ted_pulliam

Tate, thanks a bunch for offering this suggestion. I am trying it out and am taking a break to send this update.

I'll let you know my progress. I actually have the thing up in the frame rails right now and I only lack having the mounting bolts on the transmission lining up with the crossmember slots.

Ted

ted_pulliam

I had to beat the living daylights out of it with an 8 lb sledge, and also do like was suggested and slide it in from the back, but it is in the truck now, and I have 3 of the 4 bolts installed on each side. The 4th bolt will be a pain I know, but I'm going to take my time with it and get it right, hopefully tomorrow.

It's like climbing Mt Everest with cinder blocks tied on, but I guess sooner or later the thing will be back together.

It looks like my exhaust, which is just bolted on right now, but not really yet tight, is twisted a bit in the hanger on the transmission, so I'll probably need to go back and visit that soon. When I get the crossmember finished with, and possibly tweak the exhaust, what I believe I have left is to bolt the starter back on the bellhousing, lift up and bolt the transfer case back on, hook up the vauum lines and speed sensor, bolt on the front and rear driveshafts, fill the engine and transmission with their respective lubricant, and bolt on the shift tower and shifter.

I'd love to also quickly (yeah right) unbolt and drop the oil pan so I can give it a good cleaning out in case I got metal shavings in it when I drilled through that friggin oil seal. I clearly remember seeing metal shavings on the back of the engine some of which probably came from me boogering up the seal housing which I have since replaced.

Is it possible to remove the oil pan without lifting up the front of the engine? If it is not possible to drop the oil pan without raising the motor, then I'll have to weigh my options since that would just be more waiting until I can either buy or rent another engine hoist like what I used when I replaced my head gasket sometime back. I would really hate to have to start that sweet Cummins up without making sure the oil is completely clean. Hopefully the oil filter will be up to catching anything that shouldn't be in the oil. I plan to give it an oil change within a few hours of finishing this most nasty clutch install, but that may be too late, not sure.

Thanks again to everyone for sticking around and trying to help while I ranted!

Ted

Purplezr2

Should have taken the oil pan off when you had the tranny out, would have been easier. That said, you need to lift the motor some to get the pan out, if you have an engine hoist that will work, remove all the pan bolts and loosen the motor mount bolts(the two big ones) lift the motor until you get get the pan off, don't remember if you have to remove the pickup tube as you take the pan off.

ted_pulliam

I wanted to drop the pan when the transmission was off, but I didn't have a hoist handy and the motor was leaning forward, I guess due to it being front-heavy and was laying right on the welded-in front crossmember. Now, with the tranny back on, there is about 1.5" or so of clearance, but I don't think that even that is enough since I will probably need to be able to reach in and unbolt the oil pick up tube. I know what your are saying, and it would have been ideal to do this earlier in the game.

Ted