Labor Time Estimate?

[Lt.Del]

Just take your time.  If you have a digital camera, take many pics as you remove parts.  It is all straight forward.  You will have much pride in yourself once you accomplish the project.  Take your battery out first.  You must then pull the transmission since it is a manual.  Remove the cross member under the trans. Remove driveshaft, mark the rear of the shaft w/ chalk or tape and a similar alignment mark on your differentials, so you line it up correctly.  Note how the trans linkage is before you remove all of it.  

A good trick to do is buy a pack of ziplock bags.  Get a black magic marker.  One bag could be reserved for each item you remove.  Label it accordingly (ie: alternator bolts, hood bolts, motor mount bolts, drive shaft u-bolts, carb bolts, starter bolts, trans bolts, a/c compressor bolts, water pump bolts, radiator bolts, etc.. you get the idea).  

Get new fuel line that goes from pump to carb.  Remove fuel pump b4 taking motor out so you wont hit that against something.

Get new exhaust manifold gaskets.  You can either remove the manifolds from the heads then take the motor out, or remove the pipe going to the manifolds. My bolts for the flange where the pipe meets the manifold where pretty corroded, so I didn't bother loosening these, i just unbolted the manifolds from the heads.  It was a little tricky lining the bolt holes back up to the new heads, but w/ patience, it was completed.

Take masking tape and mark the spark plug wires.  Remove the distributor so you wont break it when taking the motor out.  Mark the alt. wire clip. Take negative cable off. Ensure you remove the ground wire attached from block to firewall.  Make a note how the carb linkage is attached.  Get new motor mounts when you put the new motor in--they're inexpensive.  Get a new water pump if the new motor doens't come w/ it....i got a high volume type from NAPA ($80). Get new fan belts, plugs, coil, cap and rotor.

I have many, many pics I took when i removed my old 350.  I can attach them here or email them to ya when you're working on it.  

 
SgtDel
www.delbridge.net

Edited by: SgtDel at: 10/24/05 3:18 pm

[Bobby Nelson]

Del,
What do you mean by the Alternator wire clip? Also, the ground that is attached to my firewall is just hanging free right now. I had no idea where it went and what it accomplished, but I can see it just hanging free right now and it has been for a long time.....

I suppose if my trans has a leaking front seal, now would be a good time to have it replaced also.

Did your 383 come with a distibutor or did you buy a new one and or use your old one? When I buy parts such as the water-pump etc, are they the same parts as a 350 would be. Do I need to tell the parts guys what motor I have?/

Thanks

[DnStClr]

Bobby, is the ground strap hanging from the firewall near the passenger side of the engine? There should be a strap from the firewall to the engine in that location. It's an engine ground.

[Bobby Nelson]

Yes, the strap is hooked to the firewall, but just hanging loose and attached to nothing. It doesn't appear that it is long enough to reach the block anywhere? It is about 7 or 8 inches long. There has been no ill effects that i can tell from this not being connected?

[roundedline]

It needs to be connected.  That is an important ground wire.  It should connect to the back of the head or the tranny mount.

Chris Lucas
www.73-87chevytrucks.com
www.captkaoscustoms.com
Project Su
Jimmy 2WD Project

[Lt.Del]

When buying parts for it, just tell the parts guy it is a 350.  It is, afterall, a 350 block, just the crank, flywheel and damper are from a 400. Chances are, all parts are the same anyway, small block chevy is a small block chevy, be it a 350 or 400.  Everything, and I mean everything, from my 350 bolted to my 383.  

The distributor did not come w/ the motor.  I simply took the old one out of my 350 and with new coil, cap, rotor, placed it in the 383.

The ground strap, as Chris stated, usually connects to the cylinder head just below the valve cover.  You have the same accessory holes (alt brackets, ac compressor brackets, etc)on both ends of the cylinder heads, they can be inverted front to back.  The holes aren't needed on the back side of the head where the firewall is, you can find a bolt that fits the threads of these holes and attach it to that.  The strap looks like a braided strap w/a 3/8 or 7/16 bolt head holding it to the firewall.  The is the primary ground on your negative ground system.  Chances are your vehicle chasis now is getting ground from the engine, via transmission bolts (ie crossmember or driveshaft) The motor mounts may fulfill the negative circuit but there is a lot of rubber insulation there. Exhaust system can complete the circuit too. But you need the ground strap fro least resistance of negative ground....see pic



I told you I had a lot of pics while taking my old motor out.

The alternator clip is just the wires (hot) that lead to a white plastic clip that clips to the side of the alt.  It charges your battery and provides the positive current to your vehicle. You may not need to label that if you can remember where it goes.  



And don't forget to mark your hood hinges w/ chalk or crayon when removing it.



Andy

SgtDel

Edited by: SgtDel at: 10/24/05 11:15 pm