MTFCA Forum

My first experience pulling an engine for complete rebuild. Have a quick look here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRMyCvaL5_o

Lots of lessons learned, a few worth noting.
Lesson #1: Verbal estimates are worthless regardless of experience. Get itemized invoices from similar rebuild work minus personal info
Lesson #2: Don't choose a re-builder who makes parts needed, even you plan to use them. Creates opportunity for conflicts over cost, performance and quality. Mine refused to use a lower cost alternative from different vendor after engine was completely disassembled.
Lesson #3: There are a many really talented part time re-builders who do top notch work and far more affordable than full time shops. The trade is longer completion time so seek them out and try to schedule the re-build off season.

Comments and Suggestions Welcome to avoid making costly and/or time consuming poor decisions for re-installation - Thanks!

I pull my late engines by hooking toward the front so the engine comes out nearly standing up on its rear. It will come out complete without the starter. I do pull the coilbox as a matter on convenience. If you want to make it even easier, put a grade 8 bolt in where the low high pedal is so you can pull that pedal in the car, saves some swinging around.

Jim, thanks for the suggestions. Can you provide more info on how to implement the grade 8 bolt suggestion and where to get it (McMaster)? Maneuvering the engine under the firewall was a difficult part even without the starter since I did not remove the steering column. I can see how it would be easier without the high/low pedal but never had it off the transmission so not sure how to go about removing it.

Mike, its far better to remove the steering column and only takes about 25 minutes to do it. 2nd time I pulled my 25/26 Fordor engine (last weekend), dummy me discovered it really helps to remove the brake and reverse pedal. You really cannot remove the low pedal due to the notch inside. But what a difference it made yanking the engine out.

To TWrenn: With the column removed you can pull the engine with the starter attached? From your photo it looks like that's what you are doing.

That was quick, Timmy. You were just here! Engine extraction before or after your visit?

John, you do not even have to remove the steering column. Just disconnect it at the bottom and pull it back so the steering wheel is sitting on the back of the front seat. We have done it many times. Who wants to have to remove the starter if you do not have to.

The low high pedal is pinned on the shaft with a rivet. Grind head off the rivet and drive it out. You can then work the pedal off. Lots of places (Cat dealers, Rural King, Tractor supply and most any bolt supply house) have grade 8 fine thread 5/16 bolts. I drilled the hole to match a 5/16 bolt, threaded the bottom hole on the pedal and also use a lock nut when the pedal is put back on. Makes things a lot easier.

John--Yes, I pulled it with the starter attached. I agree with (forgot who it was), I COULD just slide the steering column back a bit, but if you're going "that far", I just say take it all the way and be done with it. After all, the worst of the work is already done just to slide it a bit.

Jim, I understand what you're saying about grinding out the pin on the low pedal notch, but now what about the risk of "debris" getting into the transmission, let alone the pin, and of course, driving/peening a new one in. Yes, rags, rags, rags in the tranny, but my luck believe me the stupid pin would still fly out and find it's way down into the "basement"...LOL. I found taking just the brake and reverse pedals out was all I needed to really make it easy to pull. But, I realize everyone needs to do what is comfortable for them.

Tim Dropacent: First, I apologize for not contacting you earlier, yep, this anomoly happened on the way home!! Crazy eh? Talk about bad luck! Busted rivets on the transmission gear shaft. Things started clinking halfway home, 3 miles from home dead in the water! Thank the Lord for help from a total stranger young man and Tom Sloma to help me get it into my trailer.

Jim:...okay...NOW I get what you're saying!! LOL..just the pedal...not notch and all. Gosh sometimes I'm SLOW!
Ya know, the first time I pulled that engine I only tried driving the pin out of said pedal to no avail so just fought with it.
I'm not so sure I coulda got in there and drilled it out or not...but as I pointed out above, pulling the B & R pedals fully out, very easy to do, was all was necessary.

The pedals and low speed notch need to be properly riveted to their shafts. Don’t replace the rivets with bolts, roll-pins, or anything else. The method may seem satisfactory at first but WILL cause problems eventually. The first problem is a little bit of lash that wouldn’t be present with a proper riveting. Any lash equals less compression of the band before the pedal bottoms out. The second problem is when the fastener breaks or the hole in the shaft is wallowed out and requires replacement. Bolts and roll pins will work fine for a few hundred miles, but if you drive your T 2,000 miles a year, the repair aint going to last too long and you may even have trouble locating the issue unless you know what you are looking for.

This is my actual experience in nearly 20 years of working on T’s professionally and having seen this sort of “repair” failed in one form or another probably a dozen times. This has been the root cause of broken drums too.