383 engine removal ?

[Vermont Rock]

70 Road Runner, 383, 4 speed.
Well, the time has arrived to actually pull the engine. I'm in a home garage so time & space are limited, but I do have a cherry picker, balancing tool & engine stand. Anyone remove the 383 with the 4 speed gearbox still attached ? Let me know the best (easiest ? ) way to do to this. Thanks, Rocket

 

[zyzzyx]

Yes! Block the K-Frame and trans on a furniture dolly/platform, and then take out the K-frame bolts (4places) and the four trans cross support bolts and nuts. Put the CherryPicker on the two front frame railsor bumper and lift the body off of the engene, just like in the factory. You won't scratch or dent anything, like the firewall, and the body comes right off! Of course, you do have to disconnect the torsion bars and the shocksand also the pitman arm, but this is much easier. The whole unit will not come out the top without re-balancing and alot of help from your friends. Good luck!

 

[Cranky]

Pulled dozens of engines from the top with the transmission still attached. Yeah, you have to be more careful not to ding up stuff but if you need to rebuild the front end too, what zy said above makes more sense. If you've never pulled an engine, it's a good idea to go ahead and get someone there that has experience. I learned by doing it myself but back then, cars were just cars to enjoy and beat the snot out of. Today, they have become much more and you don't want to mess em up.

 

[440beep]

If you can and have 6 ton jackstands, jacked up the rear end as high as you can go and rest the rear axle on the jackstands. This will help pulling the motor and tranny out with the clearance to pull the tranny out.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

I've changed the engine in my '70 Road Runner myself four times since I've owned it. I've found it's easiest to leave the manual transmission in the car & just unbolt the 4 trans-to-bellhousing bolts.

 

[Mopars & Missiles]

View attachment 294826

View attachment 294827

Lee, looks like you had some help from 'Bumble Bee Bob'. ccasion14:

 

[Speedbird]

What about these plates that bolt to the intake manifold carb base?
What I'm concerned and asking about is that the four bolts (holes) seem pretty small to be supporting all that weight.
Plus the stress on the cast intake.
I've got to put a 440 and four speed in and I'm looking how to do that since I normally use four bolts somewhere on the block and four chains. But with the distributor in the front right area is sort hard to route the chain there and I would like to use a carb plate like I think he has in the picture.

 

[440beep]

Yep, that's Super Bee Bob!

Lee, looks like you had some help from 'Bumble Bee Bob'. ccasion14:

- - - Updated - - -

Shouldn't be an issue. People have been doing it this way forever. And my intake is the Edelbrock Six Pack aluminum intake and I still felt comfortable lifting it via the intake.

What about these plates that bolt to the intake manifold carb base?
What I'm concerned and asking about is that the four bolts (holes) seem pretty small to be supporting all that weight.
Plus the stress on the cast intake.
I've got to put a 440 and four speed in and I'm looking how to do that since I normally use four bolts somewhere on the block and four chains. But with the distributor in the front right area is sort hard to route the chain there and I would like to use a carb plate like I think he has in the picture.

 

[70runner]

Borrow/fab dolly, then find a friend with a tractor/fork lift attachment...

 

[SlinktRR]

I've changed the engine in my '70 Road Runner myself four times since I've owned it. I've found it's easiest to leave the manual transmission in the car & just unbolt the 4 trans-to-bellhousing bolts.

same here, first time needed help but 2nd and third I used mac's pivot plate to pull the entire drivetrain out from the top on my own. It makes it a lot easier to do the install. Dont worry about the intake, it can take the weight.

http://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/category/pivot-engine-lift-plate

 

[Chargerjase]

Here is a good tutorial on the subject

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=88358

 

[Vermont Rock]

Using a 2 ton cherry picker & an adjustable load leveler the entire engine/trans. assembly lifted out with no trouble.
Thanks to everyone for your advice.
Rocket

 

[dirtypamopar]

Shouldn't be an issue. I just did this with my Charger a few months ago, pulled the 383 with the automatic transmission attached and put back in the same day. Hardest part is doing it slowly and not damaging anything on the way in or out. Don't worry about the bolts to the intake.....they can hold the weight...guys have been doing it this way for ages.