How does one pull an engine from a 85 van? Does it come out the front with a cherry picker? I see the removable bracket on the radiator support, but it looks light a tight fit for the 460 in mine. Any ideas or tips welcome.

Thanks!

 

Never done a van. Here's a general procedure. Looks like fun.


On carbureted engines, remove the air cleaner and intake duct assembly, plus the crankcase ventilation hose.
On fuel injected engines, remove the air intake hoses, PCV tube and carbon canister hose.
Disconnect the battery.
Remove the bumper.
Remove the grille, and gravel deflector.
Remove the upper grille support bracket.
Remove the hood lock support.
Discharge the air conditioning system. See Section 1.
Remove the air conditioning condenser upper mounting brackets.
Remove the condenser. Cap all openings at once!
Disconnect the lines at the compressor. Cap all openings at once!
On trucks with EFI, disconnect the chassis fuel line at the fuel rails.
Disconnect the accelerator linkage and speed control linkage at the carburetor or throttle body.
On EFI models, disconnect the throttle bracket from the upper intake manifold and swing it out of the way with the cables still attached.
Detach the radiator hoses and the automatic transmission cooler lines, if any.
Remove the fan shroud.
Remove the fan.
Remove the radiator.
Pivot the alternator in and detach the wires.
Remove the air cleaner, duct and valve.
Remove the exhaust manifold shroud and flex tube.
Disconnect the automatic transmission shift rod.
Disconnect the fuel and choke lines and detach the vacuum lines at the carburetor.
Remove the carburetor and spacer.
Remove the oil filter.
Detach the exhaust pipe from the manifold.
Unbolt the automatic transmission tube bracket from the cylinder head.
Remove the starter.
Remove the engine mount bolts.
With automatic transmission, remove the converter inspection cover and unbolt the converter from the flexplate.
Unbolt the engine ground cable and support the transmission.
Remove the power steering front bracket.
Detach only one vacuum line at the rear of the intake manifold.
Disconnect the engine wiring loom.
Remove the speed control servo from the manifold.
Detach the compressor clutch wire.
Install a lifting bracket to the intake manifold and attach a floor crane.
Remove the transmission to engine bolts, making sure the transmission is supported.
Remove the engine.

 

rsrxc700

I used an engine lifting plate that mounts at the carburetor flange and you have to choke down tight on the motor to get it out. I had to shorten my lifting chain to two links and then the hook at the end.

Don't lift with the carburetor studs. Take them out and set your lifting plate on the intake and determine the depth of the bolt holes including the plate. Use grade 8 bolts that are just a bit shorter than your holes are deep.

I pulled a 460 from a 79 E-250 for my engine swap.

 

rsrxc700

I forgot to add that "yes" the engine does come out through the front of the vehicle.

 

I changed a 460 in a van once I will never forget and it's not that bad a job. Use the plate to lift ,only lift high enough to completly remove engine mounts then motor will come straight out , might have to remove the bumper to clear the oil pan. This is a not that hard to do, just finished changing a 4.0l in an aerostar, give me full size dog houses anyday.

 

Yes, I had to remove the front bumper on the 79 E-250. And a section of the core support ( it has the hood prop on it ) behind the radiator has to come out. Its bolted in. Or it was on the 79 anyway.

I would say it is more intimidating than anything.

Like said above, not hard at all.