Hoisting engine

[Corey Bowcutt]

I am preparing to pull my engine.  Is it safe with the aluminum intake to attached one of these engine lift plates to pull the engine?  If not what is the best way?

Thank you,

Corey

[KR Convertible]

I had concerns with that on my big block.  It worked fine.

[Bob Gaines]

I had concerns with that on my big block.  It worked fine.

+1. it has been done by hundreds or thousands for many years. Just be sure the plate is bolted down good and not loose.

[Coralsnake]

You will find some interesting videos on that subject

No worries on the aluminum intake

[Corey Bowcutt]

Thank you all!

[Steve McDonald Formally known as Mcdonas]

it seems like the 4 little studs would break but they hold up up OK
Did you get a engine crane yet?

[Corey Bowcutt]

it seems like the 4 little studs would break but they hold up up OK
Did you get a engine crane yet?

No not yet.  May just rent one.

Corey

[gt350bp]

Corey,

The plate works fine. I would also suggest an engine tilter, as it makes engine removal and installation a one man job. I jacked the back end of my KR high in the air and was able to set everything with ease.

Don
gt350bp

[1109RWHP]

I did not trust the welds on those Chinese plates so I made my own from angle iron.

[Corey Bowcutt]

That looks mighty substantial!

Corey

[shelbydoug]

I did not trust the welds on those Chinese plates so I made my own from angle iron.

Fist off, NICE DELRIN FUEL LOG!  Where'd ya' get that idea form?

The angle iron that you used will hold up a 10 story building. The issue, IF there is one, is that you are lifting 500 pounds on 5/16" soft steel studs on an aluminum casting which really isn't designed for that. An iron intake would do much better.

There have been many that pull an engine this way so it obviously is safe, so why not? Personally, I've never done it that way.


Looking at how the factory lift brackets are attached into the heads with even in the case of a 650 pound FE with a single 3/8" bolt into each head, that one looks worrysome as well but is a piece of cake other then you are leaning on the sides of the valve covers.

I like to bolt up to the bellhousing and one of the accessory bolt holes in the heads like for the alternator, etc. and use the balancer to aim the the engine in.

Don't forget that if you are pulling out the transmission bolted up, that's another 300 pounds, so with an FE, that's 1,000 pounds to reach over with the hoist with.

Coming out is not so much of an issue, threading the needle back in is another issue, but that's not for today, that's for tomorrow.

Try this in a Pantera with about 1/2" to spare. It's challenging and the engine goes in only one way and you need to find it.

[KR Convertible]

it seems like the 4 little studs would break but they hold up up OK
Did you get a engine crane yet?

No not yet.  May just rent one.

Corey

One of the arms on your lift would work perfectly as a cherry picker.  I've done it many times.

[Bob Gaines]

 I and others use a Mac's pivot plate. You can adjust the angle as needed. It can be pricey if only using once. I use it numerous times a year.

[Chris Thauberger]

Not out...but in...

https://youtu.be/w4iS2vaA79I

[shelbydoug]

An FE is a shoehorn job but not as difficult as a Pantera is.

In the "Shelby" you need to get the car up in the front and way up in the rear. What happens is the tailshaft will drag on the floor and you need to make sure that you have a plug in it to keep the fluid from leaking out all over the floor.

I actually think that the rear of the cart needs to be hoisted along with the engine angled down. It's pretty easy to scratch up all of the nice engine compartment paint.


Corey, don't worry. That's an FE going in. Yours is a little block. It's child's play by comparison.

Notice in particular how the arm on the boom is bending "just a little"? 

That's something like 800 to 1,000 pounds in total but shows that one person can do it.