All Small Six What not to do!!

[DON]

I just thought I would start this thread for all the guys who are going to rebuild an engine for the first time. Some things might seem obvious, but are worth mentioning to avoid a potential disaster. Add what you have learned the hard way

I will start with: don’t use an engine stand with the base shaped like a T, and three wheels. Use the ones that have a base shaped like an H, 4 wheels. I had my engine, with head on, and had the cylinders oriented sideways, gave an ever so slight push to move the L shaped stand and disaster, it tipped over!! I think being an inline, there is not the counter weight of a second bank of cylinders that v8 have and the weight just gets too offset . I modified mine by adding angle iron and two new wheels. ( cheap on Amazon). I could only get 1/8 in angle iron and had to add the braces, a little more flex than I was comfortable with. Use quarter inch

 

[drag-200stang]

Do not forget put the front oil galley plug behind the cam sprocket= low oil pressure.
Do not forget to put the cam spacer on with the inside bevel toward cam journal before putting the cam pin in, if left off = big trouble.
Do not forget to put hole in windage tray for dip stick=dip stick defected into crank making a big racket.
Do not forget to not turn block upside down after putting in the lifters in the block=lifters hitting floor.
Do not forget to hook up turbo drain = pumping 8 quartz of oil on the floor.

 

[63 Sprint]

I just thought I would start this thread for all the guys who are going to rebuild an engine for the first time. Some things might seem obvious, but are worth mentioning to avoid a potential disaster. Add what you have learned the hard way

I will start with: don’t use an engine stand with the base shaped like a T, and three wheels. Use the ones that have a base shaped like an H, 4 wheels. I had my engine, with head on, and had the cylinders oriented sideways, gave an ever so slight push to move the L shaped stand and disaster, it tipped over!! I think being an inline, there is not the counter weight of a second bank of cylinders that v8 have and the weight just gets too offset . I modified mine by adding angle iron and two new wheels. ( cheap on Amazon). I could only get 1/8 in angle iron and had to add the braces, a little more flex than I was comfortable with. Use quarter inch

Wow! I hope your ok and the engine did not suffer much damage.

 

[DON]

it could have been worse. Fortunately the oil filter was on, it took a beating. I have one rocker arm bust and bent one push rod. No head damage. Cheers to Yella Terra, Australia for working with me on getting one pair of rockers!! Got here in a week after ordering . Oh, and chipped a tile in the floor

 

[powerband]

do not start new build until run the oil pump with old distrib/oil pump shaft and drill for pressure lube, rotate assy. .
.
the small hex oil pump drive sits in the pump and/or sits in the end of distributor. Do not drop hex oil pump drive off distributor into engine crankcase.
.
( if oil pump hex drive is somehow dropped into engine, it can be retrieved with access to pan through the fuel pump block boss and a magnet stick easily... )
.
have fun

.

 

[Frank]

If the engine is attached to a stand only on one end, and will be on it for an extended time, jack up the front of the engine to take part of the weight, and place a block under the front. If the oil pan is installed, loosening the bolt will allow it to extend below the lip of the pan, and the block will rest on the bolt, not the pan lip.

 

[DON]

What is the reasoning for this? Stand fatigue or block issues?

 

[drag-200stang]

I also support the front of the engine when on engine stand. I just do not like that long compact block hanging off the 3/8'' bolts when the engine was designed to be supported mostly near the center of block. Plus I get dizzy watching it bounce around when doing something.

 

[Frank]

What is the reasoning for this? Stand fatigue or block issues?

Just non-scientific peace of mind! LOL. The bare block hanging from 4 bell-bolts didn't bother me. Once assembled- that's a lot of iron hanging. The assembled big-six drooped the front 2-3 inches. It's stressing the stand, but my concern is for engine stress only. Maybe overkill, but gives me peace of mind and a safer more stable working platform.

 

[John Ha]

I just thought I would start this thread for all the guys who are going to rebuild an engine for the first time. Some things might seem obvious, but are worth mentioning to avoid a potential disaster. Add what you have learned the hard way

I will start with: don’t use an engine stand with the base shaped like a T, and three wheels. Use the ones that have a base shaped like an H, 4 wheels. I had my engine, with head on, and had the cylinders oriented sideways, gave an ever so slight push to move the L shaped stand and disaster, it tipped over!! I think being an inline, there is not the counter weight of a second bank of cylinders that v8 have and the weight just gets too offset . I modified mine by adding angle iron and two new wheels. ( cheap on Amazon). I could only get 1/8 in angle iron and had to add the braces, a little more flex than I was comfortable with. Use quarter inch

Don't mean to be a jerk but I don't think that piece of angle iron you added is enough to stop the thing from tipping once it gets started. You need at least a second piece to double what you have, assembled such that the end view of two pieces together forms a "T". The two pieces should then be bolted/welded together. That would significantly increase the resistance to the part bending along its length.

I don't agree with your blanket statement not to use the tricycle stands either. I've had and used one, unmodified, for over 30 years and have never had an issue with it tipping while moving it or even after bumping into it. Obviously, care is needed when moving it when there's an engine on it, but it's no different than what one would normally exercise in using any other tool that can cause damage or bodily harm. Simple physics says that if you push on the unsupported end of a large, elevated mass that's supported at one end, it's going to rotate about the center of mass - not the supported end.

So I think that the more appropriate lesson/advice is to understand and respect the limits and properties of your tools, and always use/operate them in a manner that is consistent with their intended use and limits.

Just sayin'

I really like @Frank 's front support idea. Wish I'd thought of it.

 

[drag-200stang]

What is going on ? He said to use a stronger piece and I have had one tip on me.

 

[DON]

Short of drawing a picture, the piece I added does form a T on that end , with the original T on the other, that does make a H. It is way more stable than the way the manufacturer intended its use. I did have a FE block on this stand, unmodified. It didn’t tip. I have been wrenching for over 50 yrs and understand limits, of wrenches, bolts, how they FEEL, just before they strip, and when they are cross threaded. I have pushed the 200 block around quite a bit. And I know how much I pushed it when it went over. The T shaped stand needs the other piece I added. It is tons better now.
If you are comfortable using an engine stand with a T base, go for it! I just think if I can share knowledge, and it helps even one person, it is worth it. I guarantee next time you move an engine on a T type stand, you will think of this thread