Can The Heavy Dog FE Be Lifted By The Intake

[427HISS]

When your taking out the engine or installing, can you bolt up to the intake carb flange, or is the FE to heavy ?
I sure don't want the intake to break causing major damage to it, the engine, the car etc.....

[ntheogen]

Yes you can. Put washers under the nuts on the carb studs.

[427HISS]

Great, much easier than on the heads for tilting the engine where needed.

[Rory428]

No problem at all. I recently installed my iron headed 428 CobraJet into my 59 Ford, complete with the cast iron bellhousing, clutch assembly, and Toploader 4 speed , all together, using a carb lift plate on the aluminum Edelbrock intake manifold. The carb plate is more than adequate, and unlike chains, which can make the engine want to turn to 1 side, the lift plate, being in the center makes the engine install easy, and very manuverable,

[Drew Pojedinec]

I've done an iron headed 429 into an aluminum edelbrock intake with no issues and I suspect a 429 is considerably heavier than any FE.

[cjshaker]

10 years ago, I wouldn't have had the courage to try it. After hearing so many guys that have done it, I've done the last 2 this way and each time had zero problems. Both times the engine was fully loaded with accessories and bellhousing/clutch set-up.

This engine tilter from Mac's is a great little piece. It's a tad expensive, but if you're like me and have to do it on your own, this thing is handy as heck. It makes getting the correct angle as simple as a slight turn of the wrench. Only downside is it doesn't work on a 2x4 intake. For that I just use 2 carb plates.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mtd-701001

[fryedaddy]

i just installed one with the c6 trans and all with the carb plate,must have been 7-8 hundred pounds-no problem

[BattlestarGalactic]

Been lucky to always need a tilter(since everything I have has 2x4).  I stick the chain hooks in the exhaust ports and lift it up.  Really easy.

Buddy used a carb plate on a 460/trans combo and nearly ripped that little carb plate into pieces.

[Falcon67]

I only use a carb plate and have never had any issue. 

[427HISS]

10 years ago, I wouldn't have had the courage to try it. After hearing so many guys that have done it, I've done the last 2 this way and each time had zero problems. Both times the engine was fully loaded with accessories and bellhousing/clutch set-up.

This engine tilter from Mac's is a great little piece. It's a tad expensive, but if you're like me and have to do it on your own, this thing is handy as heck. It makes getting the correct angle as simple as a slight turn of the wrench. Only downside is it doesn't work on a 2x4 intake. For that I just use 2 carb plates.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mtd-701001

Wow, now that is a great tool. I watched the linked video's too. But, wow,.....$175 bucks. CAN I RENT YOURS ? !!! 

I've always used a plate on the carb surface wth small blocks, never a big block. When you add a flywheel, clutch, steel bell and a tranny, I'm shocked that the carb surface and the intake can support that much weight ! 

[cjshaker]

Wow, now that is a great tool. I watched the linked video's too. But, wow,.....$175 bucks. CAN I RENT YOURS ? !!! 

I wouldn't have a problem letting you borrow it, free of charge, as long as I got it back in a reasonable amount of time. I'll be needing it come Spring time. PM me your address and I'll send it to you...assuming you live in the U.S.?

[chris401]

I have a well used carb plate. Will support C6 and engine but I have not used it on an aluminum intake. I saw a 2×4 Offenhauser fall off a 3' table and break the rear corner off, right through the bolt hole. Freak thing that happened but so is a hand being crushed or severed by a falling engine.


EDIT: I have heard the Offy is considered to be one of the best castings. My Port-O-Sonic had a better appearance than any of my old porous Edelbrock Street Masters. The bolts and threads are strong enough. When a loaded plate crowns a gap down the middle it is also wedges the studs in the intake for a better grip. I would be concerned about finding a bad casting the hard way.

[Falcon67]

My plate is from Summit and it stout enough that it does not flex in the least.  I've pulled motors with aluminum intakes including tunnel rams using that plate since 1998 when I bought the engine crane.  The thread pull out on aluminum is typically quite high.  Times 4 should be way more than an engine/trans combo.

From the web:
Have done a lot of reading on the 'net trying to find a definitive answer for calculating the Pull Out Force of a screw in Aluminum.

Here are the knowns

5/16-18 SHCS Class 2 Gr 8

6061 Aluminum plate 3/4" thick (40ksi ?)

Length of engagement = 5/8"

Answer
Shear strength for 6061-T6 is 30 ksi.

Your force would be ~ 15 000 pounds.

For a 1/4" fastener:
5/8" thread engagement is 2.5 diameters of 1/4" threads. In aluminum, the SHCS will pull apart before the thread strips. If you're really worried, add a helicoil. Guaranteed the fastener will fail first.

The hydraulic ram test is interesting, but unfortunately doesn't tell you when the joint will fail under tension. I've never seen a 1/4-20 SHCS rated for >7000 pounds tension.

Yes load is divided among all fasteners, assuming the joint is stiff, they're located properly, and well-tightened.

From memory, if your SHCS is steel and well-torqued, it should be good for ~5300 lbf of tension.

[chris401]

My plate is from Summit and it stout enough that it does not flex in the least.  I've pulled motors with aluminum intakes including tunnel rams using that plate since 1998 when I bought the engine crane.

I have not measured mine either but you can see a couple of thousands if yoir at the right angle. None of us can guaranty an accident will or will not happen.

[wsu0702]

My plate is from Summit and it stout enough that it does not flex in the least.  I've pulled motors with aluminum intakes including tunnel rams using that plate since 1998 when I bought the engine crane.  The thread pull out on aluminum is typically quite high.  Times 4 should be way more than an engine/trans combo.

From the web:
Have done a lot of reading on the 'net trying to find a definitive answer for calculating the Pull Out Force of a screw in Aluminum.

Here are the knowns

5/16-18 SHCS Class 2 Gr 8

6061 Aluminum plate 3/4" thick (40ksi ?)

Length of engagement = 5/8"

Answer
Shear strength for 6061-T6 is 30 ksi.

Your force would be ~ 15 000 pounds.

For a 1/4" fastener:
5/8" thread engagement is 2.5 diameters of 1/4" threads. In aluminum, the SHCS will pull apart before the thread strips. If you're really worried, add a helicoil. Guaranteed the fastener will fail first.

The hydraulic ram test is interesting, but unfortunately doesn't tell you when the joint will fail under tension. I've never seen a 1/4-20 SHCS rated for >7000 pounds tension.

Yes load is divided among all fasteners, assuming the joint is stiff, they're located properly, and well-tightened.

From memory, if your SHCS is steel and well-torqued, it should be good for ~5300 lbf of tension.

Yep I always chuckle when I see posts worrying about lifting an engine/trans combo via the carb plate.  For sure one 5/16-18 grade 2 bolt could lift that weight with a 4X+ safety factor.  I do understand the concern about the aluminum intakes but it is completely unwarranted.  As long as you have 3-4 threads engaged the bolt will fail way before the threads in the even in an aluminum intake.