bassackwards
1/2 ton status
I'm pulling my 5.7 to make way for the new 383 and am having a tough time. How do you access the top 2 bellhousing bolts? I got the other 4 and really hope to not pull the trans too.
CK5
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Sold my 5.7 and having a bear getting it out!
- Thread starter bassackwards
- Start date
swivel socket and long extensions
Kain
3/4 ton status
crows foot long extension
if attached to a hoist, remove engine mounts and lower engine.
Remove distributor, drop transmission crossmember and lower transmission, then reach with long extensions... you can then put the crossmember back to pull the engine. However, it is always simplier to pull the transmission first, may as well replace input and output seals while you have the engine out.
bassackwards
1/2 ton status
I actually got them from the top after getting the distributor, coil, fuel lines, wiring harness off. Not bad at all. The stud with the trans vent was worse with crud in the threads
Those 2 bolts do suck to get at unless your truck has a body lift--I have been able to get most of them loose with two long extensions ,long enough to put your ratchet behind the transfer case..a few I had to break loose the hard way,sitting on a piece of wood across the front fenders and using a box end wrench..a gear wrench would be best,but they weren't around when I was doing engine swaps..
We had to torch off a few of those hard to reach bolts at the junkyard,in order to get the transmission off--the bolts had been torqued by a gorilla and the heads rounded over!.....the bolt heads were able to be blown off by the torch quickly enough not to harm the bell housing ,but keeping the vehicle from starting on fire was a challenge,as a ton of dry pine needles had accumulated around the cowl section..
Putting bolts with a flange head & built in washer in that location make for easier removal if there is a next time..the oem bolts with the thin hex and no washer makes for painful removal and they are easy to round off..
We had to torch off a few of those hard to reach bolts at the junkyard,in order to get the transmission off--the bolts had been torqued by a gorilla and the heads rounded over!.....the bolt heads were able to be blown off by the torch quickly enough not to harm the bell housing ,but keeping the vehicle from starting on fire was a challenge,as a ton of dry pine needles had accumulated around the cowl section..
Putting bolts with a flange head & built in washer in that location make for easier removal if there is a next time..the oem bolts with the thin hex and no washer makes for painful removal and they are easy to round off..
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I like your idea...
My best luck with top bellhousing bolts was with the truck facing East, running a series of long extensions past the transmission before sunset. It's not hard to lower the whole t-case and trans on the crossmember, as long as dizzy is out.
My best luck with top bellhousing bolts was with the truck facing East, running a series of long extensions past the transmission before sunset. It's not hard to lower the whole t-case and trans on the crossmember, as long as dizzy is out.
Having a long box end wrench helps a lot getting those top bolts out--or double up two wrenches to reach them easier and get more leverage..
In my experience the trans cross member is a suck pill to remove too,especially the upper bolts that go thru the top of the frame--if you can get those two top bolts out,it saves a lot more work having to drop the cross member..
One truck I did,I removed the front cab mount bolts and was able to jack up the cab enough to get at those bolts with the long extensions easier..it was a stock pickup 2wd,and the top of the bell housing was just about touching the firewall..
In my experience the trans cross member is a suck pill to remove too,especially the upper bolts that go thru the top of the frame--if you can get those two top bolts out,it saves a lot more work having to drop the cross member..
One truck I did,I removed the front cab mount bolts and was able to jack up the cab enough to get at those bolts with the long extensions easier..it was a stock pickup 2wd,and the top of the bell housing was just about touching the firewall..
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1 extension like this https://store.snapon.com/GAX36-Squa...l-drive-x-3-8-External-drive-36--P631537.aspx
and 1 socket like this https://store.snapon.com/Shallow-in...ive-Shallow-Swivel-Impact-Socket-P647619.aspx
ext is made for 1/2" drive for impact gun . then swivel socket to hit the bolts perfect . been using one for years now and love it .
and 1 socket like this https://store.snapon.com/Shallow-in...ive-Shallow-Swivel-Impact-Socket-P647619.aspx
ext is made for 1/2" drive for impact gun . then swivel socket to hit the bolts perfect . been using one for years now and love it .
wasted wages
1 ton status
Some older trucks have a removable trans hump built into the floor...pull the cover and the 2 top bellhousing bolts are easy to get to..
black dawg
1/2 ton status
That extension, and then whatever swivel socket you need, make most bellhousing bolts about a couple minute job total.
yep forgot to say i got mine used off ebay years ago and love it .
that does work after you pull the carpet / rubber floo . then all the bolts for the hump . . . . ext like i posted bypasses all this extra work .
Yeah,I pulled up the rug and padding,spent an hour prying that floor hump out after snapping some bolts off in the welded floor nuts on one truck I had,it was glued in good by some asphalt type sealer--was as much work as getting those top bolts out the hard way..though it was easy-peasy to see them with the hump removed..
That truck had a SM465 and I wanted the floor hump out so I could use an engine hoist to hold it in place while I replaced the clutch--was better that having a floor jack right in your way..
It would have killed GM to put two holes with plugs where those top bell housing bolts are after they decided not to make the floor hump removable ..
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That truck had a SM465 and I wanted the floor hump out so I could use an engine hoist to hold it in place while I replaced the clutch--was better that having a floor jack right in your way..
It would have killed GM to put two holes with plugs where those top bell housing bolts are after they decided not to make the floor hump removable ..
..
I tripped over a 36" extension at a forking garage sale maybe 25 years ago. It was 1/2" drive with a 3/8 wobble. Seems like I gave $10, which seemed a lot at the time, but I had just replaced an engine on my 76 the hard way. Luck is being prepared when the opportunity arises, as well as being in the right place at the right time.
