really dumb question on supporting engine when tranny is out of car...

[shadango]

I know this will sound like a real dumb question, and it probably is......but I would rather ask and look dumb than not and have problems.....

Right now the 318 engine in my car is sitting there , hooked up as far as motor mounts...rad is in, fan is on......no exhaust yet though...

But the tranny isnt hooked up to it yet.....the previous owner used a block of wood to go between the firewall and the top of the engine......it is resting on the top of the engine as well as the top of the flex plate....

The tranny guy I have taken my tranny to has asked to see the flex plate....

So, question is:  Can I safely remove that block of wood and let the motor suspended on just the front mounts or do I need to other wise somehow support it?  The previous owner had told me that the wood really wasnt needed....but will I damage the mounts if I dont support the back of the engine?

Common sense is telling me it would be better to have it supported......but then where can I support it?  Not really anything there underneath aside from oil pan and that aint gonna be a good place to support it obviously.

Need to do this this evening....

Ok, see, I told you it was a dumb question....sorry, and thanks in advance for the help!

[72hemi]

Well when I got my 71 cuda it did not have an engine in the car and the mounts were the only thing holding the engine up, but I would not reccomend this. What I do when I pull the transmission out of the car I usually run a ratchet tie strap under the oil pan and around the frame rails, through the acces holes.

[Changin Gears]

You need to support it, the mounts won't.  I will end up resting on the steering linkage.

[72hemi]

I just remembered that when I first built my 72 Challenger we installed the engine but had to wait a while for the transmission so we fabricated support arms that went from a couple of the transmissions bolt holes on the back of the block to the frame rails and supported it that way. Just another  option for you.

[shadango]

Glad to see that my "common sense" detector was at least kind of working....LOL

Both great ideas...Thanks guys!   

The straps seem the quickest/easiest although will the pan be OK to strap across? (I guess it must be if ya did it!)  I have what looks to be a milodon pan...its a welded piece and gold in color....or maybe a milodon wanna be....LOL

The arms seem like a great way but the straps could be easier to adjust for when the tranny goes in....drop the engine a bit at a time.....whereas seems like the arms/brackets would be great if I knew where the engine needed to be....already.....

[shadango]

I ended up using a ratchet strap that seems to be string enough.....just for while working on the engine....then put the wood block back in place "just in case".

Thanks again guys......I know that a lot of my questions are very newbie-ish.....gotta learn somehow...LOL