What is the order for reinstalling the engine?

[Fast Eddie B]

Started by taking out the trans. Then the motor, then the radiator and mount... then disassembled the firewall...

I will get the engine bay painted this weekend, what order does everything go back?

I was thinking to reassemble the firewall, then put the trans on the motor, exhaust manifolds, put that in in one piece, then the engine bits like alternator, power steering etc... then the radiator last.

Is that the right way?

 

[Davea Lux]

You can save yourself a lot of trouble getting the engine and transmission back together by installing them as a unit. Can be tricky doing it that way if you are working by yourself. The trick is to get the motor mounts to stay lined up as the transmission is jacked up so that the short cross member can be reinstalled. Be sure to leave the hoist hooked up as you manipulate the transmission into place. You can gain some room to move things about by leaving the exhaust manifolds off until the engine is bolted up. As you suggested, put the firewall back together first. Also, if you suspect the vehicle might need upper control arm bushings, this would be a great time to replace them as they are easy to access with the engine out. You may also need to drop the steering linkage to get enough room to put it back together as a unit.

Dave

 

[Big_John]

I was thinking to reassemble the firewall, then put the trans on the motor, exhaust manifolds, put that in in one piece, then the engine bits like alternator, power steering etc... then the radiator last.

That should work, especially since the radiator yoke is out. Just a few bolts and those fenders will be off and out of the way... Just saying...

A engine tilter/leveler can be your best friend too.

 

[furious70]

With the nose apart like that, definitely put the engine and trans together before you stab it in.

 

[Fast Eddie B]

Thanks for the great suggestions. I have the bay primed. Getting paint tomorrow. It was advice here before that got me to pull the firewall apart and pull out the rad. I really don’t want to pull the fenders off because then I have to fit them back and adjust them. Ugh.I’m not much of a body guy. I would do the upper bushings, but it is a low mile car and I am useless at suspensions. Bad enough I haven’t done a motor swap in 35 years, I have never done suspension work.

I have a buddy to help (the guy who helped pull it apart). I have a load balancer. Just don’t have a cherry picker yet. Pulled it out with a front end loader - never again. Not delicate enough. I will go buy a 2 ton picker at HF. I want this back together by about Christmas and I still have to work. I figure the car will never be worth anything so no point in over restoring. Just want a crazy looking forward-look cruiser. It will run and stop!

 

[Davea Lux]

Thanks for the great suggestions. I have the bay primed. Getting paint tomorrow. It was advice here before that got me to pull the firewall apart and pull out the rad. I really don’t want to pull the fenders off because then I have to fit them back and adjust them. Ugh.I’m not much of a body guy. I would do the upper bushings, but it is a low mile car and I am useless at suspensions. Bad enough I haven’t done a motor swap in 35 years, I have never done suspension work.

I have a buddy to help (the guy who helped pull it apart). I have a load balancer. Just don’t have a cherry picker yet. Pulled it out with a front end loader - never again. Not delicate enough. I will go buy a 2 ton picker at HF. I want this back together by about Christmas and I still have to work. I figure the car will never be worth anything so no point in over restoring. Just want a crazy looking forward-look cruiser. It will run and stop!

A rule of thumb for HF. Buy one size larger lift than you think you need, a lot of their welds are crap.

Dave

 

[moper]

Yup - everything you can bolt on the engine and put in together will make it easier overall. Build the firewall back first, plus any wiring repairs or changes (like Pertronix or gages or whatever), then put the powertrain back in, then the nose back on.

 

[Fast Eddie B]

Getting ready to put the block back in.

But I’m stuck. There is a 7/16” bolt that goes through the bell housing into the block. It bolts to a threaded flange in the block right by the oil filter you see. On the driver side, the bolt goes from the block to the threaded bell housing hole.

There is no room to get a finger or tool up between the TC and housing wall to get the bolt started. I got it in by putting the bolt in the bell housing hole before installing the bell housing. But an hour later and all the finesse and tiny tools poking around up there with a scope camera and I can’t get it started on the threads.

During The original disassembly I was able to get an angle head open end wrench on it for a bunch of painful 1/8th turns and finally ended up cutting it off. I couldn’t back it out far enough to remove it. TC was in the way. Total mystery how they got it in.

Now I am at the reverse and not having any luck!

Could I just not reinstall it? 6 other bolts holding it together.

 

[furious70]

Got a picture?

 

[Fast Eddie B]

Ooops. Meant to post a pic. Not much to see. The bolt is about 6 inches up the housing. Almost against the sidewall of the bellhousing and little more than a wrench thickness away from the TC

 

[78Brougham]

I think a couple of those holes in the bell housing should be for alignment dowels not bolts. They are usually located right where the ones that are sticking out are. Did the engine rebuilder pull them out for some reason?
Or am I mistaken.

 

[Big_John]

I think a couple of those holes in the bell housing should be for alignment dowels not bolts. They are usually located right where the ones that are sticking out are. Did the engine rebuilder pull them out for some reason?
Or am I mistaken.

I'm thinking the same thing. It doesn't explain why there was a bolt in there when you disassembled though.

I guess the question is if there were alignment dowels in place when you assembled the bellhousing to the block?

 

[Fast Eddie B]

I think a couple of those holes in the bell housing should be for alignment dowels not bolts. They are usually located right where the ones that are sticking out are. Did the engine rebuilder pull them out for some reason?
Or am I mistaken.

Alignment pins are still there. One either side. There is also a bolt about 1.25” away from either. Driver side bolts into threaded hole on bellhousing. Passenger side into a threaded flange on block. Severely hidden bolt head. I know it is supposed to be there because I had to wrestle it out.

 

[Big_John]

Alignment pins are still there. One either side. There is also a bolt about 1.25” away from either. Driver side bolts into threaded hole on bellhousing. Passenger side into a threaded flange on block. Severely hidden bolt head. I know it is supposed to be there because I had to wrestle it out.

Can you use an allen head bolt?

 

[Fast Eddie B]

That is worth trying. I will go find a bolt. Clearance is the issue. I would have to cut down an Allen key

 

[78Brougham]

Somethings not right there.... Hmmmm

 

[78Brougham]

I'm not seeing the flexplate on the crank shaft but assuming you bolted the Torque converter to it, you may have to take the torque converter back off, then bolt the bell housing to the engine then put the torque convert in from the bottom and bolt it to the flex plate. Then slide the trans input shaft into the torque converter. Much like an manual trans into the clutch disc.

I think.... LOL

 

[Big_John]

Looking at the pic, and remembering what the rear of that crankshaft looks like, I would try loosening the converter and sliding it back rather than removing it completely.

You may have to remove it, I don't know... Just thinking it might be easier than pulling it off and reinstalling it.

 

[Fast Eddie B]

The TC and bellhousing are exactly as removed last October (‘cept For the new paint...). I believe the manual even said that the TC and ring gear are not serviceable and to replace if bad.

As far as the TC goes, it has 8 bolts that go through a flange on the end of the crankshaft. Getting a torque wrench in there to torque the nuts was a challenge - had to us a torque wrench adaptor and on a 5/8” long-style open end wrench. That was a learning experience. You have to have the torque wrench 90 degrees to the open end wrench to maintain the torque setting. But I got it set right.

There is no room to back off the TC from the crank shaft (width of a nut at best) and then no way to torque them after the housing back on.

I am stumped how they built this. I can’t be the first person challenged by this!

 

[commando1]

I can’t be the first person challenged by this!

I'm kinda shocked myself nobody has been able to help out on this.
Something else is going on, methinks.

Any chance of some sharp close ups?