Pulling the motor.
 

I'm trying to beat the cold weather here in Wyoming. Has anyone ever pulled their motor by themselves? I'm stuck trying to figure out what I could possibly be hooked up on. The stock Merc exhaust comes out of the manifolds rises a bit then dives down toward the outdrive. There are two big bolts (removed) holding what appears to be some sort of housing where the exhaust combines from each side them dumps into the out drive. I see only two motor mounts. All hardware that will get in the way of the motor moving has been taken off. I'll get some pictures tomorrow of what I'm talking about. Oh, and the outdrive is off.

Just realized it may be an extra set of motor mounts that I can't readily see. There are two near the front of the motor below the exhaust manifolds. Are there two in the back?

It's a stock Merc Gen 4/5 454 that i'm pulling and putting in my 496 stroker. Bravo 1 outdrive.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...d7741d58c.jpeg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...59cd19a6b.jpeg


added photos. Flywheel housing doesn’t have any attachment to the boat. Drive shaft is pulled from the out drive. The two big bolts I mentioned are out. Two motor mount nuts are off. I’m hanging up in the back though.

I think you are missing the two rear bolts that mount on the transom assembly and go through the bell housing attachment points. Make sure the outdrive is off and the outdrive shaft is completely pulled from the coupler.

I've pulled mine by myself along with a gantry and 1 tone chain fall. It was daunting at first but would do it again if I had to.

Not sure. Granted this vid is of a 350, but I have the exact same exhaust setup. At 5:17 you can see the bolts by the exhaust Y pipe. Mine came out just fine. Looking at schematics for the gen 4/5/6 454 base motor, the flywheel housing looks like it may bolt down like a motor mount on the gen V/VI. Wondering if something similar could be going on for me.

When removing it, I assume I need to slide the motor forward prior to lifting it out?

I got it freed up. I’m curious what it was bound on??? Once I get the motor fully out I’m going to take a look. Just got a hoist it out now. Update later.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...4fd38df829.jpg
Motor is out. Gotta take off the oil pan for clearance.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...c9a41d794d.jpg
No clue what it was bound up on. Front motor mounts look good. No abrasions on the threads.


gonna bake the block and sell it. Doubt there is a market for stock intake, TB, and heads.

The few I have pulled, the front motor mounts always catch and bind comimg out . Hard to hold that mass perfectly straight and level while lifting.But you got it.

I've pulled my 454's a few times and always by myself. I have racing mounts, so it may be a bit easier for me to move eng fwd initially. Looks like you had everything major disconnected. Maybe it was a ground/bonding wire somewhere??.

BTW, those 2 fiber washers and lock washer/springs on the rear mount will walk away if you're not careful. I tape them in place with masking tape. After installing the new eng, when re-installing the 2 bolts, just push them thru the tape.

good idea!

What's up with it?
Why not try to sell the engine complete?

exhaust clamps were loose and it sucked up a bunch of water. There’s rust in the intake manifold and I’m sure the block. I’m going to pop the manifold off and look.

Haven't had time yet, I"ll post back with pics once I get it off.

Had some people asking....I work 12hr days. I will have time hopefully Thursday/Friday Oct6th or 7th.

Manifolds tend to rot around the water passages.....

yes they do. I’ll post some pics of them hopefully on the 6th and 7th

Mine was just the 4 bolts mentioned

Having some medical issues with my wife. Still haven’t had time to pull it all apart. Motor is in my garage still.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...fa492e30bc.jpg

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...7412612a27.jpg
this is looking straight down into the intake manifold

update --- wife is doing better. gonna need about 3 months of treatment. im back on work again. won't be able to start tearing it down for 1 week. will post back

Dont worry about the boat...its not going anywhere...make sure she's ok first :cool:
The rust in the intake ive seen on a normal running engine...it could be from condensation from sitting for long periods of time.

OP, Yu may have already covered it in a posting, but if the engine inhaled water, did you at least flood the cylinders to stop the corrosion ( its been a while since the thread started)?.... or are you going full rebuild?

back. Wife is doing better, but not out of the woods. Progress with her is slow. It’s been 7 months of treatment, likely need another 6 months. Ice is coming the reservoir, time to get back to the build. Yes I did flood the cylinders. Still have the motor sitting in my garage on the engine stand. Handy move sine I last posted. It’s listed here locally for sale. No takers yet. Probably, finish the 496 stroker then go through the old 454.

Back to working on the 496.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...6e2a001b6.jpeg
Gota get pushrods. Somewhere around 8-10 inches
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...94dfe5b43.jpeg

Is that a steel freeze plug?

its the back of the camshaft journal,,its always steel.

correct

Latest update… bought another engine stand. Swapping the old motor over to it(still trying to sell it.$3500 too much for it? Rebuilt with only 40hrs). Time to put on the remaining accessories, wire it up, start it, the put it back I to the hull.

are those flat tappet lifters, are using an adjustable push rod to get the geometry correct for length

yes and yes. I have adjustable pushrods to measure length.

Pushrods are ordered. Talked to Matt at Manton Pushrods. Cool guy and super helpful. 8.35 on the intake, and 9.31 on the exhaust side. 3/8 by .145 thickness.

Pushrods and Y pipe exhaust block plate are here. Can finally finish building the motor!


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...db95841e2.jpeg

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...685872dcb.jpeg
Valve train is done. Pain in the butt aligning the roller rockers to be in the center of the valve spring.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...74c2f1042.jpeg
Letting the rtv silicone/rubber set before the final torque down of the intake manifold.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...9cb0bc61a.jpeg
Finally got it on the engine stand. Now to finish it. Took a week vacation to see if some R&R help my wife. Which on that front if you’ve followed this thread im looking to get her Cancun or Cayman Islands for stem cell treatment.

Not sure why it didn’t save, but I just posted an update and now need to do it again.

motor is built sitting in my garage. Been taking my wife to doctors appts. Going on 1 year since her Covid booster causing some serious havoc. Headed to Mayo Clinic next week…..then Florida, and if we can’t get anywhere Cayman Islands. Sucks. Boating season here in Wyoming is almost over.
just giving an update on the whole project.

Don't take my words as gospel by any means....

...my understanding is that you want the thinnest contact width through the full arc...as close as you can make it to the center. So you have the mist stem contact.

I don't think it's beneficial to sacrifice arc contact width to get the patch in the exact center.

That was some Eric Weingartner wisdom I think. Makes sense to me. I have had a hard time cetering at times even with calced and measured push rods to the correct length.

Thoughts with you and your family.

Thank you for the update...we'll be here eager for the next phase.

Motor goes into the boat this week. Sitting in Denver Intl Airport waiting on the last leg of traveling. Been at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for my wife.

gotta remember how to put on the flywheel, flywheel housing/coupler and whatever the little plate thing is with it after I lift the motor off the engine stand.

Have you got the Merc Manual for the process?

I wish. I do have a schematic though so figuring it out won't be too bad.

Well that engine looks a lot better than that rusted out old thing you pulled out.
I had the same valve train set up down to the adjustable guides, I had the offset intake rockers for better geometry . Great rockers , never broke one.