[bkfj55]

I was looking over the bread van yesterday and looks like it is a bit tight for the cherry picker.

Any tips of what to cut on the aluminum front clip to enable the engine to come out easier? I was thinking of just cutting the front aluminum angle as opposed to just drilling the rivets out. I have someone who is interested in the van and is going to put it back on the road with another engine...

Any tips for removing the engine out of the tiny little space?

I am planning to separate the engine from the sm465 in the truck and then pull the sm465 after...good idea?

These are some basic questions, but thought that someone who has pulled a few of these might offer some insight..

Brian
Harrisonburg, VA

 

[mcinfantry]

i can remove the engine and tranny in one piece through the side door in less than 30 minutes. no cutting on the truck required

 

[65scout4bt]

I just did it; it has been cover before on the old forum, but for simplicity....

It goes out through the side door; you would have to butcher the front end to get it out that way.

These are the steps I took (you could defiantly skip some steps and not remove some stuff but I removed any thing that was easy to remove)...

1. Remove doghouse and floor above transmission along with all related cross bracing that can be easily removed

2. Remove fuel lines, hoses, wires, alternator and power steering pump. Disconnect exhaust

3. Remove the transmission

4. Remove flywheel and flywheel housing (not necessary but it makes the engine come out of the side door easier i.e. you don’t have to turn it)

5. Remove 1 piece of the throttle lever that sticks out (Don’t remove the whole throttle lever as it is indexed on the shaft and you will have to retime the pump if not correctly removed. )

6. Remove front passenger wheel, place on jack stand

7 Lift engine, swing to center of door way, pull strait out.

That’s it; I would suggest having somebody to help. I didn’t and the thing kicked my butt. Plus I was also on dirt in the back yard and that didn’t help much either.

Start to finish about 8hrs
Your results may vary...

I have a few pictures of the disassembly before the extraction if you are interested...

 

[bkfj55]

That goes to show you how much harder I would've made it on myself....

thanks for the tips....

any pictures would be greatly appreciated - I'm thinking this would be a great start to a FAQ...


bk

 

[bkfj55]

i can remove the engine and tranny in one piece through the side door in less than 30 minutes. no cutting on the truck required

so what are your tricks?

bk

 

[BobS]

One shortcut to the above. You can unplug the wiring harness at the firewall and cut a couple of wires that run up to the rad support instead of disconnecting each individual wire. The harness will hang over the front of the engine. This also lets you splice and solder into the 4BT harness on you transplanted engine.

 

[mcinfantry]

jam the engine lift/forklift arm in the door. unhook the rad hoses, the fuel lines, the motor mounts and the exhaust, driveshaft and shift linkage. i have pulled a th400 and a sm465 still attached to the 4bt this way. pick it up and swivel on the way out. i only keep the solenoid wire when i pull it. i leave the rest as i fab my on anyway.

 

[BigWheelBob]

I have actually pulled them out the front also without to much trouble. Just make sure you have the truck up about a foot in the front on jack stands. Thats how I did mine, when I installed the 427, and the 4x4 engine crossmember.

 

[BobS]

I pulled a few from the front also but there wasn't much of the van left when I finished!

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

LOL I did the front clip once too because of limited cement so no way to roll out the motor from the side. Used a sawzall.. Was still a total PITA, I definitely recommend from the side with removal of the doghouse and pulling everything in once piece... Watch your floor for fluid leakage when you separate the auto and the torque converter...

 

[K204DR]

when you pull it all at once thru the side door, where do you hook the chain, just on the rear of the engine, or two you hook it to the trans and front of the motor?

 

[DarylB]

If you're not worried about the frame, Avant & Co did it this way - They would cut the frame behind the body mounts and lift the body & Rear frame off the front-clip and you've got the motor + entire front suspension in 1 piece.

 

[Warthog]

jam the engine lift/forklift arm in the door. unhook the rad hoses, the fuel lines, the motor mounts and the exhaust, driveshaft and shift linkage. i have pulled a th400 and a sm465 still attached to the 4bt this way. pick it up and swivel on the way out. i only keep the solenoid wire when i pull it. i leave the rest as i fab my on anyway.

Bumping to the top.

Hey McInfantry, How do you clear the tranny tail housing? Just trying to envision the twist & turning required to make this work.

I am building a M715 with the 4bta and TH400 tranny. If you would like to share any tips or tricks that would be greatly appreciated.

Warthog

 

[CrewCab59]

I pull the engines and trans bolted all together , once you have everything unhooked have the trans come out the door 1st and then the engine .To do this you'll need a hook that swivels .

Scott

 

[Warthog]

I just picked up the truck the end of last week. I really haven't had a chance to look at it.

I was trying to envision taken the engine/tranny combo out the engine cover opening. Coundn't get a grasp on it. Upon closer inspection I discovered the secret. The floor and supports unbolt and allow total access to pull the unit.

Okay, I feel so much like a dweeb. :rasta:

On another note , does anyone have suggestions on how to remove the box from the frame? I would like to keep the box intact for storage and use the frame for another project.

The plans so far are: unbolt the box, jack it up, pull the frame out, lower box onto railroad ties. Any suggestions?

 

[ordiesel]

Just pulled a 4bt out of a 91 GMC p35. After pulling out the sm465 by hand. We loaded the cherry picker via the lift ramp, rolled it up to the front and butted it up as far as it would go, then we extended the boom and hooked on to the 4bt and lifted it enough to clear the mounts.

Then front casters were only 1/2-3/4" from the edge of the floor opening, but with one person CAREFULLY guiding the casters and the other pulling on the cherry picker we gently moved the engine out 1-2" per pull.

Once clear of all impediments, we raised the engine and placed it on an engine cradle and unloaded everything using the lift on the back of the van.

We were surprised at how easy it went.