Thread: best engine remover?

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Great point but Im still wondering if that aluminum manifold would hold up?

Alex, I'll take aluminum thread tensile strength for 500 please....

2024-T4, 1,710 lbs, times four equals 6,840 lbs.
7075-T73, 1,880 lbs, times four equals 7,520 lbs.

Trust me on this, if 1/4 inch bolts were going to strip out of an aluminum manifold, my feet would be smashed flat by now. It never happened in 50 years of pullin' engines and puttin' engines in.

Well – I’ve used the carburetor plate for a lot of lifts as well at the “factory” lift points installed by GM at the corners of the intake manifold and never had any trouble. Ditto to Tech’s info on the ¼“ bolts. That’s usually the least of my worry. the length of the lift chain and lift height available can be tricky - but hey, I've got a story about a guy who thought a forklift would solve the lift height problems...

I went to a friend’s house to watch his “know-it-all” buddy use a forklift to take an engine out . He had the car outside on a concrete pad, engine bolts out, all cables unhooked and fluids drained. Mr. “don’t-tell-me-what-to-do” made a huge loop of chain and bolted it diagonally across the engine using exhaust manifold holes. He didn’t listen to my advice about his lift chain being too long proceeded to hop on his forklift with either antifreeze or a bit of grease on his shoes and his foot slipped off the brake. In a bit of a panic move, he smashed the brake down, causing the engine to sway and while trying to correct the movement, he put the engine through the windshield and smashed the cowl of a 1963 Corvette. It was real ugly.

Three months in the body shop and a gob of money later the car was ready to put the engine back in (nice 327 - bored thirty over, new “Isky” cam, and believe it or not Jahn’s forged pistons and a pair of’ AFBs) – and he asked for my help. Seems the “forklift kid” was really ticked off at being asked to pay for the damage he caused.

Car ran like a scalded rabbit – but the hood never did fit quite right at the cowl.

All that to say – a carb plate and a cherry picker is a good way to remove an engine.

Regards All,
Glenn