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By MarkMontereyBay - 14 Years Ago
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I am getting the garage ready to take the engine out of my 57 Tbird. I have a Summit folding cherry picker. Have to repair a torque converter or front seal trans leak. This is the lift load leveler that Summit sells.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-G1022/?rtype=10
Being a one-man operation, and when I was a heavy duty line mechanic for Ford, these things made life much easier. My question is the chains and the best place to attach them on my 312. I remember snapping an intake manifold bolt on a scrub 283 way way back, that was a scary event.
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By Oldmics - 14 Years Ago
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Personally,I dont trust the goddamn things. The ones that have the adjustment screw tight enough so that it doesnt spin around are too difficult to adjust when the weight is on the unit. The ones that are loose will spin to the end far too easily possibly catching a finger or hand web in the screw. Just my opinion-your mileage will vary. A well placed chain is my choice for many,many pics. And make sure that engine hoist has plenty of clearance on the nose of the car when the boom is extended Oldmics
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By paul2748 - 14 Years Ago
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I just pulled the engine/trans out of my 56 Bird. I borrowed one of those levelers and couldn't find a good place to attach it. Since i took off the exhaust manifolds, I had some old plates that I attached via the manifold bolts and attached my chain to the plates and pulled it that way. Balance was very good, used the next to last set of holes on each side..
You might want to look into the plate that bolts to the intake manifold (carb mounting), Lots of guys use this method.
I also have pulled a YBlock out of a TBird and a sedan by attaching the chain to the intake manifold bolts. one rear and one front cross wise.
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By MarkMontereyBay - 14 Years Ago
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I have a lift plate that has three positions to hook up the cherry picker. The load leveler I used way back in my heavy duty days was a dealership tool (maybe OTC) that worked well especially with large engines (F series trucks). I am trying to minimize the chance of dinging up the body panels, etc and move the engine back in after I do the transmission repair and hopefully aluminum head install. The transmission is staying in the car, only the engine is coming out. It is going back in with an Edelbrock 573 3/2 manifold. If the load leveler isn't used I guess I can install it with the stock cast iron 4bbl intake and swap it afterward for the Edelbrock.
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By crenwelge - 14 Years Ago
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I have a similar tool that we use to install Cummins engines in short conventionals where part of the engine goes under the cab, but it would be too bulky for a Y-block. I have always just bolted a plate on the intake manifold. Many years ago, when I still used a chain hoist, I would sit on a ladder near the fender, let the engine down slowly, and wiggle the engine into place with my feet.
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By MarkMontereyBay - 14 Years Ago
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I probably will do it the old school way. Try to get the angle of the engine right and have a floor jack under the transmission to match them up and get the torque converter bolts through the flexplate and the torque converter slid in all the way. When I was much younger, dumber and stronger, I put a C-4 and transfer case back in my 74 Bronco in the dirt driveway on my back with the damn thing on my belly. That nearly killed me. Those days are gone forever.
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By MoonShadow - 14 Years Ago
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If you are changing the intake why not remove the old intake and bolt the lift chains where the manifold bolts in? In and out, done! Chuck in NH
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By MarkMontereyBay - 14 Years Ago
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Yep...I thought of that also. I'm okay with that pulling the engine with cast iron heads but going back in with Mummert's aluminum heads has me thinking. Using the carb plate on the manifold seems sturdier by spreading the load out. I have dealt with steel bolts broken off in aluminum heads in the past. Not a pretty thing. Maybe I am being too cautious.
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By MoonShadow - 14 Years Ago
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You could also leave the exhaust manifolds on the block and use a HEAVY duty tie down strap for a sling. I've also used the exhaust bolts to secure a lift cable or chain. Chuck
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By bird55 - 14 Years Ago
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Here's how I've always done it. I use the longest good quality bolt not the manifold bolt that comes out.
But in the future I'm going to use lifting straps, I like the support of them. Still makes me nervous till the whole thing gets back on the ground or the stand.
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By MarkMontereyBay - 14 Years Ago
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bird55 (2/10/2011)
Here's how I've always done it. I use the longest good quality bolt not the manifold bolt that comes out. But in the future I'm going to use lifting straps, I like the support of them. Still makes me nervous till the whole thing gets back on the ground or the stand.
That's the kind of OTC set up I used before. I found this one at Summit which looks like it will do the job. The first one I posted here has no "ears" to bolt on the head, just chain links.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/OTC-4305/?rtype=10
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By Hollow Head - 14 Years Ago
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Levellers are excellent devices. So easy to align parts together and to take them apart  .
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