68 Engine Placement
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 28
Likes: 4
68 Engine Placement
Hey guys,
My wife and I have spent half of today at this point trying to simply put the 390 back in the engine bay. I have the manual tranny jacked up, just cant seem to get it to quite go where I need it to go. You guys have any tricks/tips? What the hell am I missing?! My wifey is gaining an appreciation for how hard this stuff can be!!
My wife and I have spent half of today at this point trying to simply put the 390 back in the engine bay. I have the manual tranny jacked up, just cant seem to get it to quite go where I need it to go. You guys have any tricks/tips? What the hell am I missing?! My wifey is gaining an appreciation for how hard this stuff can be!!
Super Moderator
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 34,466
Likes: 2,798
I had a similar problem installing a transmission. Input alignment and throw out issues led me to install the bell on the trans first. Do you have room to move the trans back and install after the motor is in? Including pulling the bell?
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,669
Likes: 371
The way you wrote this, it sounds like you're trying to line up the engine to tranny and motor mounts to motor supports at the same time. I don't think that's possible.
Definitely need a clutch alignment tool...clutch disk has to be centered well. Hopefully you have the engine hung in such a way you can lean it a little side to side and tilt it front to back a little as needed. I watch top and bottom of engine where it meets the bell housing. I want top and bottom to be equal distance from bell housing. If it's lined up right, it will slide nearly completely together by leaning on the engine a little. You can draw it the last 1/8 inch or so with the bell housing bolts. Just don't try to draw the engine into the bell housing using the bolts if it's farther apart than that...you'll mess up something.
For motor mounts, I have lined up one side, screwed a nut on a few turns, and then use pry bars to help guide the other side into place.
One time a builder used dowel pins that were too long in the engine where it meets the bell housing...shouldn't be more than about 5/8 inch sticking out of the block.
Installing an engine is a tedious job that requires patience and cautious action.
Definitely need a clutch alignment tool...clutch disk has to be centered well. Hopefully you have the engine hung in such a way you can lean it a little side to side and tilt it front to back a little as needed. I watch top and bottom of engine where it meets the bell housing. I want top and bottom to be equal distance from bell housing. If it's lined up right, it will slide nearly completely together by leaning on the engine a little. You can draw it the last 1/8 inch or so with the bell housing bolts. Just don't try to draw the engine into the bell housing using the bolts if it's farther apart than that...you'll mess up something.
For motor mounts, I have lined up one side, screwed a nut on a few turns, and then use pry bars to help guide the other side into place.
One time a builder used dowel pins that were too long in the engine where it meets the bell housing...shouldn't be more than about 5/8 inch sticking out of the block.
Installing an engine is a tedious job that requires patience and cautious action.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 2,233
Likes: 297
From: Kenner,La.
Try this also.
unbolt the motor mount to frame brackets and have them hanging from the engine mounts with the nuts. If you do not have a pilot shaft alinment tool remove the clutch from the flywheel and hang the pressure plate on the transmission nose and slide the disc on the splines. After the bellhousing and engine are together then rebolt the pressure plate to the flywheel. This way you just have to engage the pilot bushing.
I did it this way on a dump truck because it was easier to pull the engine forward than fighting the pto shaft and transmission.
unbolt the motor mount to frame brackets and have them hanging from the engine mounts with the nuts. If you do not have a pilot shaft alinment tool remove the clutch from the flywheel and hang the pressure plate on the transmission nose and slide the disc on the splines. After the bellhousing and engine are together then rebolt the pressure plate to the flywheel. This way you just have to engage the pilot bushing.
I did it this way on a dump truck because it was easier to pull the engine forward than fighting the pto shaft and transmission.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 8,678
Likes: 191
From: On the Edge of the Desert
Get it on the transmission first and then worry about the mounts.
The tranny moves, the mounts don't.
The tranny moves, the mounts don't.
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Senior User
Joined: May 2018
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From: Hico
Although it sounds like more work, it saves a bunch of time in the end and a lot of fighting around things. Take the front clip (fenders, grille, hood, etc.) off, pull the tranny out, mate the engine and trans out side of the truck, and slide it in all at once. It'll save a lot of hassle.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,592
Likes: 10
From: **** hole San Jose ca.
I've done this so many times by myself you just have to work a little slower. As I've found with two people it don't work so good.
I leave it with the bell housing on or off the engine. I make up two short lengths of all thread about as long as like 2" two+ studs screwed into one upper & one lower side of the tranny or the bell housing with the tranny jacked up as high as you can get it. Me, I leave the motor mount bolted to the engine since I've mastered the R&R the motor doing it by myself since 1978 a few times. Now, I slowly lower the eng. into place at the correct angle, now if your not using one of those engine hoist till adjusters then your going to really be fighting it to get it aligned. I've had to R&R my Nv 4500 5spd a couple of times an also use tranny bell housing screw in studs in the bell housing for alignment also.
Well that's my way of doing it single handed !!
Orich
I leave it with the bell housing on or off the engine. I make up two short lengths of all thread about as long as like 2" two+ studs screwed into one upper & one lower side of the tranny or the bell housing with the tranny jacked up as high as you can get it. Me, I leave the motor mount bolted to the engine since I've mastered the R&R the motor doing it by myself since 1978 a few times. Now, I slowly lower the eng. into place at the correct angle, now if your not using one of those engine hoist till adjusters then your going to really be fighting it to get it aligned. I've had to R&R my Nv 4500 5spd a couple of times an also use tranny bell housing screw in studs in the bell housing for alignment also.
Well that's my way of doing it single handed !!
Orich
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 1,276
Likes: 12
From: KY
Hey guys,
My wife and I have spent half of today at this point trying to simply put the 390 back in the engine bay. I have the manual tranny jacked up, just cant seem to get it to quite go where I need it to go. You guys have any tricks/tips? What the hell am I missing?! My wifey is gaining an appreciation for how hard this stuff can be!!
My wife and I have spent half of today at this point trying to simply put the 390 back in the engine bay. I have the manual tranny jacked up, just cant seem to get it to quite go where I need it to go. You guys have any tricks/tips? What the hell am I missing?! My wifey is gaining an appreciation for how hard this stuff can be!!
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,592
Likes: 10
From: **** hole San Jose ca.
One thing I forgot to say about installing the eng. is if you have not thought of it, is putting the trans into gear like1st gear an turn the rear tail shaft a little back & fourth to get the spline to lineup an slip in. All while using some studs in the block or the bell housing depending how your trying to install the eng.
You may have remove the drive line at the rear axle to be able to do this.
Most of the time you can turn the drive line if it's a dana 60.with unbolting it at the u-joint.
Orich
You may have remove the drive line at the rear axle to be able to do this.
Most of the time you can turn the drive line if it's a dana 60.with unbolting it at the u-joint.
Orich
Thread Starter
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 28
Likes: 4
Hey guys!! Thanks for all your replys!! I hadn't forgotten about you, just have time to f with it on the weekends so its that time of week again!! Figured out one of the dowel pins had stayed stuck in the tranny rather than coming with the engine...tried working it off for a while but am now in search of a welder so i can weld onto it, get ahold of it, and twist it off.
I do not have a clutch alignment tool, but cant for the life of me figure out why I would actually need it. Can you guys me more of your .02 on why that helps so much?!
Thanks again,
Brian
P.S. I can already tell my tool budget is gonna be bigger next year because the wifey is definitely grasping how having the right tool makes alllllll this so much easier as she works on it with me!!
I do not have a clutch alignment tool, but cant for the life of me figure out why I would actually need it. Can you guys me more of your .02 on why that helps so much?!
Thanks again,
Brian
P.S. I can already tell my tool budget is gonna be bigger next year because the wifey is definitely grasping how having the right tool makes alllllll this so much easier as she works on it with me!!
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 1,276
Likes: 12
From: KY
Hey guys!! Thanks for all your replys!! I hadn't forgotten about you, just have time to f with it on the weekends so its that time of week again!! Figured out one of the dowel pins had stayed stuck in the tranny rather than coming with the engine...tried working it off for a while but am now in search of a welder so i can weld onto it, get ahold of it, and twist it off.
I do not have a clutch alignment tool, but cant for the life of me figure out why I would actually need it. Can you guys me more of your .02 on why that helps so much?!
Thanks again,
Brian
P.S. I can already tell my tool budget is gonna be bigger next year because the wifey is definitely grasping how having the right tool makes alllllll this so much easier as she works on it with me!!
I do not have a clutch alignment tool, but cant for the life of me figure out why I would actually need it. Can you guys me more of your .02 on why that helps so much?!
Thanks again,
Brian
P.S. I can already tell my tool budget is gonna be bigger next year because the wifey is definitely grasping how having the right tool makes alllllll this so much easier as she works on it with me!!