Engine Rebuild, Tips?

[discot315]

So i wrecked something in my motor a few months ago and decided to rebuild my motor in school this year because i have a couple mechanics blocks and spare blocks I worked full-time over the summer to save up some money to work on my truck and im still working part-time during school and imgoing to order a rebuild kit.

I was just wondering if theres anything i need to know or any tips anybody could give me for doing this and what to do to the motor.
So far i have a few things off of the motor and the oil drained, guna get ready to pull it in the next few days if all goes well. Any tips or advice would be great! any part suggestions or anything i will appreciate.
Thanks! -Trevor

[beastie_3]

350?

[Lt.Del]

get a digital camera and take pics of everything while pulling the engine so you'll know how it goes back.  I'm talking vacuum lines (an '80 model has a bunch), carb linkage, trans lines, starter wires, alt wires, fan belt routing, everything....when i pulled my 79 350 out, I took literally hundreds...even have my vacuum line pics on line

www.delbridge.net/vacuum.html

www.delbridge.net/install

get some ziplock bags and a sharpie and label all bolts that you take out so you know where they go back.
 

[discot315]

Thanks for the replys. Yeah its a 350 i just drained all the coolant today and got the rad out next step is to undo the headers and tranny then the motor mounts and pull it! im hoping to have it out by friday.
I have been taking a few pictures but il start taking more now that you mention it and the idea with the bags and the sharpie is a great i dea i didnt think of, i checked out the pictures of your swap and the carb and stuff looks alot like what mine does, did you get a new carb on the new motor? or just clean it up

[eventhorizon66]

I have a copy of this dvd and I think it's well worth the price:

http://store.boxwrench.net/Basic-Engine-Building-DVD_p_8.html

[Lt.Del]

did you get a new carb on the new motor? or just clean it up

I gotta new edelbrock carb and so glad I did...the engine and all had over 150k miles on it.  The new carb on the new engine runs sooooo good.

[Lt.Del]

also, you need torque specs putting everything back and building the engine.  Chilton's or hayne's manualis good for torque specs.

also, David Vizard is a wizard on building sbc's.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_adv_b/?search-alias=stripbooks&unfiltered=1&field-keywords=&field-author=vizard&field-title=chevy&field-isbn=&field-publisher=&node=&field-p_n_condition-type=&field-feature_browse-bin=&field-binding_browse-bin=&field-subject=&field-language=&field-dateop=&field-datemod=&field-dateyear=&sort=relevanceexprank&Adv-Srch-Books-Submit.x=0&Adv-Srch-Books-Submit.y=0

[discot315]

Ya i have a hane's manual for all that it helps alot lol
Ok i was thinking if i should replace my carb or not, i have one off a 74 Chev i was thinking of rebuilding and using but not sure.

I have the motor almost ready to pull, i got the motor mount bolts off and i have the crane holding the motor and got the bolts from the tranny to the motor off i just dont know how the get the motor off of the tranny now, is there a certain way to do it? i didnt wana try and pull it off until i knew if there was a way or something..

[Grim 82]

Did you remove the torque converter bolts? Keep the converter in the trans. The motor should lift right off and away.

If you have a manual trans the motor will have to slide a good ways forward, and I find it's alot easier to remove the motor mounts from the frame. If you haven't already done so, I recommend removing the radiator so you don't cave it in with the motor.

Make sure you don't crash your dist. into the firewall. I always take at least the cap off.

[Lt.Del]

the torque converter is probably still bolted to the engine's flywheel.  Make sure you remove the little nuts on the torque converter.  Remove the trans crossmember/driveshaft/ linkage.  You may then be able to gently pry the trans from the engine block.  I don't think you have to remove starter, but, might as well since you gotta remove it anyway eventually.

Remove the kickdown cable from the carb to trans.  The radiator cooling lines for trans, too.

[Psycho71]

And you'll need to support the front of the tranny. A floor jack or jack stand will work just fine. If you don't support it, it will give you fits and ultimately tip down when you do get the motor loose from it.

[discot315]

Alright thats a big help, my tranny is a manual ya. I have almost everything i can get off, off of it i will post a picture of my progress later when im home im at school right now where im working on it. I have a jack under the tranny for when the motors off.

I have the radiator and starter and distributor off already, i have the motor mount bolts off and i have the crane on it and i tried lifting it but it lifted the tranny and t-case and all that so i stopped. So i have to move it forward then up and off?  If thats the case then i guess il take the motor mounts off the frame it well be alot easier. Im just wondering if theres anything I gotta do with like the clutch or flywheel or anything to maybe free the motor?? or does it just come off, lol. Thanks for the replys!

[Grim 82]

Yeah I would remove the motor mounts from the frame and then it will slide forward easier. It will need to go forward about 6-8".  Your clutch is bolted to your flywheel and it will all come out together with the motor. That's why it has to slide forward so far to come loose. When you go to put the clutch back on you will need a clutch pilot tool to get it lined back up again. If you are going through all the trouble I would recommend re-surfacing the flywheel, replace the clutch and throw out bearing, and replace the pilot bushing while you have it apart, if you plan on keeping the manual trans in it. Now would also be the time to replace the motor mounts. I just did this recently on mine, except for the clutch & flywheel business because I swapped in an auto.

[Lt.Del]

once unbolted from the bellhousing, the manual trans should pull out towards the rear of vehicle.  The pressure plate is inside the bellhousing and keeps the clutch disc bolted to the flywheel until you pull trans to get to it.

[discot315]

Im not taking out the tranny if i can help it i just wana pull the motor and put it back in.
Before i left school today i sprayed where the motor mounts connect with the frame with PB Blaster, lol should be ready to take em off when i get back there. Yeah i figured since im redoing most things on the motor i may as well add a new clutch in there too. Whats a advantage to replacing the motor mounts?? And when i get the motor out the clutch and flywheel will come off? i dont have to do anything else?