51_Buick Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 I am beginning to get to work on my 51 Buick special and as I work I was thinking “how the heck am I going to pull this engine and trans?” I am going to send my car out and get the floors welded in, while it is at his shop I don’t want the engine in it just Incase someone has sticky fingers. I’ll be pulling it this spring, I have the entire front end off (fenders inner and out, grill, bumper, hood etc.) so I figure I can unbolt the converter but leave the bellhousing bolts attactched and remove the tourqe tube from the diff. Then unbolt the engine mounts and pull it out. Is this correct or are the Buick’s different? My next issue is where am I going to rig a puller up to this heavy girl. Does anyone have a picture or explanation on how you pulled your straight eight? I don’t want to damage anything internally such as a coolant passage or snap a bolt off in the head something like this. I figure a cherry picker and a chain and some bolts will do the job but I’m unsure. Does anyone have a idea on what I could do? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 If you have a strong enough hoist why not simply disconnect the torque tube from the transmission and pull the whole engine/transmission together. Then you just have to tie the front of the torque tube up. If you disconnect the torque tube from the axle housing (very difficult to do unless the whole assembly is out of the car) there is nothing to keep the axle housing in place except the coil springs and this is not the job they were intended to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 The hard work is done if the front clip is off. Tinindian is correct. I have done mine that way . Although mine is a standard. You will have a bit more weight, probably no more length. Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KongaMan Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 Is there any reason to pull it other than not wanting someone to steal it from the car while you're getting the floors repaired? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 18 minutes ago, KongaMan said: Is there any reason to pull it other than not wanting someone to steal it from the car while you're getting the floors repaired? Work on the engine while other work is done. Even if running well, cleaning and paint are easier. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KongaMan Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 9 minutes ago, old-tank said: Work on the engine while other work is done. Even if running well, cleaning and paint are easier. That's all true, but OP mentioned only preventing someone from stealing it. If it runs fine and no cosmetic work is planned... The thinking is that if it runs, you could drive it to the shop. Pull the engine, and it would need to be hauled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 I found it easier if you pull the head off first., Then you can bolt the chains to the top of the engine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51_Buick Posted February 2, 2018 Author Share Posted February 2, 2018 16 hours ago, KongaMan said: That's all true, but OP mentioned only preventing someone from stealing it. If it runs fine and no cosmetic work is planned... The thinking is that if it runs, you could drive it to the shop. Pull the engine, and it would need to be hauled. I am pulling it because it’s a frame of restoration and I want to rebuild the entire engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51_Buick Posted February 2, 2018 Author Share Posted February 2, 2018 17 hours ago, Tinindian said: If you have a strong enough hoist why not simply disconnect the torque tube from the transmission and pull the whole engine/transmission together. Then you just have to tie the front of the torque tube up. If you disconnect the torque tube from the axle housing (very difficult to do unless the whole assembly is out of the car) there is nothing to keep the axle housing in place except the coil springs and this is not the job they were intended to do. Yeah I was going to keep the trans connected to the engine but I want to take the converter bolts out because it’s easier to do in the car. How would I disconnect the torque tube from the trans? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 (edited) Get a shop manual, or google Buick torque tube u joint. Basically you remove the nuts and slide the torque ball retainer back and undo the u-joint. I havn't done one for almost 60 years. Just basic mechanics provided you get all the shims and gaskets in the right places. In 1959 I paid $350.00 (two months wages) to have my 53 Buick clutch replaced, three months late it needed to be done again (not a warranty problem, a driver problem). I could do this myself. Winter time Manitoba -20 degrees outside on a crushed rock driveway I changed my first clutch. Pulled the rear end back, pulled the transmission etc etc. All went well except the torque ball leaked, no matter in three months I needed a new clutch. In that three months I bought a shop manual. I jacked the transmission back with the torque tube and axle housing together, replaced the soft pedal wavy pressure place with a GMC truck clutch. Then I undid the torque ball and reassembled it correctly. 90,000 miles later I sold the car. From that day on I never owned a car (22 of them) that I didn't have a shop manual for. Good Luck with your project. They are fantastic cars. Edited February 2, 2018 by Guest (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51_Buick Posted February 2, 2018 Author Share Posted February 2, 2018 1 hour ago, Tinindian said: Get a shop manual, or google Buick torque tube u joint. Basically you remove the nuts and slide the torque ball retainer back and undo the u-joint. I havn't done one for almost 60 years. Just basic mechanics provided you get all the shims and gaskets in the right places. In 1959 I paid $350.00 (two months wages) to have my 53 Buick clutch replaced, three months late it needed to be done again (not a warranty problem, a driver problem). I could do this myself. Winter time Manitoba -20 degrees outside on a crushed rock driveway I changed my first clutch. Pulled the rear end back, pulled the transmission etc etc. All went well except the torque ball leaked, no matter in three months I needed a new clutch. In that three months I bought a shop manual. I jacked the transmission back with the torque tube and axle housing together, replaced the soft pedal wavy pressure place with a GMC truck clutch. Then I undid the torque ball and reassembled it correctly. 90,000 miles later I sold the car. From that day on I never owned a car (22 of them) that I didn't have a shop manual for. Good Luck with your project. They are fantastic cars. Yep I have 2 shop manuals but can’t find this picture anywhere. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Google is your friend, sometimes. It can be a crap shoot until you get the words into the order that the idiot computer wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51_Buick Posted February 2, 2018 Author Share Posted February 2, 2018 10 minutes ago, Tinindian said: Google is your friend, sometimes. It can be a crap shoot until you get the words into the order that the idiot computer wants. Sure is, thank you for the help my friend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KongaMan Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 5 hours ago, 51_Buick said: I am pulling it because it’s a frame of restoration and I want to rebuild the entire engine. Well, that's a bit different than the earlier reason. Did you ever consider sending just the body to be welded up and keeping the frame with you? It would certainly be easier to pull the engine with the body out of the way. You could get a lot of chassis work done while they're futzing around with the floors. Not to mention that you'd be holding your project hostage to their efficiency. And it would be a lot more convenient to do your chassis work without the body taking up space. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 I don't believe the universal joint need be disassembled to separate the torque tube/tranny. Does not on a standard tranny. Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51_Buick Posted February 4, 2018 Author Share Posted February 4, 2018 On 2/2/2018 at 2:39 PM, KongaMan said: Well, that's a bit different than the earlier reason. Did you ever consider sending just the body to be welded up and keeping the frame with you? It would certainly be easier to pull the engine with the body out of the way. You could get a lot of chassis work done while they're futzing around with the floors. Not to mention that you'd be holding your project hostage to their efficiency. And it would be a lot more convenient to do your chassis work without the body taking up space. I would but I’m affraid that the body will twist and not line up when I go to reinstall the body to the frame. (The floors in my car I removed with a shop vac. Lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooterbfd Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 We pulled the whole engine and Dynaflow out in one assembly, just unbolting it from the torque tube. It's true, with the nose off the car it comes out quite easily. used the head bolts (front left and rear right, IIRC). Held the whole assembly up for quite a long time. Several months. At that point, if you want to separate the motor and tranny, you can. I'd set it down though, as the weight will shift. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooterbfd Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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