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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Working on a flathead on the floor

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Posted By Discussion Topic: Working on a flathead on the floor -- page: 1 2 3     Steve S 03-29-2010 @ 7:39 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 54 Joined: Feb 2010 Lets say I need to pull the oil pan on my engine, but I don't have an engine stand. Can I just (carefully) tip it up on the flywheel? I want to pull the pistons to check the bearings and hone the cylinders. 47Fordor 03-30-2010 @ 4:42 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 72 Joined: Oct 2009 Are you asking "possible" or "advisable"? With clutch removed, you might be able to balance it on it's bell housing. Of course, since the back of the pan on a flathead v8 IS the bottom of the bell housing, you will play heck trying to get it off and, according to murphy's law, it will be as soon as the pan is removed that the engine will decide to go horizontal again and, at a minimum, crush your oil pick-up and strainer (and, if your luck is like mine, your foot). Harbor Freight has cheep engine stands for around $50. They can be disassembled when not needed and are much cheeper than the new parts and possible doctor bills (not to mention your sanity) if you don't use one. Chris oldford2 03-30-2010 @ 4:53 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 275 Joined: Oct 2009 Since you are going to remove the pistons, the heads have to come off. Remove them first and the starter, generator, etc.. This will lighten the engine to a point that 2 or 3 guys can carefully lift it and gently set it on the flywheel. I would not roll it upright on the teeth of the flywheel. Remember that the engine will not be too stable so be careful working on it in this position. Sounds like you may get into some major work which will difficult to work on the engine without a stand. If you have an EFV8 club roster, check local members to see if you can borrow one. These guys are very helpful in helping others. John 37RAGTOPMAN 03-30-2010 @ 6:26 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1964 Joined: Oct 2009 I usually take the flywheel off, Use a few 2x4's under one side of the engine,[under exhaust ports,]this lifts it up about 4-6 inches, work on one side at a time,when done with the one side flip it over to the other side,, this way the engine will not fall over,on top of you. and you can use a few flywheel bolts with a bar to turn over the engine, on the engine stands, make sure you get a good one,,,, trjford8 03-30-2010 @ 7:31 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 4227 Joined: Oct 2009 I would not use a standard engine stand on the 48 and earlier motor with the cast bellhousing. There is a good chance of breaking the bellhousing. It's O.K. to use it on the later motor as the bell housing unbolts from the motor. TomO 03-30-2010 @ 7:46 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7256 Joined: Oct 2009 If you are going to hone the cylinders, you should use an engine stand. Trying to do this with just a couple of 2x4 supporting the engine could cause serious injury to you or the block. Buy the Harbor Freight stand and the buy or make an adapter to support the engine using bolts in the exhaust manifold bolt holes. The adapter costs about $50 and is worth it when you want to do the valves. Several people have lost an engine buy supporting the engine by the bell housing. This usually happens when moving the engine, but can happen when working on it. The bell housing is not strong enough to support the weight of the engine. Tom Steve S 03-30-2010 @ 9:28 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 54 Joined: Feb 2010 Thanks for the warnings. The heads and intake are already off (it came to me that way). Not knowing anything about this type of engine or vehicle, I pulled the engine alone, leaving the bell housing attached to the transmission. I planned to pull the clutch apart anyway just to check it and possibly replace. By the way, this is a '53 Merc CM engine if that makes a difference. 51f1 03-30-2010 @ 1:12 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 573 Joined: Oct 2009 With a '53, you can use a conventional engine stand connected to the bell housing bolt holes. These stands are cheap, and I recommend that you get one. Richard BrianCT 03-30-2010 @ 1:34 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 95 Joined: Oct 2009 Before removing the pressure plate mark it and the flywheel so you can put it back in the same orientation, to maintain engine balance. Steve S 03-30-2010 @ 2:10 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 54 Joined: Feb 2010 Thanks gents, I will pick up a stand this week. To make sure I'm doing this properly, and most importantly safely, let me just confirm that I need to remove the bell housing from transmission and bolt it back onto the engine, and then bolt the housing to the engine stand. Also that the bell housing is the piece still attached to the transmission in the attached photo? Any particular bolt holes safer / more stable than others to mount the stand to?

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