Engine replacement & tranny rebuild

BullittStangV8 · Nov 9, 2006

i cant speak for napa engines..but I have a jasper engine in my Chevy C1500 pick up. previous owner put it in before I got it. Between the previous owner any myself, I've put around 35,000 miles on it. It runs well.

Spoofty · Nov 10, 2006

t_chelle16, are you leaving the tranny in? personally I prefere to pull the engine and tranny together. It will make the shift kit and any seal replacement on the tranny easier on your engine stand. I also find it easier to go back in together also. None of the fun of trying to line everthing up in the car. I did it in my wifes 69 with all the pulleys and brackets still on. I do have an engine tilter and that makes it even easier.

t_chelle16 · Nov 10, 2006

Well, I asked my dad if it would be easier to pull the engine out with or without the tranny and he said without. And he knows he's going to be helping rebuild the tranny so I figured he intended for me to pull the tranny out later because I can't see him crawling around the driveway underneath the car unless he absolutely had to.

I'll have to talk to him about it again.

-Chelle

krash kendall · Nov 10, 2006

I pulled my engine out seperate last time, then climbed in the engine bay, pulled the tranny out, and sort of passed it to myself over the rad support. It went pretty smoothly. I installed them seperately too, but I have no reason as to why I did it that way (I don't think I had an engine tilter that time).

I've mostly done engine installs/removals by myself, so I generally do what seems to be less work.

bnickel · Nov 10, 2006

i have ALWAYS pulled the engine and tranny together and reinstalled them the same way. last time i did it, the engine was fully dressed including the hedman shorty headers, ac compressor and ps pump along with the tranny and i've never had an engine tilter, just a carb plate. that's always been the easiest way for me to do it, i pulled the engine ONLY once and it was a pain trying to get everything lined back up from under the car, i'll NEVER do it that way again, even if the trans doesn't need to come out it will get pulled.

t_chelle16 · Nov 10, 2006

Well, I know my dad has done several engine replacements (used to do it on the side when he was a mechanic, plus he's redone the engine & tranny in his Dodge). So I'll just go with what he wants to do since he's going to be the one helping me.

-Chelle

krash kendall · Nov 10, 2006

This isn't one of those things where there is a right or wrong, it all comes down to preference. I've done it both ways on various vehicles depending on what seemed appropriate at the time. The mustang seemed easier to remove them seperate. I should add that I had totalled the car in bad accident and I don't think they would have come out assembled anyway, but regardless, I'm still with your dad on this one.

t_chelle16 · Nov 11, 2006

Platonic Solid said:
How much do you know about Recon 302 from Autozone? (Keeping in mind that if you search for dirt on just about any company, you'll find it.) I found some rather negative comments on Ford-Trucks.com (last post on page).

In my quest for a new truck engine, I recently found myself doing lots of research in this area. I even had NAPA quote me an engine, but as soon as I mentioned that I was considering getting a Jasper engine, the counter guy (who I've known for years) said, "Don't buy it from us. Get the Jasper engine". Yes, it cost about $500 more, but I'll gladly spend it for peace-of-mind.

Jasperengines.com

Cool Jasper Engines Video

Well, just to be on the safe side I emailed them about making warranty claims and if me installing the engine myself would cause any problems if I did make a claim. That way if they say it won't be a problem, I'll have it in writing. And if by some chance I do have to make a warranty claim and they give me problems, I'll just send my dad after them. He's really good at talking people into submission.

But like I said before, Dad has done several engine swaps on the side (warranty claims on remanufactured engines). Not sure if any of them were Recons or not, but he said that on all of them, the only thing the company looked for was whether or not the engine overheated. If it overheated, the warranty was voided, otherwise, it was fine.

-Chelle

Spoofty · Nov 13, 2006

There's usually something on one of the freeze plugs that will change color if it gets hot. So make sure you don't paint over it.

65Stang200 · Nov 13, 2006

When I used to work in a tranny shop, I would pull the engine, suspend the tranny, lift the car, and then pull the tranny from under the car with a tranny jack. Just get the tranny on the jack where you want it, cut your homemade cable (I like to put wire in a drill, then put the other end in a vice. If you spin it fast, it will make a really really thick cable, but it will still be easy enough to work with.) Tranny will come right down. As for reassembly, I'll do it the other way around, suspend the tranny on a jack, line up the bellhousing to the block, and then the motor mounts. After that, you're home free, and you can install everything the way you want to. =) Just don't leave anything out!

Dark Knight · Nov 13, 2006

Not that it matters, but are you sure it's a 302? FWIW, the 289 in my 68 used a 302 block. How much are the autozone engines?

t_chelle16 · Nov 13, 2006

I still haven't gotten the casting number from the block (been working a lot lately) so no, I'm not entirely sure it's a 302, but it is stamped as a 302 in the lifter valley.

And the 302 long block from Autozone is $1248.99.

-Chelle

bnickel · Nov 14, 2006

t_chelle16 said:
I still haven't gotten the casting number from the block (been working a lot lately) so no, I'm not entirely sure it's a 302, but it is stamped as a 302 in the lifter valley.

And the 302 long block from Autozone is $1248.99.

-Chelle

that's a bit high for a reman if you ask me.

Rusty67 · Nov 14, 2006

Would you honestly trust an Autozone block ?

302 coupe · Nov 14, 2006

for a driver or mild performance, yeah, I'd trust it. I worked at an auto zone when I was in college, I knew of several people that had bought Recon 350's and beat the crap out of them, they all held up well.

t_chelle16 · Nov 14, 2006

bnickel said:
that's a bit high for a reman if you ask me.

I have a printout of about 9 different engines from different companies and the Recon price is pretty comparable to the others.

Rusty67 said:
Would you honestly trust an Autozone block ?

Why shouldn't I? I get all my other parts from Autozone. The engine has a 3 year warranty and Autozone is pretty much nation wide. I plan on moving in a year so if I get an engine through a local place, what good is it going to do me if it dies 2 years from now and I'm half way across the country?

-Chelle

Dark Knight · Nov 14, 2006

A 302 block doesnt mean it has a 302 crank, rods and pistons ..
Thats not to bad of a price really, about what most reman long blocks go for..
Mustangs unlimted sells them for $2400... Make sure you get the heads with the right smog ports too.

Rusty67 · Nov 14, 2006

Well, maybe in other parts of the US Autozone has a better reputation/higher quality parts. Here in southern California I've horror stories of engines that came from them failing in not so plesent ways.

t_chelle16 · Nov 14, 2006

Autozone doesn't make the engines, they just sell them, so I don't see what difference it makes.

-Chelle

t_chelle16 · Dec 10, 2006

Well, after being sick for 2 weeks then getting 16" of snow, I was finally able to get the engine out today.

I think I have some problems concerning the casting numbers, though.

I already know it has 289 heads and I called the company and they said it wouldn't be a problem. They want the casting numbers mainly to make sure you're turning in a comparable engine (ie, not trying to turn in a 6 cyl as a core for an 8 cyl)

So anyway, the casting numbers they're really looking for are:
Block - C80E or C8TE
Crank - 2M
Heads - C80E or D00E

What I have is:
Block - C8AE (I know it's a 302 block, but why is the casting number "A" instead of "0" or "T"?)
Crank - ??? (Is THIS the casting number? I couldn't see anything on the crank that looke like "2M". It's C20 and E 5, 6 or 8 - can't remember exactly what it is off the top of my head)
Heads - C4AE (I know they're 289 heads)

Anyway, we have the engine out and on our trailer. Still need to pull off the harmonic damper (couldn't find our puller and the parts store was closed) and the top part of the motor mounts. But hopefully if I can get everything figured out with the casting numbers and Recon is okay with taking this engine as a core, I should be able to take it down to Autozone and get the new engine ordered sometime this week.

Some pics:

I've also decided to wait until the spring to rebuild the tranny because the weather is getting bad. I am still going to try to fix the rust problems while the engine is out, though.

-Chelle

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