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[HunterB]

It's been quite a while since I last posted here but now I'm finally ready the 5.2 swap into the Gran Fury.


A few questions for you guys who have done engine swaps in these cars. Is it easier to pull just the motor and leave the transmission in the car? Or take both of them out  and get the trans mated up to the new motor outside of the car and then install them both at the same time? 

Here's a pic of the new motor.


 

[Dippy.org]

[270SE]

I can't tell well by the angle of the pictures- are you going to be running the stock MPFI on it?

Will you be using a lift?

If the answer to the first question is yes and the second question is no, it will be easier to pull the trans too so you can clearance the bell for the crank sensor if you aren't going to use a truck/van trans. (fullsize Magnum vans came with 904s and 727s- though the overdrive transmissions were an option on them)

[HunterB]

I can't tell well by the angle of the pictures- are you going to be running the stock MPFI on it?

Will you be using a lift?

If the answer to the first question is yes and the second question is no, it will be easier to pull the trans too so you can clearance the bell for the crank sensor if you aren't going to use a truck/van trans. (fullsize Magnum vans came with 904s and 727s- though the overdrive transmissions were an option on them)

No I’m not going to be using the stock fuel injection, just a regular 4bbl carb with the stock serpentine belt system.
I’m not sure what you mean by “lift”. If it’s a engine hoist then yes I am, not really sure how else I could lift it out.

[DobaMark]

I'm sure he means a lift to get the entire car up off the ground.
If the car is on the ground, it can be a pain crawling under to unbolt and then rebolt the transmission to the engine, even on ramps it isn't any fun to separate the engine and transmission but it can be done.
If you are removing and installing both as a unit, it's nice to have a tilt fixture installed to the lift to aid in maneuvering the assembly in.

[Mike]

If you're not changing the transmission I'd leave it in the car. I've never found a benefit either way. Once you figure out how to get to all the transmission bolts it's easy to disassemble the two in the car but it can be a bit of a pain ligning everything up when you put the engine in. If you remove and reinstall it all as one unit the hard part is maneuvering the whole thing  in the different angles to get it under the fire wall and seated on the mounts properly. There's also more to do removing the driveshaft, disconnecting the speedo cable, the lines, parking brake cables in the way...

[HunterB]

I'm sure he means a lift to get the entire car up off the ground.

Ohhh that makes sense I don’t why I didn’t realize that. So I’ll be working on the ground with ramps and jack stands. I don’t have one of those tilt bars for my engine hoist but I might be able to get one.


I’m hoping this job goes good because I was hoping to have it done by the 3rd of May when my local drag strip opens, but things keep coming up and it ends up getting put off.

[270SE]

The hood is easily removed, weighs between 50 & 100 lbs, and isn't too hard to handle. Pulling it makes the job much easier. We always put a thick blanket (or a few if they're not big quilts) on the roof and put the hood on top of it.

[HunterB]

Got some more work done on it in the last couple of days. All that’s left is the torque converter and bellhousing bolts.


I tried to get the inspection cover off the tranny to access the bolts in the converter but I just couldn’t get it off, does the stud for the starter have to come out? The cover is loose but comes down about 1/4 inch and then won’t move any more, hopefully I’ll get a chance to mess with it again this weekend.


Good tip about the hood, something I realized is I don’t think the hood will be able to close once the new motor is in, It’s intake is a lot taller that the stock one. Not sure how an M body with a hood scoop would look?

[80 Lebaron Coupe]

Yes, The starter stud has to come out to remove the inspection shield.

[HunterB]

I got a lot more done over the weekend, the old motor is out and now I'm waiting on parts to come in the mail. I installed a new front pump seal in the trans, new bushings in the motor mounts, and got the K memer cleaned and painted. It wasn't too bad a job really expect for the bell housing bolts that holds the trans dipstick on, took me about an hour and a half to get that one out.

Any advice on how to get the 4 uper bell housing bolts back in? I had barely enough room to get them out so I'm not sure how to get them started in again.

[80 Lebaron Coupe]

With a long extension or several hooked together and a universal hooked to a 9/16 socket.
Like this in 3/8 drive.
Make sure your not in a bind and tighten the bolts evenly.
I always start the larger 5/8s socket size bolts going the opposite direction first to line things up,
then the upper 9/16s socket size next. Tightening them all evenly.

[lsm360]

Hey are you putting in solid k frame isolators now? Now is the time and the aluminum ones really help a lot!

[Mike]

I think I usually get top ones with a wrench from under the hood.
The other bolts or maybe those also I do the same as lebaron coupe said but I bought bendable 9/16 and I think 5/8 sockets too for doing this job. They give more room then using the adapters.

[80 Lebaron Coupe]

I think I usually get top ones with a wrench from under the hood.
The other bolts or maybe those also I do the same as lebaron coupe said but I bought bendable 9/16 and I think 5/8 sockets too for doing this job. They give more room then using the adapters.

Those are good but I have cracked them trying to get out stubborn trans bolts that have never been removed.

[HunterB]

Update, I have the engine in and on it mounts but I just can't get the trans bolted up. it's aligned with the dowel pins and I have the two lower most bolts started. It only has to go forward about half an inch, I even took the cross member out and while laying underneath it lifted it up and rocked it from side to side and still won't go forward. I don't know what could be holding it, I'm out of ideas and things to try an suggestions?