Pull Engine Or Not????

[55 Fargo]

Hi all, looking for opinions here,do yall think I should pull my engine from my car to fix the rear freeze plug leak, I could do other thing to the engine at the same time,ie re-paint change some gaskets.Or should I repair the leak with the engine in car, the trans is out, just need to take out clutch and flywheel, before the bellhousing can comeout, the rear of the engine will need to be blocked up or held up with a jack. The repair can be done through the removeable floor panel.Thanx Fred

[Young Ed]

Fred do you have the equipment on hand to pull it? If so I think I would pull it. Its not that hard of a job and you've got it 1/2 done already. I think I'd want to remove all the front plugs and the water dist tube and really flush that thing out. Beyond that I wouldn't do any other gaskets etc unless you know they are leaking.

[Ed Griffin]

Fred, since the transmission is out already it would be the best time to pull the engine if you have enough other items that need attention that can justify your trouble in doing this. If all else is well and you just see the chance to paint it wouldnt be worth the trouble. It all depends on how much work is needed on the engine or as the old saying goes, "if it aint broke, dont fix it."

[RobertKB]

Fred, I would pull the engine as you are half way there as mentioned. At most you would need to rent an engine hoist to pull it. There is not a lot more to disconnect and it doesn't take long. You can clean it, paint it, check water distribution tube, and maybe change the water pump while you are at it. I seem to recall you have flushed the block, got a good radiator, etc. but I do not recall you ever mentioning changing the waterpump to make your engine run cooler. A waterpump is pretty cheap and well worth the time to change it. When the engine is out you could also clean the frame and do some paint work there. Every little bit helps in the long run.

[Johnny S]

Yep............if the time and patience is available. Remember, as a sage from this forum recently reminded me, ........its a hobby and we do this for fun. I think in the long run you will prevent some other issues and save yourself a lot of time.

[55 Fargo]

It's not that I mind the work,buttttt. What advantage at this time would be if I pulled the engine, I am not in a postition for a rebuild at this time. I also own another engine, a 251, this will be my eventual rebuild candidate, this engine also still runs.

I have pulled the side freeze plugs before, pulled the water dist tube, flushed block. My engine now seems to run at a decent temp, I need to pull the exhaust manifolds, but I don't need the engine out to do that. I guess if I pull the engine, I could clean and paint it blue like the trans and bell housing.

At this point, to fix a "freeze plug", all I have to do is get the clutch and flywheel out, jack up the back of the engine, and remove the bell housing. I will then have the area exposed, for me to repair, as long as this is the problem........Thanx cuz I do appreciate all of your input

[55 Fargo]

Local brake and clutch outfit, will machine flywheel, rebuild clutch, resurface clutch disc, for $185.00, what do you guys think of the price, a reman, clutch and disc is about 170 , but you get a new release bearing, but would need to machine flywheel, so another $40..........Fred ps he relined my ebrake band for $36.00

[Normspeed]

Sounds like a fair deal on the clutch and flywheel work to me. Resurfacing the flywheel really improves clutch action, well worth it. Be sure to look over the disk afterwards, someone here recently found a badly installed rivet on a fresh rebuild disk. IMHO, I would not pull the motor unless you're ready to do substantially more work, like a rebuild. I like your idea of rebuilding your extra motor then swapping. That's how I did mine.

[Johnny S]

A rebuild and swap works too.....or....install an engine that keeps you on the road, even if its not rebuilt, and rebuild/repaint the original. Another thought.

[Lou Earle]

I disagree on engine pulling. If I were at the place u are I would just fix the freeze plug IF the clutch was working properly. Also I have had to go back to original bearing as 2 new ones I installed were not worth

I and son and his buddy have just pulled 3 engines from P15 's. It is a job- everyone is forgetting some of the following:

Must remove hood at a minimum. I remove the dog house- that entails 4 or 5 bolts on each side which at least 1/2 will be frozen in and require an hour each!

Disconnecting everything radiator ( and removing), battery(and removing),etc.

Disconnecting transmission linkage, clutch axis, etc from engine and on and on.

Then get it out and do your work then back in. For me it is about an 6 hour job out and 8 back in. I have done about 25 engines in and out.

I would repair the plug and run it then get other engine ready and do removal and the other tings then,

Lou

[Young Ed]

He must have all the transmission stuff ondone already since thats out of the car. Dad and I and 1 buddy did my coupe from a poorly running car to engine out on the hoist in under 2 hours. But now that I see he's already done the water tube and the other frost plugs I don't think I'd pull it either. Unless you really feel the need to get a good paint job on it or to earn a look like this

[55 Fargo]

I have been mulling this over for a week, I have to agree with you on this. The engine in my car is not original, neither is the dry clutch and 3 spd trans, there all from a 1951 Canuck Dodge. I really don't plan on returning to fluid drive with the M5 semi-auto, I also have this set-up here in my yard. I really like the plain old standard trans.So having to keep the engine I have is not necessary, I also have 2- 251s, one is my rebuild candidate for the future. My plan is a 251, a 3spd trans, maybe with OD and a 3.54 diff.

Here are my problems, I have a leak at the back of the block, hoping it's just a freeze plug, hope to repair this and re-install everything. The clutch was fine before all this happened. If I can get away with it it will go back in. I do need a release bearing set, a trans to bell housing gasket. SO far This is whats needed.

SOMe day when I rebuild an engine for this, a brand new clutch can go in with it, unless when I remove the clutch it's very evident it should be replaced, maybe I could get away with just a new disc. Time will tell. Now trying to cheap out, just very low in funds for this car at this time in my life, but I love th car, and want to keep the project moving forward. Plus around here there are very few people who know anything about flat head engines and old Mopars...........Fred

[55 Fargo]

I know she is not as purdy as some engines, I plan to paint the starter, repaint breather, oil filter, should spruce up the look a little more, get a proper st of battery cables and a new battery hold down bracket.

[55 Fargo]

Trans and drivehsaft, yah I like blue, my engine will be this color someday, I know it's suposed to be silver aluminum,buttttt.

[Normspeed]

Fred, I think your motor looks fine. It shows a lot of TLC. I painted my trans silver but it will be blue like yours next time around.

[RobertKB]

Fred, it just depends on the amount of time you want to spend. Clean the frame and all engine hardware now or later? You're halfway there already and it would not take long to pull. I changed the motor in my 48 Dodge D25 Club Coupe years ago. Drove the car to a mechanic buddy's garage. Took us 90 minutes to have the engine out and on the floor, still warm from driving it in. Had the replacement engine in the car and back in my garage that night. Took everything off the old motor and bolted it all on the replacement when they were side by side on the floor. Just be sure you know what needs to be disconnected before you start and have a handy buddy with you which really speeds things up. It's a big job but not huge. I did take the hood off but not the doghouse. Pulled the tranny off the engine before taking it out and reinstalled when new engine was in. Rad stayed in the car but did remove fan but not the waterpump.

[BobT-47P15]

Fred, that motor looks good compared to many I've seen. If you are patient, you can repaint the engine block in the car with a small (2 inch) brush. I used the POR 15 high heat silver....because it comes in a can and was available locally. Plus I like the silver engine color. Remove and paint the accessories with a rattle can.

[james curl]

Buy yourself a large roll of alum foil. It is self forming masking material, just wrap and crush to keep it in place while you paint. I detailed the engine compartment in my 55 chev pick up that way. You use news paper and tape to cover the fender wells and firewall. The alum foil is for hoses , lines , cables, and odd shapped items such as oil filter housing. I painted all accessories black before painting the engine and it came out very good. Just do not use the alun foil on electrical devices until you disconnect the battery.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I use a combination of Saran wrap and aluminum foil as James stated above..using newspaper is ok if you are doing an engine compartment but by far newspaper is not a recommended masking material for top coats as it is extremely dusty in nature...Harbor Freight and paint supply houses sell a dust free masking paper in rolls that is still economical enough to use. I do use newspaper as quick masking of areas for initial primer work and general underbody etc. Just be aware lots of dust nibs come from newpaper.