The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop engine swap

i have a 66 c-10 stepside with a 350 chevy
and turbo 400. i plan on removing this engine
and replacing with a better 350. some say to remove tranny with engine. i have worked and rebuilt engines on stands, but have never removed one. if i leave the tranny in is it easier??? anything special to do, does converter stay right in place?? any comments appreciated

In my 64 I pulled both at once, and vegly remember sliding the tranny crossmember back first. Also remove the drivshaft first and have a drip pan ready for the tranny fluid that will drible out the tail end of the tranny. (make sure you drain all fluids first and I always have a bag of absorbant or kitty litter handy.

This is a very heavy assembly....I certainally wouldn't go to remove a turbo 400 attached to a 350 engine - especially if youre' only going to replace the engine itself. For one thing, you'll need an ideal hoist situation and a lot of vertical clearance - better get two other guys to help you.

Welcome. Its kinda 6 of one, half dozen of another-if you leave the trans in, no huge fluid loss+underneath time is minimum-no unbolting of crossmember-but the bellhousing bolts are a bear(somewhat easier w/a long box end 9/16)to get to. You'll need a jack under the trans. Pulling both is obviously heavier. Lining the engine back up to the trans in the truck when replacing it can be a pain, with both engine/trans together its easier to put into place in the frame . Either way the heater box needs pulled to make room.

The last time I swapped a motor in one of these I left the transmission in place.

I remember being in a hurry and wanting to swap the motor from one to the other, and vice versa, in a single weekend. It worked. I drove both away Sunday night.

thanks for all the replys, looks like you need
alot of tilt to remove and replace with tranny included, ill keep posted on which way i chose, gotta roundup some help----john

If you don,t need to pull the trans. leave it in there. Much easier. You won,t even need helpers.

thanks, george, nice trucks you have there

if i leave the tranny, what would be the procedure, will tranny drop down at all, should
it be supported?? bellhousing bolts, hard to get to?? splineing back up, easy??

Unbolt the flywheel from the converter. Put a bottle jack with a block of wood under the trans. Remove the trans. to engine bolts. They shouldn,t be to hard to reach. Use a long extention with a swivel socket. Remove the engine mount bolts & everything attached to the engine. Get a engine pulling plate that attaches to the carb mounting. Pull the radiator & fan & hoist it out. With a cherry picker I don,t pull the hood. Just remove the front 2 bolts & loosen the back 2 & tip it back & put blocks of wood it to hold it back. It,s no problem going back with an automatic. Just pull them together & put in a couple of bolts & let the whole thing down on the mounts. Isn,t this fun.

removed engine today, left tranny in, left
hood on, smooth as silk, thanks guys---john