Engine swap.

[78F250SCCS]

So I'm pullin a engine for my dad. Its a 400 out of a 80's F-250 automatic, and its going into a 78 that had a 400, but the 78 is a standard. I've never installed an engine with a standard tranny. What would be best. To pull the gear box and attach it to the engine then intstall it as one unit. Or to pull the tranny back install then reattach the tranny. Or simply plop the engine in and try and align the engine with the tranny as its going in?????

 

[Fellro]

I generally will split it in frame and reattach in frame. Some will do them motor and trans out of the vehicle, I just feel it is as much if not more work in the end, so I leave the trans in.

 

[BuzzGun79]

i suggest you leave the trans in also.you will have enough to do with the engine swap.remember to install a pilot bearing in the motor going in, along with the standard flywheel & clutch assembley &t.o.bearing.use a clutch aligning tool or spline tool when installing the clutch {the clutch disk installs one way only if you insatall it backwards you will be doing it again}} & once you get that motor lined up & the trans shaft started,it should go in fairly easy.do not go crazy trying to wiggle the motor in during installtion or you will loose the t.o. bearing if it is not started on the shaft.get someone to help you when your ready to install,it makes life alot easier.

 

[Fellro]

Get some log bolts, cut the head off and use them to help you line it all up as well. You just thread them in the bolt holes and then take them out to put the proper bolts in. I put them in the lower holes so they are easier to get back out.

 

[LEB Ben]

I'll echo what the others are saying...I prefer separating the two. It offers more slack and flexibility to help in alignment.

 

[Alvin in AZ]

Get some long bolts, cut the head off and use them to help you line it all
up as well. You just thread them in the bolt holes and then take them out
to put the {P-word removed;} bolts in.

x2

Made these in '79 for the first clutch change out on my '75 F150 in a long
line of having to re-do it about every 20,000 miles...

...made another one that's about 1/2" shorter but hadn't used it yet.

7/16-14 (coarse thread) one 6" and the other 5+1/2".
I dog-nosed them just a few years ago.

Just now got a plan. I'm going to give one of the longer ones to my son
(that got the '75 F250 SC "Farm Truck" going and using it for hauling jobs)
and make him another shorter one too.

Here's one in action...
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/guidepin.jpg
...the ZF slid right up to the locating pins with a simple push of the foot.

The transmission will slide like it's on rails -in or out- when it's resting on
the guide pins in the front and its own crossmember in the back.

IMO, the rear chain should've been behind the drain plug...
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/hoist8m.jpg

I prefer to work on stuff like this by myself so I don't feel hurried. YMMV

http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/hoist1.jpg
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/hoist2.jpg
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/hoist7m.jpg

With the 360FE it needs support at the rear of the oil pan, like an 8" piece
of 2x4 over a bottle jack but the 351w didn't need nothin'. 302 the same?
Go ahead and support 'em-all-anyway because of the transmission?

How does the 351m/400, 460 and 300i6 balance with the transmission etc
removed?

Alvin in AZ
ps- I've always just been a helper on V8 engine swaps.

 

[BuzzGun79]

i did use the bolt trick some time ago installing a 300 6cyl in a van,because the motor is so long its hard to teeter it going in & i had no help,it worked great.a floor jack with a block of wood under the trans pan {auto} or case {manual}also is a great assistant.i jack the trans up as far as it will go,this causes the shaft to point up at an angle & aids in installation as the motor goes in.i just pick the motor up by the water pump snout to the angle the trans shaft is & it all comes together fairly decent,stick a couple bolts in the bell housing & drop the trans jack,then drop the motor into the mounts 9 times out of ten it falls right in the mounts.

 

[78F250SCCS]

Thanks for the tips guys. Thursday I'll be helping my dad, so hopefully everything goes good. He has been working on these rigs for thirty years, I just don't want to look like a newbie when I help him out. Plus its good to pick up a few tricks that will help.

 

[Alvin in AZ]

...pull the transmission
...install {the engine}
...attach the flywheel, clutch and transmission.

^ That's the way I plan to do engine installs by myself.

I've never even -heard- of anyone doing it that way tho! LOL

Everybody I know has just stuffed the engine in there with
the transmission already in place.

A few cowboy buddies have put everything together then
put the cab-back-on-last using a boom truck, but those
were old Chevy pickups that needed cab mounts and all
sorts of other crap because they are friggin trashed from
their flimsy engineering tho. They're the first to admit it.

When we put my 360FE back in after its overhaul we used
the old InterTrashional boom truck and wrestled with it.

I am so super-familiar with my pickup's clutch replacement
I figure there's no use me wrestling with the engine, (that
I'm not familiar with installing) I'll just pull the transmission.

The advantage (for me) is familiarity with -that- process.
And no flywheel or clutch weight on the engine either.

That's not my recommendation to anyone else that's got
helpers that want to do it some other way, go with how
they want to do it! ...is my recommendation to you.

I like working with others and I like doing stuff like that by
myself both. They are both fun for me. The later is cool
because I go real slow and tinker-with-silly-stuff as I go. LOL

Alvin in AZ

 

[BuzzGun79]

Originally Posted by 78F250SCCS View Post
...pull the transmission
...install {the engine}
...attach the flywheel, clutch and transmission.


seems to be the long way to me 78 & its not necessary to do it this way your making more work for yourself.you will not be adding much more weight if you install the flywheel & clutch assembly while the motor is out of the vehicle,i usually dress the motor & put as many items on it possible before it goes in.but thats me & i have a bad back {been doing this my whole life..lol}just trying to save yours.i assume your using a engine lift,mine is a harbor freight special {an inexpensive fold up unit} it handled my 460 which out weighs the 400 with no trouble.a floor jack to support the trans is a big help as i stated above. you can do it! but bottom line do what you feel comfortable with & work safely be patient & take your time.

 

[78F250SCCS]

I never wanted to pull everything, was just askin to see if that was the best way to go with a standard. Anyway we got the old motor out today and stripped down. Turns out my uncle who's truck this is, is going to need a new clutch anyway. So we couldn't get the replacement motor in. It will be a few days to get the flywheel ground. If he brings the flywheel in friday we won't get it back until tuesday at least and hopefully we can find a clutch in town. We are going to need to replace the studs on the manifolds as well, they are almost gone. Might as well get a the little stuff done while the motor is out. We still have time to get it running before the snow flys(this is my uncles plow truck 76 f150 4x4 just to clarify).

 

[BuzzGun79]

Good deal man,thats the smart way to go.now keep the snow up there im getting tired of our Ohio winters..hehe

 

[78F250SCCS]

funny thing is normally we get nailed with the snow, but the past few years its been every where else but here. The snow storms were all around us but never did really hit. We even got rain in January. Crazy weather. Global warming or not, things are definitely changing.

 

[Alvin in AZ]

...pull the transmission
...install {the engine}
...attach the flywheel, clutch and transmission.

seems to be the long way to me.

x2

That method ain't for everybody.
But it might be perfect for some?

Alvin in AZ