do you pull engine or engine and trans together?
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Junior User
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do you pull engine or engine and trans together?
i have an 84 f150 300 six with C6 automatic, and it took forever to get the motor back into the transmission, because all my helpers were away and i couldn't wait. so i was wondering if i had pulled the engine and transmission together, is that easier in the long run? i have a floor jack with an adapter so i could maneuver the transmission around fairly easily. i'm just curious as to how much harder it is to pull and install the combined weight and size of the engine and trans together. what do you guys prefer, especially when helpers are hard to find or a bit inept 
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Kuna ID
I usually just pull the engine unless I need to pull the transmission as well. I never pull an engine though without an extra set of hands. The only time I pulled a transmission with an engine for ease of assembly was when working on a 1983 Trans Am. It was physically impossible for me or my friend to reach the top bell housing bolts so we had to pull both out.
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Joined: May 2007
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I did my 351C and C6 together about a year ago on my own, although all the front end panels were off at the time. Also, I used an A-frame gantry with a block and tackle, I wouldn't attempt to lift that much weight just on an engine crane.
I do most engine changes (other cars) with gearbox attached. I think there's no worse job than trying to get an engine/gearbox to mate while you're jiggling the engine from the engine bay and the tranny from under the car. I'd say an adjustable balance beam engine lifter would be immensely helpful if you're going to try it that way. PITA to try and get to the block/bellhousing bolts on some cars too.
I do most engine changes (other cars) with gearbox attached. I think there's no worse job than trying to get an engine/gearbox to mate while you're jiggling the engine from the engine bay and the tranny from under the car. I'd say an adjustable balance beam engine lifter would be immensely helpful if you're going to try it that way. PITA to try and get to the block/bellhousing bolts on some cars too.
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I do htings the hard way some time, but in my Tbird I never took the motor out without the tranny, but on the truck, I didn't want to deal with the tranny at the time, so I left it in the truck.
When the motor was done, I was surprised how easy it was to get it all mated back up with the tranny still in. There is just so much room in our engine bays (more in yours with the I6, I have a 460)
I don't remember what I hooked too, but I took a ratchet style tie-down and ran t under the bellhousing and tightened it real good before I took the motor out, so the tranny was more or less level, and it worked great.
Heck, I think this is the only vehicle I've ever worked on with a V8 (other than a Lexus GS400) that I took the starter out from the top of the engine bay... I love this truck...
When the motor was done, I was surprised how easy it was to get it all mated back up with the tranny still in. There is just so much room in our engine bays (more in yours with the I6, I have a 460)
I don't remember what I hooked too, but I took a ratchet style tie-down and ran t under the bellhousing and tightened it real good before I took the motor out, so the tranny was more or less level, and it worked great.
Heck, I think this is the only vehicle I've ever worked on with a V8 (other than a Lexus GS400) that I took the starter out from the top of the engine bay... I love this truck...
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From: Virginia
In my experience, if you pull the engine and tranny together, you need one of those leveler things with the hand crank. It's the only way you are going to get the assembly tilited enough to get it out, unless you take the whole front of the truck off. If you don't have a tilt/leveler gizmo, what I have had to do is pull the engine/tranny combo up and as far forward as I can, and then sit the oil pan down on the crossmember and balance the tranny on blocks, and then re-attach the chain to lift more on the front of the engine, to get it tilted up far enough to get out. And then you have to deal with the tailshaft of the tranny hitting the radiator support, but this usually can be lifted up by hand.
I personally would pull the tranny, and then the engine, especially if you have a concrete floor. You can do this by yourself also. If you put the floor jack under the tranny so the handle sticks out toward the front of the truck, as the jack goes down, it will also naturally go toward the rear also, and it pulls right out of the engine with a little jiggling.
I personally would pull the tranny, and then the engine, especially if you have a concrete floor. You can do this by yourself also. If you put the floor jack under the tranny so the handle sticks out toward the front of the truck, as the jack goes down, it will also naturally go toward the rear also, and it pulls right out of the engine with a little jiggling.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: patricia ab canada
i usually just pull the engine.i use a come along attached to the back of the engine to control the tilt it works like a dream.i usually do engines by myself,most of my friends are not mechanically inclined and **** me off more than help,so i opt to do it myself.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: The Vieux Ford, Kansas
The 300 is long enough by itself, I would separate the two for sure. I have always been able to sneak them just by pulling the radiator but pretty sure that wouldn't work if you had the trans bolted on.
-Johnboy
-Johnboy
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