Do you use a engine lift plate?
 

Has anyone ever dropped an engine because it pulled the carb studs out of the manifold?

I've got one and I've used it, but d@mn it looks scary.

lift plate
 

i agree with u on this.. i just don't trust them, but they are made to do what u are wanting to do.. lifting the motor.. i always use bolts on the front/rear of heads...

Never seen one break but DAMN it seems like there is a lot of force on those four little bolts! But then I get the heebie Jeebies with a only two bolts at each end of the heads as is usually used too. It just seems like a LOT of force on those bolts. But I have NEVER seen one break.

Brian

Ditto on the bolts at each end of both heads. Grade 5 or better 3/8" in the accessory holes - never had one bent or broken and I usually pull the trans with the engine.

Call me paranoid, but I will not use one on an aluminum manifold, and when I do use one on a cast iron manifold I use grade 8 bolts.

Vince

I have one and have use it but i will admit it does make me alittle nervous. :sweat: I usually go to the head like most do . But i do know guy's that they will use the plate just about every time and swear by it. :eek:


Cole

I have a set of OEM Ford plates that I use along with case chain. Those screw links are not used - I use Gr8 bolts 3/8x 1-1/2 along with some extra header bolts:

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i8...DSC_0003-5.jpg

I imagine Chevy has something similar or some can be made from some 1/4 to 3/8 stock. I also have a grunge set of valve covers so the chains wont damage my nice aluminum versions.

Dave W

The key IMO to safely using one of those engine plates with an aluminum manifold is using grade 8 bolts and above all make sure you have FULL thread engagement.

Vince

It doesn't get any better than that.

Brian

I know that when I was working as a mechanic at both the Chevy dealership and the Ford dealership neither one would let the mechanics use them, it could get you fired if you did.

Vince

I have pulled big blocks with them plates, I made one myself, but I do admit that it makes me feel nervous, I use it because I figured that if they failed someone had already sued the manufacturer big time and they would of being recalled already, but I still see them on catalogs.

The tension that only one stud can hold is way much higher than the weigth of an engine, and 4 of them are used, it worries me more the integrity of the threads in the manifold, specially aluminum, but it's a lot more than we could imagine.

We pulled a 454 with all of the accessories including the A/C compressor, plus the turbo 400 still bolted to the back of it using the carburetor base threaded holes on the intake and a lifting plate I had made from pieces of 1/8" x 1" (cause that's all I had at the time to build one from). The 1/8" x 1" got some nice bends to it but nothing broke . I call this the ultimate test. I am a little leary of going back in with this bolted to the aluminum intake that is now on the engine though. BTW. The front clip was off the donor vehicle, as it also is on the truck that this is going in to .

I also use the plate to pull the engine and transmission together, with aluminum intakes also, but I admit I am a little bit nervous. I usually do about two pulls a year with this method.

Well I think everyone one feels as I do. I've lifted with the plate but it makes me nervous. The aluminum threads in the manifold is my nervous point.

4 1/4X20 threads in one inch deep is about the equivalent of a one inch bolt in an inch deep, but the threads in the aluminum have to be a good set of threads in all 4 holes, or I won't use it. And even then I use my chains when ever I can.

I like these, one on each end of the engine. Makes it really easy to level the engine with these.

The only thing I would lift with that thing would be just an intake.
Give me grade 8 bolts and a good loadbearing chain any day.And the factory lifting rings that are on Chevy engines,well I had one of those to rip open and dropped an engine once,thankful it was coming out. I just cant see trying to install an engine with only one point of lifting .Just an unbalanced load of alot of money hanging,waiting for catastrophy.