intake manifold removal

On an FE engine (390) I was told by a friend not to try to remove this thing without a hoist. Is this true?
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It will be pretty heavy, I dont know of you are going to need a hoist though.

When I took my stock manifold off, I had an engine hoist trying to lift that thing off of the car and I started to lift the car. I had to use those little pry bars to pop it free. It is very heavy once it is off. It took 2 of us to lift it up and out of the engine compartment so the paint wouldnt get scratched. Needless to say I got my U.S.D.A daily requirement of iron that day...
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will i be able to remove myself you think?

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It is easy to pry it off of the heads with those little pry bars, but when you are bent over into the middle of the car trying to lift while you are bent, it will use all your back muscles, that is for sure.

It is heavy, you are in an awkward position body stretched out over the fender and off-balance, but is can be done by one person. I've done as a scrawny 16-17 year old (every bit of 140 - 150 lbs). But I was stupid and too full of pride to ask for help. So the point is yes it can be done without help, but if you can get some help - it wouldn't hurt to take advantage of it.

hint: there is nothing wrong with climbing up on the fender, taking a seat, bracing with your legs; then doing a clean and jerk to get into your lap. you can look like a fool, but who cares, if it gets the job done.

Now trust me when I tell you; reinstallation will be a booger bear 'cause you have to make sure the end gaskets are gonna seal proper or else you will have oil leaks. Of all the things you ever want to spend money on for an FE – the first should be to get an aluminum intake manifold.
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<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Beoweolf on 5/23/07 12:22pm ]</font>

Yes, I will be reinstalling with aluminum if I can help it, so not to concerned with that. Im thinking about getting some kind of a pulley set up on the rafters of the garage maybe. No good for engine pulling, but should be strong enough for manifold and the like.
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I've posted this pic before, but this is what I use to R/R my 351w out of the Falcon.



$80.00 electric winch from Harbor Freight, $40.00 12x12 from local True Value. If you're going to rig something, might as well make it useful.

I've had to use this more than once to pull wrecked motorcycles out of the back of my truck, don't ask why.

Swap meets are good for inexpensive chain pulls, too.

R/R an iron FE intake is like pulling a C6 by yourself without a floor jack or any other roller tools.

Murff
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