I've only pulled one van engine. It was a 1970's van with a 360 engine. That van was rusted badly and headed to the scrap yard. I left the intake on it and hooked it up as tight as I could to the lift. It would not come out! So I took a sledge hammer and saw zaw and started making the front opening larger. That van had some strong metal in it! Beating and cutting that van up enough to get that engine out was a real hassle!

If I was to EVER do another engine swap in a van, I'd pull the intake and if necessary the heads or the oil pan. It would be a LOT easier to make the engine smaller than to make the grill opening larger!