Pulling the Motor

I am finally getting around to doing my engine swap and I have read the shop manual description which if read that right calls for lifting the engine out with the bellhousing attached. When I did my L112 9 years ago I supported the transmission and pulled it that way but the bellhousing was broken on that truck and had to come out anyway. This time around I'm tempted to leave the bell in the truck and just pull the motor. Good Idea or bad Idea?

I think so, drop the clutch and flywheel it will come right out.

Mike,
I think you will have to remove the transmission in order to get the clutch and flywheel off to leave the bell housing in the truck. To me it would be easier to remove the trans and leave the rest attached to the engine and deal with it on the bench instead of under the truck. Don't you have the front clip off already anyway? Just my opinion
Have fun
Dennis

Since you would have to pull the transmission to take out the clutch anyway, taking the bellhousing with the engine would seem to be simpler. Unless you have the toeboard out, I'd think it would be a pain to try to remove the bellhousing-to-engine bolts while it's all still in the truck. And then all you would save would be taking the two mounting bolts and clutch linkage. And if you're using that bellhousing for your engine swap, it would be easier to check bellhousing/engine alignment with the bellhousing out so you aren't trying to read a dial indicator and adjust with the new engine already bolted in.

I figured it would self explanatory since he's done it before. He has a 4X4.

Thanks guys, today I stripped the old motor down, disconnected wires and hoses, removed the radiator and all the odds and ends to get ready for the pull. It gave me time to consider the options. The transmission is ready to come out and it looks like I will be taking out the engine bellhousing and all. I was thinking maybe leave the old housing in but the used replacement motor has a housing with it so when I thought about it the already matched set seemed like the way to go.

Manual states engine and bell come out together if that helps you decide

That's how I have done mine. I used long grade eight bolts, 6" I think, for the transmission, dropped the drive shaft, unhooked the linkages from the tranny and slid it back on the bolts all the way, removed the pressure plate, clutch, and flywheel, then removed the starter and took the engine straight out.