel, once all the bolts holding the bellhousing to the block are removed (some inside and some outside) then you will be able to remove the bellhousing, hope that helps.

The parts are heavy. The 4pd Trans is over 100 pounds. Be careful. I have used a hoist to lift the back of the engine while removing the clutch and flywheel. The flywheel will pinch you if it can. After the bolts are out of the flywheel, it will be held by dowel pins. When you rock it to get it off those pins it will want to mash your fingers. It weighs about 40 pounds so be careful. Then you have that cast iron bell housing. I set the back of the engine down to remove it. Keeps the "drop" to a minimum. Have fun but watch those fingers.

Doesn't sound like a terribly easy task. Any advice on how to remove the flywheel?

On the spare 235 I have, I had to get an impact to break the flywheel bolts, as trying to do it by hand was just turning the engine over. With the bolts out, it takes some wiggling to work it free. I used a 3/8" ratchet extension and a mallet to tap the front of it to work it loose. Got it loose enough where I was able to grab it and work it off the back of the crank. HTH.

It is not terribly difficult, either. I just helped a friend strip down a 216; nothing profound to it that I recall... And the first time I had ever removed a trans/clutch/flywheel/bell housing combination was this past June. I removed it all except the bell housing while it was still in the truck. Out of the truck is slightly easier.

There may be a total of 18-20 bolts/cap screws to remove & you’ll be done.

The clutch is bolted to the flywheel, so remove it first (that would be after you have removed the 4 spd transmission box). If possible, turning the clutch/flywheel may make it easier to get at the bolts.

Then unbolt the flywheel. The flywheel may act like it is super-glued onto the engine even with the bolts removed (like Steve says with the dowel pins). On my 235, I had to tap on it with a wood block to get it to release. That ring gear will also want to dig into your hands while you are tugging on it- I'd wear gloves.

Brad

The flywheel bolt heads are shallow so you want to use a good six point socket.

As Steve H implied, all of those parts, in their installed position, are engineered to mash your fingers, crush your chest and/or limbs, make you speak loudly in a profane manor, and lead to the sudden and violent misplacement of perfectly good tools.
Being careful will result in the reduction of most of these dangers.
Carl

I found it easier to remove the pressure plate bolts through the inspection hole than from the bottom of the flywheel. Turn the flywheel with a screwdriver and loosen one bolt just one turn at a time till you get them all loose. Takes a while but keeps the pressure plate from warping/springing. The one turn at a time is from the shop manual for a 1954 235 but should be the same for a 216.

The challenge is not the difficulty. The parts come apart with the proper tools. The weight and the Space the parts are in contribute to the risk. When you go to put it all back, it will be awkward, not technically challenging. Any time you have heavy parts, get help. The head is long, heavy, and needs to be positioned precisely. Two people and some alignment bolts make it an easy project. Do it alone with no alignment pins, that is hard. Parts on the driven end, clutch, trans and bell housing are big heavy, and in places that will challenge you. Save them fingers for getting that beer open and have fun. Wait until you get the fly wheel and the dowels lined up, so you can start the bolts, do that with out help and you will have some big muscle in one arm for sure. I have used rags to save my shins. Held it up while sitting on the floor, an alignment tool to get close and, all the 4 letter words I know. Then, called for help. Much better and company to drink cold beverages with. Win, win.

I don't believe anyone has mentioned that the two bottom transmission bolts are removed from inside the bell housing. Back in the day I used to drill the threads out of the bottom transmission ears and also Heli-Coil the front main so ALL the bolts run from the outside in.

One more thing... Just pulled mine apart too....the flywheel bolts had locking tabs that needed to be bent flat with a hammer and chisel to release the bolts