The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Using an engine stand

This seems so elementary that asking it is embarrassing, but here goes. I don't know how to put a motor on an engine stand. If I take everything off the engine the bolts I would use to fasten it to the stand seem much too small. Is it the normal procedure to leave the bell housing on the motor and them fasten that to the stand? Again, thanks for the help. Allen

The bell housing has to come off. The engine block attaches to the engine stand. (Assuming there is generally one type of stand and it is like the two I own.)

All the engine stands i've ever owned had this "X" looking thing that got bolted right to the back of the block.

Both of mine have the four adjustable "X" arms. I use grade 8 bolts and washers to hold the block in place.

Be sure to get as much thread into the block as you can.

No doubt! Using the "two threds in" method would be a recipe for some squashed toes and a flat oil pan!

The old stovebolt 6,s are hard to put on my engine srand. I had to make a bracket to extend the arm over to the block.

Mine fell off and actually landed smack down on the oil pan and stayed standing upright. Now I need a new oil pan and who knows what else..........Darn glad my feet were not under it! Since then I took a moving cart and shored it up and the engine sits on that now until I get my frame finished enough to put it back in it.

Just get some good grade 8 bolts that will go throught the engine stand,and have enough threads to go into the block at least as far as the bellhousing bolts did.Have a few washers on hand as well,just in case you need to make up a difference in distance between the block and stand.

I didn't like how the long six cylinder block wobbled on the stand Dad made, which has at least twice as much iron as the commercially available stands I have seen recently.

I revamped the brackets and the engine sits on the stand sideways. I'll take some pics and post them if there is interest.

And remember...center the engine on the stand so its not top heavy, otherwise, when you go to flip it over....

Not that Ive ever done that....honest.

Thanks guys. I finally figured it out. Like most things, once you know how it works it seems so simple you wonder why you didn't see it to begin with. Allen

Tim;
You're lucky yours messed up the oil pan;I used the "heavy duty Grade 5" bolts that came with my stand (used) and found my 348 face down the next morning,with a broken crank. Not a good thing. Now I use grade eight bolts,longer than I need,then I stack washers under the head of each bolt until there's just enough threads to tighten before bottoming out. Yeah,it's overkill,but I don't mind,considering the alternatives. I also drilled a hole in the plate to enable me to install a pilot bushing with the engine on the stand,just so I won't forget it once I get the engine on the hook again.
Speed

Tim;
You're lucky yours messed up the oil pan;I used the "heavy duty Grade 5" bolts that came with my stand (used) and found my 348 face down the next morning,with a broken crank. Not a good thing. Now I use grade eight bolts,longer than I need,then I stack washers under the head of each bolt until there's just enough threads to tighten before bottoming out. Yeah,it's overkill,but I don't mind,considering the alternatives. I also drilled a hole in the plate to enable me to install a pilot bushing with the engine on the stand,just so I won't forget it once I get the engine on the hook again.
Speed

I still have that fear because it looks like the first point of contact was the front pulley. It does still turn nicely by hand though. I think I'll just puke if it is worse than just the pan. As you can see if you look close, I had it pretty much ready to go. [img]http://www.sheridanzone.com/images/46chevy/engine.jpg[/img]