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Hello everyone –

I am going to remove the 235 and the hydromatic tranny (as one single unit) this weekend and I would appreciate some feedback about where I was going to hook up the load leveler / engine hoist. (All of the sheet metal is off, nothing but frame, tires, suspension and cab left on the truck)

I have four load rated eye bolts, a 2 ton load leveler, and a 1500 lb engine hoist ready to go. On my picture site I have an album called engine removal. In it is a single picture identifying where I would like to bolt on to the engine.

Would someone mind checking out the picture and get back to me to let me kow what you think?

Here is the address: http://community.webshots.com/user/rericson01


This is my first engine removal and do not want to do anything too stupid.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Ross

I don't see a problem with using those for removal, I used the same ones. However, I did have the head off the engine at the time, not sure if that will make any difference.

1st,

Interesting dizzy

Ross,

Keep in mind I have never used a load leveler when pulling an engine, so I might be in left field on this, but a Hydra-matic is a beastly heavy tranny to say the least.

It doesnt seem possible using the attachment points you have circled to get the center of gravity back far enough to balance the engine/transmission combo anywhere near centered.

Stuart

Hi Stuart -

Suppose it would be best to take them out separately?

Is it difficult to pull them apart? I was looking it over pretty close yesterday. Looks like there might be ten or 12 bolts holding them together.

Any advice here?

Thanks a lot for your response.


Ross

Hey Bill -

Did you pull them out as a single unit? Or did you seperate the engine and the tranny?

Ross

I pulled them together, but mine has the 3 speed manual, which is nowhere near as heavy as the hydro.

There are two bolts on the bellhousing that you can use and move your CG back a little.

I've lifted mine by those two and the two bolts on the thermostat housing... the big ones that go directly into the block. Put a washer between the block and the chain, another washer between the bolt head and the chain and tighten.

You could use the front two head bolts to move the CG back even more.

The bellhousing is easy, pull the bolts, slip bolt through chain, install and tighten bolt.

Keep in mind that there is only a little over 190 pounds on each attachment point. As long as you don't lift the truck and shake it, there's no chance of anything coming apart.

Some guys actually use the rocker shaft to lift their engine and swear it doesn't damage anything.

Four lift bolts instead of two seems like a good idea to me.

I'd try to pull it with the tranny attached because it is so much easier to unbolt it when it's out. Remember that you are going to want the front of the engine pretty high, and the transmission low, so that you can clear the sheet metal in front, and not get it jammed with the tranny still in its tunnel. If you want to, you can put a dolly under the end of the transmission tail shaft and lift the whole thing straight up, as long as there are no fluids in it.

heres my 2 pennies , you should be fine with the lift points in your pic ...with a leveler...it will crank the CG back enough ...just drop the pan on the trans before ya proceede or abought halway out you will have a nice slippy red floor to deal with as the fluid all runs out the tail shaft .
I removed an installed my 350 small block with Hydro 350 trans with a lift plate bolted to the intake carb mount an with the leveler had NO PROBS.
actually was the easiest pull an reinstall i have ever done ...had much more control than in the past without a leveler.
Tim

Has anyone here removed a 235 engine with the original Hydra-Matic transmission attached (and the cab still on the chassis)?

As Stuart stated above, ". . . a Hydra-matic is a beastly heavy tranny to say the least." It is about 140 lbs heavier than a 3-speed (over 70 lbs heaver than a 4-speed), besides being about 5 inches longer.

There is no bell-housing and I do not think that there are useful bolting-points on the torus cover/housing.


Ross,

Did you pull the engine/transmission last weekend? Did you pull them together?

Tim

Make sure your hoist can handle over 1000 pounds when the boom is fully extended. Because you're looking at about 700 pounds for the stovebolt engine alone, and I would bet the tranny is at LEAST 300 pounds if not more.

I did my 261 with the 3 speed attached. Had to take the grille, bumper and splash pan off the front to get the clearance. Took some pics while I was doing it. Used two head bolts and just took it easy. My engine rebuilder used any two bolts he could find when he took the bolck out of my trailer when I delivered it to him. He said "Any two will do" and he's been doing this for 40 years. Took him at his word.

Some pics are shown in the engine rebuild album.

Thank you all for your advice. I really do appreciate it!!!!

I am all set up to go for it this Sunday.

I think I am going to drop the pan like SW Radial suggests, use the leveler, four load rated eye bolts attached to the block as seen in my picture. If something looks funky I will stop and try to move the CG back a bit by bolting the two rear bolts onto the bell housing. Hopefully the load leveler will help out.

I will take some pictures and get back to you all Sunday evening.

I was surprised at the great condition of all of the parts. It is starting to make me wonder if I should go up to the ZZ4 as I had planned and sell the old engine and tranny or just keep it, repair, and spiff it up a bit. Decisions....Decisions!

Ross

Well the engine is out.

Everything went incredibly smooth.

I attached the load level to two head bolts in the front to the engine and the rear of the leveler to two bell housing bolts that went into the block.

I had also removed the Transmission cross member before pulling the engine out.

I have posted several pics in my photo album if anyone is interested.

Now its time to move on to the front suspension.

Thanks again for everyone’s advice.

Ross

Congratulations, Ross.

Did you also have to remove the frame cross-member at the engine's rear motor mounts?

Where did you get the eye-bolts that you attached the chains to?

Thanks for the pictures.

Tim

Thanks Tim!

The engine only had two motor mounts, both at the front of the engine. The only cross member was attached to the transmission / bell housing area, and yes I did take this out. Luckily it was all bolted together. I was worried that it would be riveted in.

I got the eyebolts from McMaster.com.

The front eyebolts were 10" long by 1/2" x 13 (diameter and thread pitch).I got them so long because I did not want to take the springs and stuff off of the motor.

These 10" bolts were too long for the back of the motor. They hit the firewall so I couldn't use them. It worked out well anyway, because I hooked the chain directly to the bolts in the bell housing.

Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions.

Ross

Ross: I have been addressing the same question ever since I bought "Red". I have been researching, comparing, and MODELING via computer software, the performance of the 216, 235, 261, GMC302 and an "interesting" selection of modern engines. I have drawn some conlusions, and will be discussing those in the next 2 or 3 SLURP postings in my SLURP series on this forum. I think you might find the data VERY intersting and useful in your own decisionmaking.

And by the way, right now before making any chnages yet, I have the 261, mildly souped, and the same Hydra-Matic tranny you have.

Jim G