I have a 69 camaro with a 350 turbo and 350 Small block. I want to swap the motor and have to decide how to deal with the transmission. Factory recommends taking them out combined as a unit. Ok, that could be a lot of awkwardly balanced weight and I'm hesitant. Is there any other way? Looks like the connecting bolts along the top of the housing are completely hidden under the cowl and inaccessible!!!

If you fellas have seen a good thread that deals with this- just let me know where to go read it.

If I am doing just a motor swap I leave the trans in the car. I was a professional mechinic for over ten years so I might have a few trick tools not found in the average do it yourself tool box. Those top two bolts on the bell housing are definatly a PITA in a Camaro. I pull the distributor before attacking them.

Jeff

There've been a number of threads on this.

I always take em together.
I use a load levelor on the hoist. It has a screwjack to shift the balance point as needed during the pull, and 4 drop chains to attach to the motor.

Welcome to Team Camaro!

Like Jim said, the leveler on the hoist is the easiest way to pull everything in a controlled manner. That way, all you have to do is remove the distributor, plug the tailshaft and cooler line fittings, unbolt everything, and remove it with a minimum of mess.

If you want to leave the trans in place, you can usually get to the bellhousing bolts with everything still in the car; yes, it it tight quarters, but if you can get underneath and reach up over the bell, you can usually get them all. If you then can turn the flexplate and unbolt the torque converter, you can leave the converter on the trans to reduce the mess you're going to make.

I will see if I can find some good discussion here.

Welcome to Team Camaro -- I'm sure you'll get a lot of opinions, but I like to take the motor and tranny out together. The bell housing bolts are somewhat of a pain to get to, and I think its easier when the motor and tranny are together to drop them back in the car.

Thanks Fellas. We were originally going to take this motor out with a fork lift. I guess I'll have to consider reverting to the more traditional pulling rig given that I'll have to compensate for the balance point shifting as it angles out. That's what makes separating the transmission while still in the car a bit attractive- I can pull the motor very fast given the method available. Will have to mull it over!

With an auto trans I leave it. Support the front of the trans, unbolt the flex plate from the converter, unbolt the bell housing and you're good to go. If you pull the trans you'll have to remove drive shaft, cross member, speedo cable, shift cable, and cooling lines.

Those top two bolts aren't too bad with the hood off you can get them from the top with a ratchet wrench pretty easy.

Edit: I guess I repeated some of the above info, call it confirmation of information.

i left the trans in the car

the bolts arent that hard to get at.. there was 6 IIRC, i just put a jack stand under the trans to hold it in place

after i removed the engine i just jacked the trans up, pushed the crossmember out of the way and lower the trans down and pushed it out from under the car

and this is all on jack stands too, not a lift or anything

I yanked out a 454 in a 70 Chevelle SS454 without removing the TH350 tranny!.....Not that hard considering it was 104 degrees that day and all I was wearing was my underpants!:yes::thumbsup:

Maybe i can give you a hand, how far from Pittsburgh are you?

With the crossmember out and trans supported with a floor jack you can lower the rear of the trans to make those 2 bolts easier to get at with some extensions. It works for me.

Maybe i can give you a hand, how far from Pittsburgh are you?

i live in pittsburgh also if im closer to him

i live in pittsburgh also if im closer to him

What part? Maybe we can meet up sometime or something?
alex

I yanked out a 454 in a 70 Chevelle SS454 without removing the TH350 tranny!.....Not that hard considering it was 104 degrees that day and all I was wearing was my underpants!:yes::thumbsup:

Way to much information. :eek::eek:

Way to much information. :eek::eek:


I know!!:yes:.....The smell was also horrible!!:yes::D:thumbsup: