I am preparing to remove the engine from the Duster. It's a 340. I will be needing some serious advice. First, I can't remove the tranny (an 833), as the manual says to do. How can I leave the tranny in the car, but remove the engine? Next, do I remove the engine with the biscuit mounts attached, or leave them attached to the K-frame? So far, I have disconnected all the wiring, removed the battery and cables, removed the fan, radiator and shroud. I have a cherry picker ready to go, along with an engine stand. I also have an engine leveler. Also, what is a good way to clean the block before I paint it?

Sorry about all the questions, but I really want to get this engine out soon, as I took a week of vacation just for this.

Not sure why you can't remove tranny with engine but I suppose just disconnect the bell housing from the engine and flex plate from the clutch and wire or block the tranny up. As for the motor mounts, do what ever is easiest. Usually there's a nut on the bottom where they sit in the chassis. Been a while since I've pulled a motor but what works for me won't always work for others. Don't over complicate it. You can worry about re-assembly when you put it back in. Are you re-building the engine? I am assuming your not going to all this trouble just to paint the engine. Right? If so you should send it out to have the block acid dipped/boiled. That will take care of the painting issues. Just make sure you rinse it good when you get it back. They don't always do a thorough job.

Others, chime in and fill in the gaps and errors for me Been 10+ years since I've yanked a motor

Why not pull the engine and trans as a unit? You can remove the engine without removing the trans, but you'll have a bear of a time trying to get the input shaft to line up through the clutch and pilot bushing when you try to install it. If it were me, I would pull the shift linkage, driveline, and crossmember, seal the rear of the trans with either a slip yoke, or plastic bags and duct tape, to keep oil from leaking everywhere, and pull it all together. Since you have a cherry picker, and an engine leveler, you should be able to maneuver it without much difficulty. I have found it easier to leave the biscuit mounts on the engine, and loosen them slightly so you can move them some when you install the engine. Easy-Off oven cleaner works well to clean up the engine before painting. Just be sure to rinse it well and dry the engine thoroughly before you paint it.

pull the eng/trans together & bisquit mts come up with the eng. I ALWAYS drop the center steering link. Grab a helper. Take your time so you dont scratch/ding anything. When I have the block as clean as I want it I spray it with several $1.25 cans of starting fluid which gets into nooks & crannies & flashes off in several minutes.

So, why is it easier to pull the engine and tranny together instead of leaving the tranny in the car, besides getting the slines to align? The room I have to work in is limited, and for me it would be much easier to work with only the engine. Besides that, things keep coming up and my time is getting shorter as the week goes on.

Why is it that when I have the time to work on this thing, other things come up to take up that alleged spare time? Is it just me that this happens to?

Stay up later

Tom

If that were all it takes to get this done, I would stay up all night every night!!!

Only tricky part will be lining it all back up on re-install. Only other thing may be the drivers side exhaust manifold maybe? Does'nt it exit under steering column, requiring some extra hijinx?

I've already checked the clearance on both manifolds. Gonna be tight, but with the cherry picker and engine leveler, it should be much easier. This is gonna be just me, so I really don't want to to try to struggle with both engine and tranny.

Pulling a motor is only a few hours job,
even by yourself.
where are you located? maybe someone could
help you with it.

I'm sure I will manage, I just don't want to struggle with both the engine and tranny by myself. I understand the alignment problem. Hopefully the cherry picker and the leveler will make that easier, as well.

I've pulled a few motors by myself and I found that keeping the crane stationary and moving the car helped. It will roll much easier than the crane and as long as the work surface is flat it should be a piece of cake. Raise the motor off the mounts, push the car back a little, repeat a bunch of times and it'll be out. It is easier to pull the motor only, but putting it back in without the tranny, even if you have help, is a real pain to line eveything up. Done that too.

Just use chocks to limit movement so the car doesn't roll away.

I'm pulling mine from the bottom, motor tranny Kframe suspension and all. Gonna paint engine bay and detail engine.

does the trans need to come out of the car?? if not leave it in. If you are going to replace pull it at the same time. Before you pick it make sure the trans is braced up. That will save you time later when you re-install the motor. Make sure you have everything out of the way. I'd pull the battery tray too. drop the exhaust and slide it aside. Put heavy blankets on the firewall and fenders/inner fenders. Have a buddy help guide the engine out as you raise and pull it. It's really not that hard. Also get a big catch baisen. You'll be suprised how much coolant is left in the block.

you dont have to take the trans out with the engine but as others have said getting the input shaft back in can be a pain. i had to have a helper to get it inserted all the way. There are four bolts that connect the bellhousing to the trans. take those out and remove the motor mount bolts and yank it out.

Thanks for all the replies. The car is on dollies, so rolling it is sort of out of the question. These dollies don't roll too easy. This crane is a top of the line model (borrowed from my nephew), and rolls easy, at least right now it does. I was planning on placing a bottle jack under the tranny, and a block of wood between the tranny and the jack. Then using the jack and wood to support the tranny, I could concentrate on pulling the engine. I too plan on detailing the engine bay after the engine is out of the car. I also plan on changing the heads to Eddies, and changing out the cam, lifters, timing chain and gears, and replacing the water pump and timing cover, as well as the freeze plugs. Then I wanted to paint the block before it went back into the car. Sound good so far?

That's a big investment of time and money not to rebuild at this point. I usualy build another motor then switch them out. Any way everybody does things differently. I drop the trans from underneith then pull the motor.

Basicaly you need to just go out there and do it, befor your vacation is over. It gets easier every time you do it. It isn't anything all that tough. You will learn as you go.

Murphy's law will get you but do not let it trouble you. It should only take you a couple of hours to pull. like mentioned befor there is going to be alot more fluid in there than you might think.

Have fun, it's all part of the hoby. Let us know how it goes.

I would highly recommend you have a helper when you do this.