[Killer Bee]

I'll try replying like that.. apologies for the long winded wall of text but hopefully clears things up a little bit for you

Originally Posted by 71CHEVYSHORTBED402

...I've heard you could do this using as little as a carb. plate on a cast iron manifold. Makes me a bit nervous for some reason. OT, I hear a transmission & torque converter weighs in @ 155ish.
mentioned above, carb plate adapters might be ok for lifting engine assemblies by themselves around the shop but not a good idea for engine and transmission coupled together or even to remove the engine from the vehicle.. besides awkward and reduced adjustability, it's more dangerous.. safer to attach chains to the largest bolt holes in the ends of the heads or block available.. typically 3/8" bracket holes front of one head and rear of the opposite head.. original engine may still have sling eyes bolted to the heads through intake bolts or ends of heads that can be useful.. bolt chains together and avoid hooks when working in vehicles by yourself especially.. loads can get twisted or caught up where you can't see them and hooks can get loose when you're not watching or laying on the floor kicking the jack handle of the cherry picker with one foot and pushing the cherry picker forward with the other foot.. probably not an issue if you're lifting everything out with body off but food for thought..


I doubt you'll ever need a trans jack for your project.. trans jacks are primarily suited to r&r transmissions out of and in to fully assembled, running vehicles... I try to buy the right tools to make the job easy as possible. I tend to make mountains of molehills until once done. Yeah, it's expensive. There's a space issue as well. I'm not young, nor a large guy either, if that makes sense. I may have my brother for help. He's not that healthy. That said, you guys may have talked me out of a transmission jack. yah, transmission jack is really only useful when removing and replacing a transmission by itself in fully assembled vehicles.. if the engine is coming out, typically much easier to pull the transmission with it and separate them outside the vehicle.. allows for cleaning and inspection and definitely easier separation and reassembly.. dropping a converter on your foot ot the floor is much better than trying to catch it over your head.. not trying to scare you by mentioning this more than once but if this is your first one, it's probably going to be a surprise when you separate the transmission for the engine and some fumbling may ensue.. but don't worry, just be paying attention to your body position, feet, and hands and you'll do just fine


pro tip; remove yoke from driveline or procure similar for tool use purposes, and tie back to trans to keep fluid in.. even after draining an auto trans, when tilted enough, they will continue to dribble out the rear seal... Sounds like a plan. yah, no matter WHAT you do short of plugging the output shaft seal opening with an output shaft, those doggone things will dribble everywhere.. duct tape, electrical tape, tape and baggies, baggies and trash bags and tape, etc. never seem to work and just creates more messy trash to clean up after.. and since dragging a fully assembled driveline around the back of the transmission isn't practical and most folks are going to replace the driveline u-joints during overhaul anyways, might as well use the yoke as a tool.. but keep in mind it is heavy so restrain it to the transmission with some small line, heavy duty zip ties, etc..

pro tip; loosen all of the converter bolts leaving only two snug for safety reasons.. when separating the trans later out of the vehicle, this will eliminate most of the wrestling around trying to keep rotating assembly from turning to break them loose.. leave two snug so when you forget the converter bolts were removed, you don't drop the converter on your foot when you separate them.. if you do remember, you can remove the two finger tight bolts, seat converter into trans and separate, removing converter from trans manually without damaging input. You may have lost me. Are you referring to the flex plate to converter bolts? Speak of flex plate bolts, two are easy access. I don't begin to know how to get to the others. yes, I was referring to the six converter bolts through the flexplate.. these bolts are unique in strength and shape.. they're flanged head hex bolts typical, and fastened through the flexplate into thread bosses welded on the converter shell, no nuts.. the engine has to be barred over [rotated] to reveal all six bolts through the access/inspection opening underneath between the transmission case and the engine block.. these bolts are tight and the engine will want to turn while breaking them loose and ironically the engine can be difficult to turn when you're trying to access the next bolt.. so typically, barring the engine over and breaking these six bolts loose is easier with the engine and transmission still in the vehicle because it's solidly mounted and the rotational efforts are easier to manage such as barring the engine or holding it still to break the bolts loose.. you can remove four of them leaving only two hand tight until you're ready to separate the the transmission from the engine when the assembly is outside the vehicle.. you'll see when you get under there.. and you may ask yourself, why not separate the transmission case from the engine and remove the converter after.. that can be risky, can cause damage to the transmission input by misalignment that may not be revealed until after final reassembly.. what a bummer, ask me how I know.. short cuts generally never are.. general rule, remove and install the converter directly to the transmission input to ensure full smooth alignment and engagement..


I'll mention this here although it refers to reassembly.. seat the converter into the trans input fully and then join trans case to the engine block.. then align converter bolts to flexplate, pulling converter out just enough to meet and tighten.. never a good idea to mount converter to flexplate and attempt alignment while joining trans case to engine. Yikes, I don't know what a transfer case is. I got homework to do. my apologies for over abbreviating.. I was only referring to the transmission.. as Mongo mentioned, transfer cases are typically four wheel drive specific and they divide power output from the transmission to the front and rear axles.. generally close coupled to the transmission output side and providing a front and rear output for the two drivelines.. transfer cases often also have high and low gear ranges in four wheel drive to offer deeper gear reduction in 4x but generally only have high range in 2x or 1:1 ratio meaning no influence.. I think I covered the importance of the order of disassembly/reassembly above..

in most cases where the engine is being removed, it's less overall trouble to remove the trans with it and separate them on the bench/floor.. hoist leveling adjustment bars on the engine hoist with anchor chains positioned front and rear of the engine block/heads should allow more than ample tilt angle to clear front core supports when body is not removed.. in your case with body removed, balance point shifted more to the rear of the engine will offset the trans weight and should lift straight up and out.. You guys talked me into pulling the engine/trans together using the heads. I have an equalizer etc.. Let's say I lay these on the floor, carefully. Doesn't damage the oil pan huh? Also, if it's on the floor, at the moment I can't visualize how to remove the transmission from the engine. Mongo already covered this but I'll add a coupe of things.. the rear of the engine block has two large dowels that the transmission case [bell housing] aligns on when coupled together.. these dowels are tight fit to ensure engine crankshaft and transmission input shaft centerline.. very important to mind these dowels and do not mutilate or remove them.. so because of the snug fit, the transmission case may not simply fall off the back of the engine block, it may have to be persuaded and may break away swiftly.. this is why we keep the converter on the transmission and remove the remaining hand tight torque converter bolts just before separating..

when I lift engine and trans assemblies out together, I usually lower the trans onto a wood pallet or something similar to support the trans and separate the engine near level so not to force misalignment on trans input.. Good advice, I'll provide for that. when the engine and transmission assembly is clear of the vehicle, leveled, and lowered close to the floor, you'll be able to see the height differences between the two sump pans.. I use a wood pallet or blocks to give the transmission a smooth place to slide on so I don't fumble the converter or damage anything.. this platform only needs to be high enough for the transmission to land on while the engine sump is still off the ground.. remember, the lifting attachments are both on the engine so it will swing away when gently nudged from the transmission resting firmly on its pallet, work bench, whatever fits in your environment.. you may also have to adjust the leveling device on your chains, you'll be able to tell when you start to loosen the transmission case bolts.. this method keeps the transmission still and consequently the converter should stay put.. a helper may be a good idea for the first one so you each can manage the major components.. once the engine is free, the converter is verified still fully inserted or fully removed by hand, the engine can be parked on a piece of wood on the floor with only slight pressure on the sump to hold it still.. you can shoot the flex plate bolts off of the crankshaft with an impact for less wrestling around or plant the engine a little firmer on some wood blocks, insert the sump pan through a large tire, multiple methods will do.. once the flexplate is removed, you can mount your engine stand brackets to the back of the engine block and hoist it up to the stand.. and voila, easy peasy