Trouble Getting 305 and Manual Trans Separated

[ChaseDale3and8]

Working on my 1986 K10 short bed 1/2 ton 4x4 with a 305, manual trans. Attempting an engine swap to a built up 355. Here's the problem.

Okay, I have everything disconnected and have made several attempts to pull the engine out with NO LUCK! The giggered thing seems to be seized to the transmission somehow! ALL the bell housing bolts are out, and the inspection cover is off. I hooked the shop crane chain hook up to the center hole on the carb plate on the intake manifold, and it lifted it UP fine, but I can't get it to break loose from the transmission!

Tried hooking up to the other two holes on the plate with the same result. Tried wiggling it with it lifted up, twisting it, didn't matter. She won't budge! I'm about ready to hook up my John Deere lawn tractor to the front of the shop crane and give it a yank! Don't want to tear something up trying to get it out though. I haven't pulled an engine from a manual trans truck since my last one that I had back around 1995.

I grew up around this kind of stuff, I'm 46 years old now, and know my way around these old square body trucks. I've owned so many of them that I can't even recall how many over the years. Heck, my brother and I used to be able to strip one of these trucks down to the frame in less than 8 hours back in the day, so I'm no stranger to them, but this one has me stumped! This was SUPPOSED to be a simple engine swap like I've done a hundred times before, but it has turned out to be a nightmare!

I just can't figure out what the heck the hold up is since I should be able to pull it by myself without any issues! Does it matter if the trans is in gear or in neutral? It seems that I always put the trans in reverse when I pulled an engine for a swap or clutch change in the past. It's been a few years since I've done one though so I might have forgotten something that I should have done. I sure named this truck right when I bought it and started working on it. I call it the Blue B#@% for all the trouble she gives me EVERY time I put a wrench to her! I have always pulled them apart at the block to bell housing instead of bell housing to transmission. Never had this much trouble before. It's kind of got me thinking that maybe the release bearing is stuck to the transmission input shaft. I'm sure having to WORK to get this wimpy 305 OUT!!!!!!!!! ...Joe

[chebyshortbox65]

Input shaft is stuck in the clutch plate time to get it spread a little bit and use a pry bar
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[ChaseDale3and8]

Thanks for the reply. I'll have to give that a try and see if I can break it loose. This truck hasn't been apart since GM assembled it on the assembly line. The bell housing bolts had to have been torqued to 100 ft. lbs.! It took several extensions on a breaker bar and a lot of effort to break the bottom 4 bolts loose. After that, I got 'em out with the impact. I had to use a long 9/16 wrench on the top 2, and hit the wrench with a hammer to get them loose. The misery of getting this 305 boat anchor out continues! It sure isn't coming out without a fight!

[Badwrench61]

65 is right, that or the pilot is stuck, either way, rotate the engine and take out all the pressure plate bolts. should fall apart then

[ChaseDale3and8]

I called my brother this morning and asked him about his take on this. He said to place a floor jack under the front of the transmission and raise it up very slightly because what was going on was the transmission input shaft was in a slight bind. I jacked the trans up a little, put a slight bit of pressure on the clamshell mount with a 36 in crowbar, and she popped right loose! It's out, sitting on a stand in a corner uglying up my garage now! Next on the list is to try to clean up that nasty bay some before attempting to put the 355 in there. Thanks for the replies guys! It's finally out!!!!!! ....Joe

[ChaseDale3and8]