How to attach an engine lift plate to intake manifold?

[zuburg]

I have an engine lift plate I plan to use on my 292 to install engine/Fordomatic as a unit. Should I use nuts on studs or grade 8 bolts directly into the manifold?

[paul2748]

I've always used the carb studs.

[miker98038]

I'd use a higher quality carb stud, especially if it's an iron intake and/or the trans is attached. With the trans, I prefer one of those angle cranking devices that pick up the front and rear - several options, manifold, heads, etc.

[dmsfrr]

The lift plate I last used came with grade 8 bolts to use in place of the lower grade carb studs. The small dia of them made me a bit nervous but they worked fine.

The bolts were almost 5/8 in longer than the depth of the carb stud holes and each one came with a nut.
To avoid bottoming out the bolts in their holes and possible damage I spun each nut on a bolt up next to the bolt head, put the bolt thru the plate into the carb stud hole just turning the bolt head finger tight as far as it would go, then snugged the plate down using a short handled open end wrench on the 4 nuts.

[Ford blue blood]

Grade 5 or better, tighten as much as you can. Works well with even an aluminum manifold. I have a home made one that was used to put a 390 into a 62 Bird with issues what ever.

[dmsfrr]

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Here's two photos I couldn't find last night, and why I was concerned about not bottoming the studs / bolts too far into their holes.
Granted it's not the carb stud holes, but I didn't want to repeat the mistake.

A previous owner must have put in a bolt that was too long and broke out the bottom of the casting.
They compounded their mistake by replacing the long bolt with one that was too short, wouldn't stay tight in the hole and created a really good vacuum leak.

photo 1, a 1/4 inch hole inside the cyl 8 intake runner.
photo 2, a piece of wire passing thru that bolt hole, in what should be a solid part of the manifold.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by dmsfrr

The lift plate I last used came with grade 8 bolts to use in place of the lower grade carb studs. The small dia of them still made me a bit nervous but they worked fine.

Have you looked at the tensile strength rating of even a lowly grade 2 bolt lately, not to mention that there are FOUR of them holding your plate? Ten Y-blocks wouldn't break the four bolts, but I'm not sure about the threads surviving THAT load. DD

[fordor41]

I've seen guys use them for years but it always gave me the heby-gebies! I use a chain attached to the front and rear, opposite sides of the int. manifold with longer bolts. Guess I'm just chicken!

[bobss396]

None of the above. I grab them by the cylinder heads or corners of the intake manifolds. Where I grabbed the one in the picture worked best as I had a leveler going, made the install a breeze.

[Daves55Sedan]

I would be scared to lift the engine alone on the faith that the threads of the carb studs would hold, let alone lifting the weight of both the engine and trans. The Fordomatic case itself probably weighs an extra 60-75lbs not counting the converter & bellhousing.
I always used a home-made setup consisting of a chain with brackets on each end which have holes to accept a head-bolt. The heavy plate end brackets slide in under the rocker shaft and bend upward. I just remove one head bolt on each head and re-install the bolt thru the chain bracket. I don't have any fancy lifting apparatus, just a cheap $14.00 cable-type come-along. I beefed up a pair of the garage roof trusses and hung a chain down from the structure to hook the come-along to the ceiling.
Basically everything here is done on a wing and a prayer. Hardly any professional tools here other than my mig welding outfit, yet, I have done whole body-off frame restorations this way.

[dmsfrr]

"corners of the intake manifold" ..... "with longer bolts"

When putting in temporary bolts to lift a Y-block engine remember that the bolt holes at the front & rear corners of the intake manifold also go into the pushrod holes. Keep a close eye on the bolt length so you don't damage/ruin a pushrod.

[paul2748]

Last winter I had to remove the 302 and C4 out of my 48 and used the carb studs (aluminum intake) and put it back in the same way. No problems whatsoever.

I haven't removed the Y Block and automatic together out of my Tbird with the hoist attached to the carb studs but have done the engine only two or three times by the carb studs with no problems.

When I first put the engine back in the TBird after a restoration (bare frame) the trans was attached. Did it the same way.

[rick55]

I lifted my yblock and fordomatic out as one unit using a home made plate bolted to a four bolt inlet manifold and refitted it the same way. I drilled the vertical plate of my lifting plate with several holes to give me adjustment for both balance and angle of the engine. Has the engine going in at exactly the right angle for lining up the engine when the gearbox is left in place. I don't like the commercial units with a piece of bent bent 3/8" rod, as they don't give the same precision of angle.

[zuburg]

I may have found another option that might be the best choice. I have a threaded hole on the end of both heads. One on the front of the right head (right behind the alternator) and one on the back of the left head. These are 5/16" coarse thread, about 3/4" deep. Are these intended to attach the hoist chains to remove and install the engine/transmission? While this only gives me two lift points, I think pulling on a bolt going horizontally into the head would be better than pulling straight up on the carb studs? The pictures show the holes.

[dmsfrr]

I think I've seen factory assembly line photos that show the engine & trans going into the frame, before the body is on.
The engines were (IIRC) lifted by hooks under the exhaust manifolds.

[zuburg]

Yes, I saw in the shop manual that there was a special tool to remove the engine using hooks under the exhaust manifolds. If I recall correctly, the cable or chains from the hooks came up to a single lift point. Not sure how easy it would be to tilt the engine, not to mention I don't have the hooks.

[y'sguy]

Having done a few engine pulls over my 60 odd years, I would advise to be mr. safety- first and put a nylon web lifting sling under the engine as a safety.

[bobss396]

Originally Posted by y'sguy

Having done a few engine pulls over my 60 odd years, I would advise to be mr. safety- first and put a nylon web lifting sling under the engine as a safety.

One junkyard I knew would pick up engines with a forklift and a handy old fan belt they had laying around... it worked!

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by y'sguy

... nylon web lifting sling ...

I have no idea what you're talking about
.