The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Best way to pull out a 235

What's the best way to pull this big boy out with all sheetmetal still on? What bolts do you snag with a chain to pull it out straight (side to side) with all the big head bolts on one side? Should I leave the little 3 speed on or drop it first..seems like plenty room to leave it on. I have an engine leveler. Radiator is out, fan is off, all linkages disconnected.

Radiator out and fan-blade off.

First, I'd remove the transmission (no matter what the Shop Manual states - it is simply easier/safer). However, you can leave it on - your load leveler will help you.

Attach the load-reveler to diagonal front/back bolts on the head (look at the Shop Manual).

I have several times used long bolts in place of front and back rocker-arm bolts.

The load-leveler allows you flexibility in your choice of bolts.

Now I see it Tim, there is even a picture and recommended head bolts to lift. Somehow I overlooked it the first time through and went straight to engine disassembly. Sometimes there is just a long list of steps as in this case.

Keep asking questions, Allen

Good luck with the engine pull.

I use two 1/2-13 bolts about 1" longer than the head bolts and use them to attach a couple of short pieces of 2" angle iron with 1" holes drilled in the upright flange. Bolt the engine lift chain(s) to the angle iron and you'll have a strong, reliable lift point. Using the head bolts to attach the chain prevents the bolts from getting a good bite on the threads in the block.
Jerry

I like to use a forged eyebolt.

[img]http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/data/3764/2013-07-14_12_24_31.jpg[/img]

I typically drop the transmission, to me it makes it a little easier to handle.

Paul

Eyebolts of different lengths/diameters/threads are available at Tractor Supply.

Hey Paul. Sweet engine hoist you got there! I haven't seen one of those babies at Harbor Freight.
Carl

Carl,

This is my only engine hoist. It is not available at HF, plus the wheels don't get stuck in the gravel.

Paul

Whatever you do, don't use the manifolds as a pickup point. I have two exhaust manifolds that I inherited that are cracked because of that. Bad idea.

Got it out using the Paul special engine hoist. Only hiccup is that I couldn't get to the trans internal bolt heads so had to pull with trans connected. This required taking out the radiator housing and the hood latch piece as the shop manual says. How in the heck do you get to those internal bell housing bolts..I'm headed to the shop manual now, but one of you will beat me to it.

Ready for Pressure Washer

Good for you Allen! Pretty sure you have to remove the flywheel to get to those bolts on the bellhousing. You wont forget how to do it the next time! Taking it down to nothing is good anyway. You can see what condition the clutch, ring gear, etc is in.

Take the 4 screws out of that little lower pan below the flywheel. It will make alot more sense then. That gives you access to the trans bolts and allows you to remove the clutch assembly and flywheel.

Thanks Deve. For now I just bolted the bell housing to the engine stand until I can get back to it. I'm really pleased with how stable and solid that HF 1000# engine stand is BTW.

Sounds to me like you are asking for trouble.

Allen- love the engine hoist. I have my 235 on the same HF 1000# engine stand, bolted to the plate mount without the bell housing. The balancer is about even with the outermost tip of the engine stand legs, so I added 3 ft of angle iron to the legs for extra stability.

If I'm reading correctly, be careful man (I think Cletis is reading the same way too). LOT of weight out there towards the end, but I'm sure you've got some blocks under the engine.

Brad

Guys. I misspoke. It's actually the 2000# stand with the long legs and for now have it also supported with a hoist. But I pushed it around the shop quite a bit yesterday intentionally testing stability so it doesn't fall on my sons. And it never tried to tip. How do I get to those bolts that connect BH to block. Do I have to take clutch housing off first? I didn't get a chance to check the shop manual yesterday.

The 2,000 lb stand is much safer than the 1,000 stand (avoiding side-side or back-to-front tip overs).

To remove the clutch housing:

1. Remove inspection cover(s) from under the clutch housing

2. Remove transmission from clutch housing: two bolts inside/bottom of clutch housing and two bolts outside to of transmission.

3. Remove clutch-assembly - rotate the clutch-assembly/flywheel to remove bolts that attach clutch-assembly to flywheel (use a clutch alignment tool, if you have one).

4. Remove flywheel - rotate flywheel and loosen/remove bolts that attach flywheel to crankshaft (you might have to unbend "tangs" on lock plates (carefully save bolts and lock plates AND remember where you saved them)

5. Remove bolts that attach clutch housing to block.

Shop Manual: engine disassembly: steps 1-7

Something I will make clearer in my article. When you undertake such an effort, before taking the engine out, its prudent to read the shop manual. I am not criticizing, we have all been there, but if you would have removed that little bellhousing access cover it would have all made sense. Then you would have seen the bottom trans bolts, the clutch bolts, then the flywheel bolts, then the bellhousing bolts. It's actually easier to do all that ON the truck. I need to remember that a person doing this for the first time won't be thinking the same way. Hang in there Allen! You can always call or email if you get stuck.

Does anyone like the webbed straps? I made some of my own but never really felt as safe as with chain and bolts. My Buick big block v-8 is pretty heavy too. I noticed at the machine shop I frequent they use straps [nylon-webbed stuff] exclusively and I assumed it was because it is so flexible.

Lane

Sorry to disagree Deve Old buddy, but I don't do my best work on my back !! You're gonna regret offering the help line. I actually did manage to get the "flywheel extension pan" (just learned that is what it is called from my shop manual) off, which was a chore with 60 years of Kansas crud falling off with every tap of a hammer to loosen the big screws, but unless you know what you're looking for it's much easier to do with the whole engine/trans out...as advised by the shop manual. I just read (again) the disassembly section Tim references, but didn't make sense until I flipped back to the clutch section (I need lot's of pictures)...now by jove I think I've got it! I love the engineering for each little subsystem...like the clutch/flywheel. This is going to be fun.... One more thing I love about working on these old trucks, is that I never have to look for or try a METRIC socket or wrench. All day was 1/2, 9/16, 5/8's, and 3/4's...life is good.

Allen be careful, clutch set up and flywheel are heavy and will pinch your fingers on removal if you don't watch what you're doing.

Brian

Allen, Geesh I guess I misspoke as well because my stand is the 2000# one also. I remember now I read on here (from Tim or Alvin) to get the bigger stand & that's what I got. I even had to print one of the pictures Tim shared to figure out how to bolt the engine to the stand.

Figuring out the HF 2000# stand mount plate to Chevy 235 mating procedure was hands down the most time consuming part of my engine removal.

Glad to hear you're rocking along- I had a blast thumbing through the shop manual trying to figure out what I was looking at on the engine last year.
Brad

Lane, I've used off road and aircraft recovery straps multiple times to remove engines. You'll lose a lot of lateral stability (as opposed to head bolt/hoisting location), and you'll really need to know how much 'play' or stretch is in your straps prior to using them or you'll be doing a lot of wrap adjusting.

I ain't about to recommend using them, but I safely use them all the time (not really all the time, but at least twice a month on old heavy engines).

Glad you are making progress!

Guys...I searched around the bolt, but could not find a photo of how you managed to get 4 bolts into the back of the block to mount on the HF 2000# stand. Best I could finagle is two grade 8 bolts where the top two clutch housing bolts go. I've heard rumors Tim has a photo but I could not find it.

The best I can quickly find it this.

From the other side.

Here is another angle.

Perfect Tim..That'll do it.

re: how time consuming it was for me...

5 minute turn around there on an example to look at!

This is an awesome forum---- I wish I'd have just asked last year!



Brad

Yeah Brad, these boys got the skills to pay the bills !!

i took the front end off my 46 and slid the motor right out the front took about 2 hours from start to finish to pull the 235 out