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Engine swap, lifting engine?

J

jhc7399

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Getting ready to swap and engine in my 99 sport next weekend. I do not have any problem cradling with chains on the pull but when we put the new engine in it has some powder coat I do not want to destroy. Will a couple of those head bolts hold if I get some bolts that fit and some good heavy washers?
 
Don't know about how strong the head bolts are on the 4.0, but small block chevys can be pulled with two single bolt lift ears on the intake manifold to head bolts. If I remember correctly, those bolts are 3/8" or 5/16".
 
Don't know that I'd want to lift from the head bolts - pretty sensitive area. I think I'd look for an accessory point - alternator bracket, even a manifold bolt.

David Bricker / SYR
 
I've always used either the rear head bolt on the drivers side that the ground attaches to or the rear exhaust manifold bolt, then the idler pulley bolt next to the ac compressor
 
Lift from the head bolts, they'll be fine. As mentioned above, sbc's are ROUTINELY lifted by bolts into aluminum intake manifolds, that are half the size. You should definately catch 2 head studs though, if for no other reason than safety. Make up a set of these if you plan on sticking with our 242's.
fR6gkck.jpg

yJcMjjW.jpg
 
I lift from the rear driver head bolt (thread on the top of the stud is 7/16-14UNC) and either the inboard front A/C compressor bolt (M8xsomething, probably 1.25) or the forward A/C compressor bracket bolt hole (3/8 UNC or 5/16 UNC, I forget) all the time. It will be fine, just make sure you get full thread engagement.

Remember that the head studs are 1/2-13 and the torque spec is 110 foot pounds (same as a grade 8 bolt.) Tension of a torqued 4.0 head bolt is nearly 13,000 pounds, with a significant error tolerance. Adding another 500 to it by hanging the engine on it isn't going to do any damage.
 
Thanks for all of the info guys. I will see if I can come up with some kind of bracket to get this done. That factory bracket sure would be nice to have around.

I powder coated the intake, oil pan, valve cover and timing chain cover. The block is just rattle can.
 
I lift from the drivers front head bolt, and the passenger rear head bolt, plate attached to the chain then a washer, like the pic above shows. Never had an issue. Good luck not scratching the powdercoat, and good luck with the inverted torx at the top of the bell housing lol.
 
Ditch the inverted torx bolts for regular bolts. As for accessing them let the engine side and frame side engine mounts rest on each other w/o the bushings and that will give you plenty of room to access the top bolts form the rear.
 
Talyn said:
Ditch the inverted torx bolts for regular bolts. As for accessing them let the engine side and frame side engine mounts rest on each other w/o the bushings and that will give you plenty of room to access the top bolts form the rear.
Click to expand...

I do the trans crossmember down and use long extensions. Never thought to do it that way
 
Talyn said:
Ditch the inverted torx bolts for regular bolts. As for accessing them let the engine side and frame side engine mounts rest on each other w/o the bushings and that will give you plenty of room to access the top bolts form the rear.
Click to expand...


No need for all that jazz...

Empty_Pockets said:
I do the trans crossmember down and use long extensions. Never thought to do it that way
Click to expand...

As this is all you need to do... Those bolts havent been a problem for me in 8 years, ever since i bought the socket for it, and a 3" socket extension. I dont even replace them with hex heads anymore... no need.
 
xcm said:
No need for all that jazz...



As this is all you need to do... Those bolts havent been a problem for me in 8 years, ever since i bought the socket for it, and a 3" socket extension. I dont even replace them with hex heads anymore... no need.
Click to expand...

It's easy with the right tools, it was cheaper to buy a whole set of inverted torx than just the one size I needed lol
 
xcm said:
As this is all you need to do... Those bolts havent been a problem for me in 8 years, ever since i bought the socket for it, and a 3" socket extension. I dont even replace them with hex heads anymore... no need.
Click to expand...

If you are already taking the engine out why screw with the cross member?
 
TBH I have pulled the whole drivetrain on an XJ/MJlike a dozen times and just the engine once, because people said it was easier that way.

I'll be pulling the whole drivetrain in the future. Hell with that, I'd rather line up input shafts/torque converter snouts on the shop floor than deal with it in the confines of an engine compartment. We are so, so lucky to have a completely removable top radiator support, it makes it almost trivial to pull the whole driveline if you have a tall enough engine hoist and a load leveler. On the other hand my dad's Ford Ranger is hell to pull a complete drivetrain out of and when I drop the new 3.0L in this week, I'll be doing just the engine because the whole radiator support / nose assembly is a welded unit along with the inner fenders and cab. :mad:
 
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