B-3-B-108 Engine Removal

[dan01wilson]

I need the most basic help there is.  I am pulling the engine out of my (late) grandfather's 1951 B3B-108 Dodge Pickup.  It has close to 100,000 miles with only one head gasket replacement that I remember.  It's blowing oil out the road draft tube so I'm sure there is ring blow-by.  I have a good machine shop lined up, but here's the problem:  I'm struggling with pulling the engine.  I have a cherry picker and a load leveler, but I have not got to that step yet.  Being a 71 year old ex hot rodder, I've pulled v8 ford and chevy engines years ago.  They typically had motor mounts in the center of the block on both sides, and a transmission crossmember.  As you know, this old Dodge is nothing like that.  There is a straightforward looking front mount arrangement.  The rear mount is what is throwing me.  It looks like the rear mount is integral with the bellhousing and runs all the way from one frame rail to the other.  Looks like the master cylinder and pedal shaft definitely have to come out.  Not sure the crossmember will clear the steering shaft.

 

Could somebody please coach me through this?  I have the generator and starter removed and rebuilt; fluids drained; hood removed; radiator removed; driveshaft removed; getting ready to remove the transmission.  Most of my confusion relates the rear engine mounts/crossmember.  There is nothing on youtube, and the shop manual tells me to remove headlights and the whole front clip.

 

It might be easier to call me on my cell and talk me through this.

 

Thanks,

Dan Wilson  (205)907-2204

[Don Coatney]

Hopefully some of the truck folks will chime in. I do know that some have removed the dog house but not sure that is necessary but makes engine removal much easier.

 

[NiftyFifty]

Hey Dan,

 

10x easier to pull the whole front sheet metal, and as a unit as Don mentioned and remove the rad cradle with a few more bolts.  The transmission comes out and then you pull the whole motor and bell housing unit as one, you will see the bolts that mount the bell housing to the actual rear engine mounts.  From there it’s all pretty straight toward 

[dan01wilson]

Not sure my sheet metal is an issue.  The slip or clearance fit between the engine and the actual motor mounts is an issue.  Once clear of the actual motor mounts, maybe I can cock the passenger side forward and up and then come up and clear the steering column with the driver side of the bellhousing unit.  What do you think?

[Merle Coggins]

I've seen some that leave the bell housing in the chassis, but you'll have to pull the trans, clutch, and flywheel in order to separate the block and bell housing. Or you can remove the clutch and brake pedals so that the whole assembly will clear the steering shaft. It can be done either way.

[NiftyFifty]

I couldn’t remove my flywheel bolts on mine, so I had to pull it as a unit and was easier then trying to do that on my back.  You do need to pull the floor panels now that I recall...the pedals do need to come out.  It’s not a fun job no matter what.

[johnsartain]

It is much easier if the dog house comes off first. Disconnect the wiring at the terminal block next to the radiator. Remove the two nuts from below the radiator support. Remove the bolts from the mounts next to the cab, two large one two small ones next that come out of the side behind the front wheels. Remove the two bolts that attach the splash shield to the fender. There are two inner fender extensions that have two bolts each on each side (Triangular shape). This should have the dog house ready to remove. 

As far as the motor removal, that's your choice as to whether you remove with or without the bell housing. I have done it both ways, I prefer leaving the bellhousing in the truck. The only drawback to that is you have to remove the flywheel before removing the engine. On mine there was interference in the casting when removing the flywheel but a little grinding took care of that, more like a bit of flash on the casting interfered with the flywheel teeth.. I couldn't quite get the flywheel past the bolts. When removing with the bellhousing attached, there is some difficulty getting the pedals from under the cab so some people tend to remove the collar holding the clutch release yoke and then remove the pedals before pulling the engine.

Edited June 20, 2018 by johnsartain

[kencombs]

Chrysler products of the 30's thru 60's were definitely engineered differently than the others of the big three.  In the 60s and 70s my Dad owned an auto salvage.  He sold, and I installed, a lot of engines.  Didn't work on a lot of Chrysler stuff for a couple of reasons:  1. not many calls to replace broken Mopar parts as they were not as popular here, and where more reliable.  2. They took a lot longer to remove and install any running gear parts, engine, trans etc.  I could have a 6 cyl Chevy pickup engine on the floor before I could get the body stuff on a Dodge ready to start on the engine.

 

As a result of #2, my prices were a lot higher to R&R an engine than it would be for a Ford or Chevy.  So lots of do-it-yourself customers for the Mopars.

 

But, now that I want to fix up a drive an old truck, it's a Dodge! They drive better, last better and look cool.

[dan01wilson]

Now I'm thinking about rebuilding the motor IN THE TRUCK like we used to rebuild tractor motors.  I really wanted the motor blueprinted, though, with bores properly done, centerlines intersecting, block vatted,  etc, etc. 

[tom'sB2B]

Remove the doghouse. It’s not difficult and you can clean-up the front frame rails, etc. It will be nice and clean for your clean rebuilt engine

 

 

[TFC]

Have a "tired" engine, very much in need of a rebuild,  removed my "dog house" yesterday(single handed).

  .  

 

[JBNeal]

I have rebuilt engines in 2 trucks:  1 by removing the entire doghouse; the other only removing the hood, inner fenders and front wheels.  Lots of crawling on the floor and getting up to get tools then crawling on the floor again...no fans, no AC, no heat, just in a drafty oven of a barn.  I do not recommend either way because so much time is spent crawling around, and it's easy to miss stuff and have to backtrack and do something over again, like trying to index the oil pump.   My next rebuild (involving the 1st engine) will include dropping the driveshaft, sliding out the transmission, removing the doghouse, lifting the engine out and putting it on a stand for rebuild then a test stand to fine tune it.  This will also allow me to clean up and paint the engine, transmission, driveshaft, etc.  This seems like more work than to rebuild in the truck, but I'll only have to do it once...I am almost certain that I have a spun bearing that has locked up that 1st rebuild, something that I did not check when I rebuilt that engine while in college.  Another part of the plan is to remove the bed and move the cab temporarily in its place...this would give me room to work on the front half of the chassis, as well as be able to do any work to the cab by using the back half of the chassis as a work surface