1) Ridge reamer. I've never seen the need for one mentioned, are they nesessary or even desireable for making piston removal easier/avoiding ring damage?

2) WITH THE HEAD OFF, is there any easy/trick way to suspend the block in the engine bay in order to pull the pan and get to the bottom end? I saw where Ski posted that he and Jim had fabbed up a plate with and eye they then securred to the block with the head studs/nuts. Any ideas that don't require "special" hardware??? And/or still allow access to all the bores?

TIA

 

1) If you have a ridge and you are going to remove the pistons you shouldn’t be worried about any ring damage – they need to be replaced. If your bores have that bad a ridge then the engine is coming out for work anyway.
2) If the head is off and the pan is off (meaning the cross member is out) then you might as well remove the bock – there isn’t much holding it in now!! Seriously – once you pull the head and check the bores you should make the decision about pulling the pistons – if you need to remove the pistons than take the block out, if not then you can work on it in the car.

Chris White

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply Chris. I really do appreciate the effort, but what I'm after is pretty much exactly what I asked for, and that's, any experience re. supporting the engine in the engine bay with the head removed?

Or to look at it another way, how does one "pull" the engine if the head (and consequently the eyes for the lift/hoist/crane) is already off???

I don't doubt I can rig something, just trying not to re-invent the wheel...

Thanks

 

I used a engine hoist to hold the front lift ring, rear held in place by the TT

 

The block with crank, rods, piston and flywheel is a little under 200 lbs. So you can find any number of bolt holes that will support it.
Another choice is to bolt the head on (you would only need 4 nuts, not all 10) and use the stock lift points – Thats what I would do.
In a real pinch you could lift it by the head studs – but I would think about replacing them after that.

Chris

 

If you really just want to suspend it then a 2 x 6 across the fenders and a chain to the front lift point will work.

 

My brother worked in a performance engine shop (V8 iron motors primarily) and I remember him saying "ridge reamers are an evil thing that have destroyed many blocks"

 

I left my fully assembled engine in the hydraulic engine hoist overnight (bolted to bell housing, crossmemebr and headers not installed) and the next morning the lift chain was slack!

The hoist had slowly let the engine down until it was entirely supported by the torque tube resting on the little cross member under the shifter. No damage to anything. Lucky.

 

Yep, that is why I put a lock brace on mine while doing the work over a couple of weeks

 

I agree, and that's a lot to do with why I asked the question in the first place... Thanks for the confirmation...

 

I always put an engine on a stand, or lower it completely when it's on a hoist, and I'm leaving it overnight. I have yet to work with a hoist that held up overnight.

 

If you have a ridge reamer, throw it away before you are tempted to use it. They have ruined many bores. They are supposed to prevent breaking rings during removal. If you are taking the pistons out, I would be planning on new rings anyway.

 

Don, you want a pic of the plate, it takes all of 15 minutes to make with a torch and welder, it's in the garage. Hey, not sure how big a hurry you're in, I can mail it to you.

 

A pic would be great Bret, Thanks... You still have the address??? Will PM you with it in any case.

 

Don,
Just for reference, we have discovered a local machine shop with a Sunnen machine, the correct pads and silicone pastes, and the know how to use them all. We acually have a resource right here in Falls Church for honing and reboring Alusil blocks. A real find!

More details here