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Cadillac 346 lifting rings

Started by GoManGo1946, November 22, 2008, 12:55:33 AM

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GoManGo1946

Hey guys, I am getting ready to dump the flathead and trans as one unit back into the 46. Any one have leads on the lifting rings? I have seen a few pictures but I am having a problem finding them. I would like to lift the engine the way the manual says due to the extreem weight. From what I am reading the engine trans and all bolt on stuff weighs over 1600 lbs.... or........anyone wanna lend a set to me????



Thanks
Adam

1946 Cadillac 60 Special Fleetwood

Adam & Kirstin Bieszart
Wheaton Illinois

baxterculver

Adam,
I ujsed a "balance" bar to remove and reinstall my '39 engine/trans.  And yes they are heavy.  The four balance bar chains were attached to the front and rear head bolt holes using longer bolts.  The balance bar allowed the engine to be tilted as it came out and went back in.    I haven't seen the lifting rings shown in your pict.  They could easily be made up but I question how well they will work with the whole engine, trans assembly going in as a unit?  The balance point obviously changes with the additional weight of the trans, clutch assy, etc.

BTW the fully dressed engine weighs in at about 960 lbs.  Then add the trans, etc.

baxter culver clc#17184

Bill Hamilton, CLC16219

Adam,

The picture that you posted shows a military version of the Cadillac flathead V8, which would have been outfitted very differently from a civilian version. If you have an engine crane and a balance bar as Baxter has indicated, you will find it much easier to reinstall the engine and trans in the car. The rings as shown in the picture would only allow for vertically lifting the engine out of an engine bay.

Bill Hamilton

GoManGo1946

Thanks guys. I will see if I can run one down.


1946 Cadillac 60 Special Fleetwood

Adam & Kirstin Bieszart
Wheaton Illinois

Doug Houston

To Bill Hamilton:  I once had access to the Army TM on the M5 and M24 tanks, and there were, indeed,lifting rings on the engine. They were at about the  third plug rearward, as I recall. But, since each of the engines had a Hydra-Matic transmission on it in the installation, and since there are 30 bolts on the periphery of the flywheel, plus the four (or six?) bell housing bolts, I may be all wet, but I'd expect the transmission to have been bolted onto the engine as it was set in place in the hull. The accessibility to the transmission would have been so bad, that removal of the whole power pack may have been necessary to even get at the transmission, because space in a tank is virtually non-existent. (thank Heaven I wore crossed flags!) To make matters even worse, remember that those transmissions each had a large oil cooler on it, which meant even harder to get at, once in the vehicle.   (I was too young then, and missed all the fun!).

The most recently I installed the power pack on one of my cars, was on the 41-60S. It has a Hydra-Matic on it, ao the balance point would have been the same as on the tank engines. But, only the hood and the radiator were off the car, so I had the balance point a bit forward, and the car raised enough, so that I could push the rear of the transmission downward enough to clear the firewall. All of this, I did by myself, and it went off rather nicely.

I'm not up to anything like THAT, anymore.
38-6019S
38-9039
39-9057B
41-6227D
41-6019SF
41-6229D
41-6267D
56-6267
70-DeV Conv
41-Chev 41-1167
41 Olds 41-3929

GoManGo1946

Quote from: Doug Houston #2257 on November 26, 2008, 03:41:22 PM
To Bill Hamilton:  I once had access to the Army TM on the M5 and M24 tanks, and there were, indeed,lifting rings on the engine. They were at about the  third plug rearward, as I recall. But, since each of the engines had a Hydra-Matic transmission on it in the installation, and since there are 30 bolts on the periphery of the flywheel, plus the four (or six?) bell housing bolts, I may be all wet, but I'd expect the transmission to have been bolted onto the engine as it was set in place in the hull. The accessibility to the transmission would have been so bad, that removal of the whole power pack may have been necessary to even get at the transmission, because space in a tank is virtually non-existent. (thank Heaven I wore crossed flags!) To make matters even worse, remember that those transmissions each had a large oil cooler on it, which meant even harder to get at, once in the vehicle.   (I was too young then, and missed all the fun!).

The most recently I installed the power pack on one of my cars, was on the 41-60S. It has a Hydra-Matic on it, ao the balance point would have been the same as on the tank engines. But, only the hood and the radiator were off the car, so I had the balance point a bit forward, and the car raised enough, so that I could push the rear of the transmission downward enough to clear the firewall. All of this, I did by myself, and it went off rather nicely.

I'm not up to anything like THAT, anymore.

You can come over Sat and referee the install!!!! LOL. I had the Lifting rings made by me friend who is a welder by trade. If all goes good Sat I will put up pics Sat night. I do know my starter is shot. Tried today to fire up the 346 on the stand. Cant get enough rpm out of it on start up even with 12 volt to it.
1946 Cadillac 60 Special Fleetwood

Adam & Kirstin Bieszart
Wheaton Illinois

Doug Houston

What, me drive around lake traffic just to see engine going into car?  You outta you mind?!!

Seriously, it shouldn't be any worse than it was with my '41, and if there is no sheet metal  on it, it'll be a breeze.

Now, on that starter, here goes the broken record again. Have it re-bushed, clean up the commutator NEVER UNDERCUT A STARTER COMMUTATOR, use new brushes if the present ones show appreciable wear. Before the starter is re-assembled, have the shop drill the commutator end plate in a deep pocket in it, and install a bolt that will serve as a grounding stud. Use a 3/8-18 or 3/8-24 thread size. I always prefer stainless steel for down where slop gets thrown up there It willl need to be long enough to have a lock washer and a lock nut before the battery terminal and another lock washer goes on it.  Grounding the battery at this point on the starter puts the  battery connection as close as possible to the place where the starter motor is grounded, and there can never be any degrading of the starter's grounding path, as it does with normal  weathering and road dirt accumulation.  With the battery grounding there, the rest of the car's grounding system takes care of itself. Good idea to brush some black paint on the ground stud after connection.

If the engine is so tight that the starter can't move it, even with 12 volts on it, the best thing to do is to remove the plugs, and try to roll it over with the starter, and try to hit it with 12 volts, only as a last resort.  Lots of oil in the cylinders can't do any harm, either. Those few revolutions make a lot of difference.
38-6019S
38-9039
39-9057B
41-6227D
41-6019SF
41-6229D
41-6267D
56-6267
70-DeV Conv
41-Chev 41-1167
41 Olds 41-3929