I have a 400 drivetrain that I am going to put into a 65 and it need some TLC but not a rebuild. I would like to clean it down really well and repaint it all. I know I can remove some parts and do them separately but what about the block, tranny, heads, etc. Is there a good way to do this?


Thanks,
Shane

 

Scrapers, parts brush, tooth brush, small wire brushes, mineral spirits & have at it. It just takes some time and effort to make it come out nice.

 

Grab a couple cans of foaming engine cleaner/degreaser too... it will take a lot off, or at least ea at it and loosen it so the scrapping and brushing will be easier.

G.

 

Grab a couple cans of foaming engine cleaner/degreaser too... it will take a lot off, or at least ea at it and loosen it so the scrapping and brushing will be easier.

G.

 

A couple of questions:

1) Can any type of pressure washing be used? I dont know what it would do to any seals.

2) What is a good way of sitting the engine for this? Leave it chained to the picker?


Thanks!
Shane

 

IMO, I'd remove the carb, put some gasket type seal on, and a block-off plate/engine holder and hang it from that. The carb will not like any overspray clogging any moving parts.

Then stuff paper towel into the exhaust ports, and any other opening, before spraying paint.

 

The intake will support the weight of the engine and trans?

 

Yeah, carb off would be good...
Good point there, you don't want paint on the surfaces where the carb and exhaust manifolds/headers bolt on(if they are off), and the it won't seal good over the paint. Stick bolts in any open bolt holes to avoid filling the threads with paint, but crank them out before the paint on them fully sets or the paint itself sealing them to the engine might make them hard to get out.

 

Hanging on a cherry picker/hoist, the trans will pull that end down to the ground anyway, so lift it in the air, and rest the output end of the trans on a block or something. Lower it to level.

 

Get some wood blocks (I use 4x4s) to rest the motor mounts on. You can leave it on the picker, but that will get the weight off and hold it still. Use foaming engine brite, a good wire brush, and then pressure wash. Soak shop rags in wd-40 (not paper towels), and stuff them everywhere you don't want the water to go.

I'd recommend using a chain and a couple of longer bolts than stock to hold up an engine/trans combo. Usually one bolt replacing a bellhousing to engine bolt and one bolt in the front of the diagonally opposite head (there should be an extra threaded hole). I've never liked the idea of that much weight on the threaded carb-stud holes of the intake.

 

The more I think about it, the more I'm thinking of getting this:





and

 

They are 100% worth it. Makes everything easier from when you buy them, on out...

Edit: Especially when you have an airgun to hook up to the tranny jack, makes things go so much faster.

 

Well I have a 400, 460, and 352 that all need work-the 352 a full rebuild so I might as well get the right stuff...

 

Truth. Those transmission jacks are dumbly expensive, even used where I found them, but I tried to weld up a transmission holding chain down saddle for my regular floor jack, and then made an "adapter" for the top of that to put up my t case at the appropriate angle, and it all got together, but it took 2 days, and I ended up chest pressing it all in by hand, and as well as that really being pretty dangerous, it's not something that I ever want to do again. Buy good stuff for your projects, and only move forward as fast as money allows.
AleX

 

Personally, i won' trust working on an engine on a hoist alone... its like working on a truck on the jack but not jack stands. I at least lower onto some stacked 4x4s. The engine sands are nice too, 'cause you can spin it upside down if you need to.

An alternative to spendy tranny jacks are lifts made for motorcycles... cheaper, and it works great.

G.