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Today as I was doing some wire fixing, I was looking at that 351M with tall Morosso valve covers in my A/C truck, and I know the day is coming it's gonna need a right side exhaust manifold or a fix of this one, and then there is those studs and bolts that like to stick after 33 years in ... and I do have that near finished 400 short block on a stand. My plan was to use the heads that are on the 351M today ... on the 400 when goes in ... as they had 16 new guides and valves put in when refreshed about 35,xxx ago. After getting the truck painted, seeing all the effort goes into lining body parts up, I'm not gonna want to remove a front clip. Even if I did, still would want to send heads to refresh them.
Just occurred to me today, why not just strip the intake, carb, alt, etc off my 351M, take heads to machine shop, then pull starter, etc, Then pull the short block alone, sure would come up out of that hole easier. Might not need to remove the hood even Then, pull the exhaust manifold and fix it or swap my good one in loosely to the side. Then put the 400 short block in in place of the naked 351M short block, do the starter, etc. Then reinstall the re-freshed heads, intake, etc ... along with my good exhaust manifolds onto the 400 then living in the truck.
It would be a lot like when I swapped these heads onto the truck in my driveway in 1990 to replace the originals which had a burnt valve or two, except while the heads are off, swapping short blocks. I even have the originals off the 400 still, they're under my basement steps. I was building my house, so I stripped these heads off a wrecked big '79 Thunderbird at a buddies shop one afternoon and had them refreshed so I could swap them onto my truck one afternoon to minimize down time. Then I took the old 351M heads and put them in the Thunderbird as my buddy just wanted the weight, they went to scrap in that Thunderbird.
I'd need things like cam, lifters, maybe motor mount rubber, etc, but I'll need those anyway.
I'm thinking ... but really if the truck didn't have that persistent "tick tick" exhaust leak and the lumpy cam lope, I'd be happy with the 351M.
I wonder now ... if a C-6 front seal alone can be replaced without pulling it out and turning it up on end? Not the front pump, just the seal.
All in all, like doing it in small bits instead of "whole hog".
the only reason I would do it piecemeal is if my lift didn't have the capacity to pull the entire engine...SO much easier to work on the engine outside the truck...I would pull it all in one piece.
Agreed, it's time saved re aligning the front clip vs working on it over the fenders and core support. Also no risk of scratching those fenders either.
Checking lifter preload is almost impossible to check accurately on some cylinders (brake master and booster) and I'd assume factory ac box if you have such ac.
Yes you can replace the front seal while the trans is sitting in the frame. If there is no drain plug on the converter be careful you don't dump trans fluid all over you. Then you can get at the seal.
Front clip, you can leave the hood attached just brace between splash pans at hood mount area. Use the engine hoist, set the thing off on some carpet and foam, or use the guest room mattress if your wife's gone for long weekend. Protect your paint around door gaps and cowl with some cardboard. The height you will have to lift a short block over the grill will make you remove the hood at least, then a couple of hundred times of crawling over fenders. If you already done the alignments, you are already experienced at it. Engine work on engine stand hands down better than under the hood.
Front clip, you can leave the hood attached just brace between splash pans at hood mount area. Use the engine hoist, set the thing off on some carpet and foam, or use the guest room mattress if your wife's gone for long weekend. Protect your paint around door gaps and cowl with some cardboard. The height you will have to lift a short block over the grill will make you remove the hood at least, then a couple of hundred times of crawling over fenders. If you already done the alignments, you are already experienced at it. Engine work on engine stand hands down better than under the hood.
Thank You Sir!
I know the lowest part oil pan will have to rise just as high over the radiator support, but with no heads or intake on the short block, I can shorten the link from hoist hook to block top by a lot for both removal and install, plus it'll be narrower and some good deal lighter. I could even build a bolt on hook plate to attach to the top of the short block instead of chaining it, I can model it on my 400 on the stand and it'll work to pull the 351M naked short block as well once heads are off. I can use the same shop hoist to assist with getting the heads up over and in between inner fenders if need be, but last time I made a wooden table like out of scrap to set them up on before I climbed up onto the radiator support and placed my feet on inner fenders to set heads on.. I agree on the engine work on a stand, but then the whole box of cookies must be installed as a heavier, harder to handle, unit.
Once the short block is located in place, heads and intake and etc ... are but a piece of cake. My hoist is equipped with a 2500 lb winch over a pulley out at hook end too so with hood up, just use the winch for first stage to draw short block up to hoist arm, then secure with the hoist hook, roll back out of bay. I have a large wooden box, and some 22" alloy wheels that all make great "step-ups" to reach over my padded fenders. I am fine with hood removal, then hinge removal too. I could quickly build two tables, one to sit on both fender tops then ... of wood ... with padding.
If I dis-asemble the engine removing intake (aluminum) and carb, etc, then remove head bolts and exhaust manifold bolts, I can use my shop hoist to lift them one by one out and over the radiator support, no strain on my back. Then deal with a short block which is not only lighter, but shorter than a full engine. Make my lifting sling adjustable for angle, hold the outer hook end closer to the block or just set it in place, use the cable to lift the engine up to clear the radiator support. I've got a long roll of fender protection pad.
I've had everything out at one time or another except the short block. I've had it down to just a short block twice. I have a set of good heads I can have "re-built". I have the gaskets and seals. Most expensive need after heads is a cam choice, lifters, springs too maybe. When I get the truck back (soon, very soon), I'm gonna do some serious measuring.... the more I think on it, the better I like it.
I even have a covered carport 25x20 with a LEVEL concrete floor wikth outlets, lights, and windows where I can hang my XM boombox..
I will never pull a complete motor again WITHOUT pulling the complete front clip. 14 bolts, a little ect...and done.
I'd rather set on a tire than lean over a fender any day.
And...this may seem out of sequence but before taking your truck apart.... ALIGN THE BODY PANELS! When you're satisfied with gaps and positioning, drill 1/8-inch alignment holes at hood and door hinges, brackets, and at body panel overlaps and flanges. Or sharpie mark them, the door and hood hinges if you are going to pull them.
For example, this is the cowl to inner fender bracket and it is adjustable vertically and horizontally. Therefore two holes are required. The same applies to the hood hinges. Insert the drill bits to index the part and bolt it down... it is EXACTLY where it was before removal.
If you don't like random holes, the hole(s) can be hidden under the washers. I just dab and wipe a lil black RTV to seal it up. Or before pulling the hood or doors, scribe or sharpie the hood hinge position (all the way around) on the underside of the hood. Pulling the doors, scribe or sharpie the hinge placement on the cab, leave the hinges on the doors.
I just had a new idea looking at you pics, besides pulling the radiator, just pull the front bumper and grille and then just fab a removable section across top of radiator support, don't lift it over anything ... bring it straight out through the radiator hole. I don't have many close by that I'd expect to help get a front clip and hood off without damage.
Note to self... this is NOT the way to do that. You can do it with a cherry picker all by your self. These FTE folks got it going on! Or more like coming off!
And...this may seem out of sequence but before taking your truck apart.... ALIGN THE BODY PANELS! When you're satisfied with gaps and positioning, drill 1/8-inch alignment holes at hood and door hinges, brackets, and at body panel overlaps and flanges. Or sharpie mark them, the door and hood hinges if you are going to pull them.
For example, this is the cowl to inner fender bracket and it is adjustable vertically and horizontally. Therefore two holes are required. The same applies to the hood hinges. Insert the drill bits to index the part and bolt it down... it is EXACTLY where it was before removal.
If you don't like random holes, the hole(s) can be hidden under the washers. I just dab and wipe a lil black RTV to seal it up. Or before pulling the hood or doors, scribe or sharpie the hood hinge position (all the way around) on the underside of the hood. Pulling the doors, scribe or sharpie the hinge placement on the cab, leave the hinges on the doors.
@tbear853
Your heads with bronze guides should still be very runnable today. My recommendation is check for straightness, because right now is a good time to surface them if needed for sleeping sound at night, wishing you would've. hahaha
At a minimum, I would hand lap the valves for a good seal.
I refurbed a carboned-up 400M for a crew cab re-do.
All of the oiling rings were stuck TIGHT with carbon. Bores were standard and in nice shape.
I carefully removed rings and cleaned all carbon out of piston ring glands and drilled the return holes open.
All cylinder's were Glaze-Broke with nice cross-hatching, valves lapped and engine re-assembled.
WoWie, that 400M was a nice running engine when re-installed.
A Fed-X driver pulled in behind me one day, and asked if he could purchase the Crew Cab. I told him he could have it for $5k in 3-months after finishing my Frame-off Crew Cab which I would be keeping.
We crossed paths two years later, and he said that 400M was a super nice engine.
That does look radical. I'd likely pull the hood before cutting my grille, or even radiator support. And if I pull the hood, I'd just pull the engine in one big bite.
Originally Posted by Greaser007
@tbear853
Your heads with bronze guides should still be very runnable today. My recommendation is check for straightness, because right now is a good time to surface them if needed for sleeping sound at night, wishing you would've. hahaha
At a minimum, I would hand lap the valves for a good seal.
I refurbed a carboned-up 400M for a crew cab re-do.
All of the oiling rings were stuck TIGHT with carbon. Bores were standard and in nice shape.
I carefully removed rings and cleaned all carbon out of piston ring glands and drilled the return holes open.
All cylinder's were Glaze-Broke with nice cross-hatching, valves lapped and engine re-assembled.
WoWie, that 400M was a nice running engine when re-installed.
A Fed-X driver pulled in behind me one day, and asked if he could purchase the Crew Cab. I told him he could have it for $5k in 3-months after finishing my Frame-off Crew Cab which I would be keeping.
We crossed paths two years later, and he said that 400M was a super nice engine.
I feel like your right, why I mentioned them earlier ... and without question if I reuse them, they'd get resurfaced and valves cleaned up first. At best, it's something I won't do until fall at least.
I once traded a 140,xxx mile wore out 396 for a smoking fresh built 350 LT-1 out of a '70.5 Z-28, I was gonna rebuild it, rings, etc.... pulled pistons, bores looked new, all ring gaps all in perfect alignment at top of piston, all 8 sets. Bearings looked great too. I regasketed it, rotated the rings, put her together, no smoke ... run like a raped ape. You could hear those pistons swapping holes when cold.
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