DeTomaso Mailing List: August 99, Message #130

Cal,

When you pull the engine, do NOT lift the engine from the intake 
manifold!!!!!!!  

There are several reasons for this--center of gravity issues with the 
gearbox, and also the additional weight can over-stress the studs (which are 
simply threaded into the ALUMINUM intake.)  How would you like to have your 
engine DROP out from under your cherry picker when it's halfway out of the 
car???

Here's what you do:

There are several large threaded holes on the back of the cylinder heads.  
Get appropriate sized bolts long enough so that when they bottom out in the 
holes, there is about 2 inches of bolt sticking out.  Put one on each side of 
the motor.

Then attach your carb lifting plate.  Run a lifting chain around both bolts 
AND the carb plate.  The center of gravity of the engine/gearbox unit is just 
about over the oil pressure sender or slightly behind (give or take.)  Take 
the hook from the cherry picker and intersect the chain at this spot, THEN 
start lifting.

The ideal is to have the whole affair SLIGHTLY nose-heavy, so the gearbox 
lifts up and the whole works tilts downward about 10-15 degrees.  BE CAREFUL 
to avoid smacking the rear window when you lift the motor!!!!!  Probably a 
good idea to pull the distributor before you lift, to avoid breaking it.

You'll have to lift, see how things go, lower, reposition hook on the chain, 
etc. until you find the sweet spot.  Then you'll lift about 2 inches, move 
back six inches, lift another two inches, back again, and so forth until it's 
out of the car.

FWIW, the fellow who restored my Pantera could have a running engine and 
gearbox shut down, and sitting on the ground in an hour and 15 minutes, by 
himself.  Do NOT try to equal this record--take your time!  Throw protective 
towels (MANY layers) around the front of the engine, and over the entire 
engine compartment and body to protect from "oops"!

Good luck, let us know how it goes! :>)

Mike