Engine installation methods

[Mrbill426]

I am curious about what different install methods folks here have used, specifically for up and in rather than drop in of the engine/transmission/K-frame marriage like the factory apparently did.  What equipment home made or bought... lessons learned... even horror stories if you dare.
Pictures worth thousands of words.

Thanks

[anlauto]

Back in 1993 when I was restoring my 1971 Duster Twister, that was all the rage back then in the 94 show season.....I had been reading plenty of Mopar magazines and articles about putting the engines in from the bottom....So one night a couple of buddies got together, we took the 318 off of the engine stand, bolted up the 904 and proceeded to set it on the K frame on the floor of my buddies garage on a couple of blocks of wood. At this time I was still restoring cars in my Mom's backyard...we never had a garage.... I supplied the beer that night, the guys just lifted the front of the Duster off the stands and over the little 318 and dropped it down...I was laying on the concrete floor telling them where to move it so I could start the bolts..

It was a pretty crude process that night, but it actually went pretty slick...I never looked back....since that night I've installed 38 engine/transmission combos of every configuration right up to the latest 392/5 speed...all from the bottom.

Not really a lot has change....I now do all my work in my wife's two car garage, no hoist, no buddies around, so I use an engine hoist to lift the front of the car. For years I used the base of an engine stand as a makeshift cart to set the engines on, but eventually made a simple U shaped cart with four wheels to roll the engines under the car...It takes me, by myself, about 20 mins to install everything...No big fancy shop, no special tools or fancy carts....this method works just fine for me....
...I never counted how many engines came OUT this way as well 

[Mrbill426]

@anlauto thanks for your input and photos.    That front end is UP there... gotta be scary the first time.   How do you go about getting the K-frame and front car frame rails to end up on a parallel plain so you can bolt them together?

[anlauto]

Once the front frame rail lands on the front K frame front bolt hole, I line them up and start the front two bolts. The gap at the rear bolt is at the very most 1/2" usually I can start all four bolts at the same time with a bit of wiggling. Then I roll a jack under the car and jack up the back of the transmission and bolt up the tranny cross member mount....usually the hardest part lying on the floor...it's pretty tight...

Just to be clear...this is the way I do it....I've been doing it 28 years without incident or spending extra money on hoists or fancy carts..
There are dozens of other ways to do the same job, maybe safer, maybe quicker, maybe easier, hopefully others will chime in

....You need to do whatever works best for you.

[Mrbill426]

@anlauto  Got it.   And yes hopefully others will chime in with their up-and-in methods. Right now I have the assembled K frame with suspension on a heavy duty (battery) pallet with 4 point casters, while the engine and transmission are still in the works so I am in the early stages.  I wasn't planning on putting the fenders and the rest of the front metal on until the engine was in.
Thanks!

Once the front frame rail lands on the front K frame front bolt hole, I line them up and start the front two bolts. The gap at the rear bolt is at the very most 1/2" usually I can start all four bolts at the same time with a bit of wiggling. Then I roll a jack under the car and jack up the back of the transmission and bolt up the tranny cross member mount....usually the hardest part lying on the floor...it's pretty tight...

Just to be clear...this is the way I do it....I've been doing it 28 years without incident or spending extra money on hoists or fancy carts..
There are dozens of other ways to do the same job, maybe safer, maybe quicker, maybe easier, hopefully others will chime in

....You need to do whatever works best for you.

[Mrbill426]

@anlauto looks like you are the Master   

Thanks Sir

[tparker]

I'll be using the tried and true wiggle and cram method in a few weeks. Rent a lift, cram the engine in with some wiggles.   

@anlauto That looks interesting. Not sure I am ready for all that.  It actually looks like more work disconnecting and reconnecting all the suspension parts.

[anlauto]

Going in from the bottom is really only beneficial if you're restoring the whole car..., if you're just removing the engine for repair or something, you're likely better off coming out the top

[IRON MAN]

If you are installing engine from the bottom, Stumpy's sells engine cradle's with or without casters. I have used them for Ford, GM, and lately my AMX. Here is a photo of the cradle supporting the weight of the AMX390/automatic. The rv lift is lowered in photo. Few minutes later I rolled it under the AMX. Used a cherry picker to raise engine. Zero collateral damage.

[70vert]

I have always lowered the motor with transmission together, tilt it in. never really had any issues though it does help to have an assistant.

Not tried the complete w/K-member, probably because I just have an engine hoist and no way to lift the front end like Alan showed. And doing the motor with trans separate seems like it would be a huge pain, but I've not tried it.

[anlauto]

I have always lowered the motor with transmission together, tilt it in. never really had any issues though it does help to have an assistant.

Not tried the complete w/K-member, probably because I just have an engine hoist and no way to lift the front end like Alan showed. And doing the motor with trans separate seems like it would be a huge pain, but I've not tried it.

All I use is the typical engine hoist, nothing fancy

[Chryco Psycho]

I have only done it from the bottom for a very long time now , cleaner faster & easier .
I do use a different method tho , using 4 jack stands & raise the rear high with 2 stands under the front leaf spring eye , then raise the front , using the weight of the rear as a counter balance you can easily lift the front with your legs , block the front up roll the engine under & lower the body back down & bolt up the K frame & trans crossmember , this way the engine can be virtually complete before installation including the wiring so all you have to do is plug in the bulkhead harness & washer pump & horns .

[Mrbill426]

@Chryco Psycho any photos of that method???

I have only done it from the bottom for a very long time now , cleaner faster & easier .
I do use a different method tho , using 4 jack stands & raise the rear high with 2 stands under the front leaf spring eye , then raise the front , using the weight of the rear as a counter balance you can easily lift the front with your legs , block the front up roll the engine under & lower the body back down & bolt up the K frame & trans crossmember , this way the engine can be virtually complete before installation including the wiring so all you have to do is plug in the bulkhead harness & washer pump & horns .

[Burdar]

Used an old set of bumper brackets to lift the front of the Challenger for engine install.  Worked fine.  The cherry picker was little close to the car but it still worked fine.


For the Dart I used 1/4" thick angle iron and drilled holes to mount them to the front bumper mounts.  Works great.  The cherry picker stays away from the body so you have plenty of room to maneuver the engine into place.  I went to the hardware store and bought 6' of heavy chain which was rated at way more weight then necessary.

I initially used 1/8" angle iron for the Dart.  It worked fine for just lifting up the body.  However, once the engine was in, I picked up the front end to move the car into the corner.  The 1/8" angle started to flex with the combined car/engine/trans/K-member weight.  So, I upgraded to the 1/4" thick for piece of mind.
 

[Chryco Psycho]

@Mrbill426
Yes I took lots of pics , all on my computer then my wife left with my computer so , I don't have any but I did it numerous times , withe the rear suspension & diff in place acting as a counter weight it is an easy lift using just you legs & a friend to block the car up , I bet I installed at least 20 engines this way including 2nd gen Hemis, I did both of Dfrazz / 303Mopar s cars this way 4 years ago , I bet he has pictures still .