How to support engine

Dollar Bill

Dollar Bill

Well-known member
I am chasing a leak that is coming from the crankshaft pulley and would like to remove the oil pan and cam cover at the same time. My dilemma is how to support the engine?

Also, would like to hear the best way to get the pulley past the front cross member. I'm not opposed to breaking it off but not sure where to apply the hammer strikes?

Lastly, the ratchet nut appears too high in relation to the crank hole. The crank will engage the ratchet but obviously it isn't a smooth connection. Is it possible to line it up any better? It has the original style motor mounts which are due for replacement - Would that affect the misalignment of the crank hole? One more bit of info is the springs supporting the yoke appear new as they are still shiny and I've read some of the repos aren't the right height. I have a new set that I got from Bratton's.

Don't be afraid to overstate the obvious in your reply. :)


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The above post will work, Taking the front spring clamp off should give you enough room to take the pulley off with a little lifting. The pulley looks pretty new, if it is good you can just leave it on and only replace the rope seal.
 
If you want to replace the rope seal, you do not have to take the pulley off.
Just take the cam gear cover off ( place a jack under the oil pan, use a board between jack and pan). Then put it back on. Then put the front motor mount back on. Then take the oil pan off and replace that rope seal.
 
I have used 4x4x4 blocks with a 4x4 between them to support blocks at the edges and clear the crank.
I usually position at a main so that I have more clearance to move the crank if need be.
Generally I use a bottle jack but I have used a floor jack on occasion.

For safely I will position a jack stand at the front of the engine with a piece of pink foam insulation on it...just in case.

I've used this many times outside the shop over the years on all sizes of engines. (in the shop I have made up the metal equivalent using 2x4 square metal tubing)
 
Thank you gentlemen for the great advice - The pulley does appear to be fairly new but there's a chunk missing from the groove where the V-belt rides. I'm thinking it won't get any easier to replace than while I have the radiator out for repair. It's also getting a new water pump and fan. Saw a rusty streak on the old fan where the blade transitions to the hub - Cleaned the rust off and found a crack about a half inch long.

Any thoughts or discussion on the crank hole alignment?

Again, thank you very much for the help.
 
If you jack the engine high enough to get the pulley off, make sure you loosen the rear motor mount and take out one bolt from each side. If you do not you could crack the flywheel housing. Also take the accelerator linkage off the back of the engine that goes to the carb, or you will bend it.
 
When you reinstall the front mount and 3 springs, just keep the rear mount bolts loose and tighten the bottom front mount spring to pull the crank hole into alignment, then insert the cotter and tighten the rear 4 mounting bolts.
 
If you have stock mounts follow Tom's advice. If you are using float o motor rear mounts, they usually do not line up well with the crank hole unless new pads are used and not over tightened.
 
When getting engine ready to remove crank pulley, I jacked up the rear of the motor to loosen 2 and remove 2 of the 4 motor mount bolts as George indicated. Lifted the rear of the motor 1/16 - 1/8 of an inch and the ratchet nut misalignment was reduced by half which makes me think new motor mounts are a step in the right direction.

Tom, I got real excited when I read your recommendation to tighten the center spring on the yoke but it looks like it's already cinched down pretty tight. I'll have more info later on today after I get it apart.

Pat, I have the reference you mentioned and will compare measurements with what I have today.

I hope this isn't taboo like "what oil should I use" but I'm considering the one piece front crank seal I got from Bratton's. I also have the rope seals JIC. Haven't made up my mind yet and would like to hear if anyone has a strong opinion for either type.

The rubber seal came without any instructions - I'm thinking lube the crank, slide the seal in place, and RTV the seal into the recess where the rope seals used to live.

Fiddlybits, I can't envision how your method to support the motor would work as the cribbing would seem to get in the way of removing the oil pan or front engine cover. But I am always ready for schooling - Please enlighten me.

My cherry picker is buried in the back of the barn, so if FB can't smarten me up, there's always the method that Mitch provided.

Thank you fine folks for taking your time to respond. It's reassuring to know there are still folks left in this world that don't mind helping others.
 
Oil pan does not support engine. Remove it, set up the support, jack engine to take the weight off front mount and remove front mount.
 
FB I see your line of reasoning now - Not ever having done this before I was thinking get everything out of the way first and then reassemble. Your method makes perfect sense. Thank you.
 
I've never had a rope seal leak, so why change?
I have heard some not so successful stories of trying modern seals, both front and rear.
 
Tom, it's hard to argue with your success. My thoughts were the two parting lines of the upper and lower rope seals would afford two additional points for leaks. Both my 8Ns were overhauled using rope seals and both of them leak. I do respect your point of view and again, it's hard to argue with your success but there must be a reason why the rope was abandoned in favor of the one piece seal. One consideration is the rope requires greater skill or a certain technique to achieve a satisfactory seal than isn't necessary with the one piece derivation. Having said that, I still have not committed to the one piece seal and gladly welcome hearing others experience with the rubber seal.

Mitch, the amount of oil flowing out couldn't come from the oil pan bolts. The bottom of the car will never rust as most everything from the crankshaft pulley back is wet with oil. But your reply did make me aware of the need to seal the oil pan bolts that penetrate the crankcase. I likely would not have considered this without you mentioning it.
 
Like Tom I have never had a rope seal leak. Used them with most engines of the past. Chev V8, Ford V8, Buick V8. The list goes on.
With the one piece seal you most likely will have a leak, but you might get lucky.
 
Someone must have not installed the rope seals correctly if they leak. I push them into palce DRY, then tap them to shape using a socket the same size as the pulley shaft. Usually I have to rim some excess rope off the ends, but be sure to leave a 1/4" or so sticking above the pan gasket, and cover gasket. This will compress and seal the gap when the pan and cover are installed.

After using the socket to shape the gasket, and trimming, I then squirt some oil on the seal and brush on a good coat of red grease.

Many will tell you to NOT trim the seals, but I've had some so long that they won't pack in enough for the pan and cover to fit correctly until I trim some off.
 
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