Remove and strip engine

Jim Kilday

The engine in my 46 Commodore Coupe is going to Harkins in Watertown, SD for a complete overhaul hence my earlier question regarding the weight of the short block.



How long should it take an experienced mechanic to remove the engine and strip the block of all its external parts? He has available to him every conceivable tool/device he will need to do this work? I haven't a clue and I would like some idea before we start so I don't get a Royal Hosing.



If the final hunk of metal is not too heavy, I may just put it in the back of my SUV and drive it over to Watertown. A couple of my ex-wife's aunts occasionally rode in those rear seats with no noticeable handling problems. I cannot imagine the short block weighs more than they do.



The hardest part may be jockeying the block into the back of the SUV with that overhead door potentially getting in the way. I haven't quite figured that all out just yet. And, maybe it's no problem.



Mr. Harkins estimated the weight of the stripped block but I don't want to prejudice the readership. He said he was guessing but his should be a pretty good guess.



Jim Kilday

Uncle Josh

Well, I picked up a stripped 8 block, no pistons, no camshaft, no crankshaft etc and loaded it in the back of my ford econoline at age 65



If a mechanic can't strip it in a day, he doesn't know what he's doing. Only real problem I had is somebody put lead pins in the front main where it's supposed to be string. slowed me down but didn't stop me.