Installing a completely assembled engine

Merc Cruzer

Merc Cruzer

Well-known member
A friend of mine is currently building a 8ba engine for his 53' Merc. The issue is that he is using Edelebrock heads with fins and wants to install the completely assembled engine, back into the car, with out disassembling any of it.

Has anyone here done that and where did you fasten the lift brackets, or straps, without breaking any of the fins on the heads, during the installation?
 
I use a reproduction of a Ford Dealer, KR Wilson lifting bracket that lifts from the lifter valley using no bolts at all. You drop it in the lifter valley and then rotate it 90 degrees and drop two pins into the heat riser holes to keep it from rotating. The engine is perfectly balanced when you lift it. I don't know if they reproduce them anymore but it's one of my favorite tools. A lot of guys will drill a hole in a steel plate and attach an eyebolt in the middle and bolt it to the intake bolt holes.

I checked and Speedway sells a lifting plate

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Flat...sWAiD6d0YXWy2fXb_mwy7qEVpIzsici8aAuRkEALw_wcB
 
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I made my own lifting plate from 1/4 inch plate. Bolts to the top of the block and seals the motor from dirt and dropped parts while installing the engine. I used an intake gasket as a template.
 
Like Krylon, I made this one.
 

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Thank you all for the suggestions. It looks like flatjack9 is the only one that would not involve any disassembly of the completed engine.

When I said "completely assembled engine " I meant running engine", intact.
 
You can also use a lifting bar that has 4 chain attachment points on the manifold. These also have a screw jack for changing the angle of the engine as it goes in.
 
I noticed when I was at the local machine shop he had a completely assembled FH motor and on each corner of the intake he had a bracket with a hole for a chain.
 
I use an equaliser bar and 4 attachments. Being able to tilt the motor may be an advantage in such a job.

Mart.
 
flatjack9 said:
You can also use a lifting bar that has 4 chain attachment points on the manifold. These also have a screw jack for changing the angle of the engine as it goes in.
Click to expand...

This is a good method, and the load-leveling slings/bars are inexpensive (from Amazon for example). I use this method all the time - as I can change the "tilt angle" while installing the engine (which is usually necessary to get it to mesh with the trans and not hit the oil-pan up front.

https://www.amazon.com/Torin-Engine-Hoist-Crane-Accessory/dp/B004PX4YCI?tag=atomicindus08-20

I use Grade 8 intake bolts (about 3/4" longer than stock) and heavy washers to mount in 4 places - on both ends of the engine.

Caution: The only thing you really have to pay attention to is the carbs and fuel-pump stand. It is easy to get the chains against them - under load. This can damage these external pieces.

Recommendation: Leave the intake on, but pull the carbs and the fuel pump. These are easily re-installed after installation and the gaskets are very cheap.

Best of luck!
 
I am attaching a couple of pictures, of when he brought the car home and when removed the engine. He used a load-leveling sling/bar.
 

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Not to be fussy, but anytime you bolt a chain, or in this case a flat bar to the block it should be snugged up tight so the load is pulling straight with the threaded hole in the block. It appears in the photos the bolt has bent, which could either ruin the threaded hole, or even break the casting. Snug em up for more secure lifting. Nice lookin old Merc I will say
 
As it turned out the block was trashed, so he had to get a new one to start over.

The next generation of Flathead owners. He is 22 and recently had a chance to meet someone most of us grew up with.
 

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