Rear engine brackets.

[Jiggity76]

Hey guys, does anyone know if the rear brackets on the back of the cylinder heads/block are easily removable with the engine still in the truck? My bud and I are working on a 87 GMC High Sierra 4x4. It has the TBI 350. We need to mount the intake to brake booster tube on the driver's side and the heater hose on the passenger side. I'm hoping we don't have to pull the motor in order to get them mounted but if so, so be it.

Also, how many bolts hold the brackets onto the motor? I'm thinking they have two bolts per bracket but just wanted to know for sure. If anyone has these brackets already off and would like to sell them, I would be interested as well. Thanks all!

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[75gmck25]

The TBI must have a bracket much different than a carbureted truck, since I don't have any brackets mounted on the back of the engine except for the metal tube around the wiring running to the starter. However, all the bolts into the cylinder head, and the bolts that hold the transmission to the engine should be accessible from the engine compartment.

On a 4x4 its often best to crawl up into the engine compartment, sit on the radiator support and put your feet on the area on the driver's side where there would be a tray for the auxiliary battery. Then lean over the engine and support yourself with your left hand on the engine. You can do the same on the passenger side, and put your feet all the way down on top of the frame. However, somebody will inevitably come out to watch and make fun of you sitting up in the engine compartment.

 

[AuroraGirl]

Hey guys, does anyone know if the rear brackets on the back of the cylinder heads/block are easily removable with the engine still in the truck? My bud and I are working on a 87 GMC High Sierra 4x4. It has the TBI 350. We need to mount the intake to brake booster tube on the driver's side and the heater hose on the passenger side. I'm hoping we don't have to pull the motor in order to get them mounted but if so, so be it.

Also, how many bolts hold the brackets onto the motor? I'm thinking they have two bolts per bracket but just wanted to know for sure. If anyone has these brackets already off and would like to sell them, I would be interested as well. Thanks all!

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Pic of your engine bay?

 

[Jiggity76]

I'll get one later. I thought I had one but nope. Let me see if there is a good one doing a random search on the Web.

 

[Jiggity76]

Pic of your engine bay?

Here's a good pic of the bracket on the driver's side. It's the one there on the back of the cylinder head. It holds the intake to brake booster hardline. Trying to find a good pic of the passenger side bracket.

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[Jiggity76]

Pic of your engine bay?

Ok, here's a good pic of both brackets. The ones I need are mounted to the back of both cylinder heads. Driver's side for the intake to brake booster hardline and the passenger heater hose support bracket. If anyone has any good tips on how to remove some from a junkyard motor with the motor still being in the engine bay...that would be great.

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[AuroraGirl]

It looks like 1 13mm or possibly 12.. hard to say, bolt head holding the bracket onto the head and then it just has the shape to kind of hug it nicely. I would get a long wrench with an offset or possibly none maybe a ratcheting kind and take your time. Need a ladder tho probably.

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I have a carbed 350 in a 1980, but thats how much room I have. it would be laying on the engine with a board across kind of thing for me to reach that but I could in my vehicle. i would assume the clearance to the firewall is close to this

 

[AuroraGirl]

I would take some flat stock, capture TWO head holes so you can probably use a junkyard passenger head to make a template for the driver rear, and the driver front to make the passenger rear unless they changed the accessory hole system after carbs.
I would just use something like aluminum with a corrosion barrier or some mild steel. that would stand up and you can mount however you feel like to that

 

[bucket]

It's not a very fun task, but they can be removed with the engine in place. You have to "feel" what you are working on, lol. Iirc, they are 3/8" bolts and only 3/4" long. 9/16" hex.

 

[bucket]

Also, I may have those brackets you seek. I'll have to look to be sure. I've scrapped several sets of them over the years but there may be some stragglers.

 

[AuroraGirl]

It's not a very fun task, but they can be removed with the engine in place. You have to "feel" what you are working on, lol. Iirc, they are 3/8" bolts and only 3/4" long. 9/16" hex.

They would prob be metric but the wrench would only fit a little.. looser? than the metric head. Unless bolts that go into the heads were still standard. buick 3800 water pump and intake (lower) manifolds were 3/8.. everything else on car and engines is metric. even into the 2000s

 

[bucket]

They would prob be metric but the wrench would only fit a little.. looser? than the metric head. Unless bolts that go into the heads were still standard. buick 3800 water pump and intake (lower) manifolds were 3/8.. everything else on car and engines is metric. even into the 2000s

They were still standard thread. Even the later Vortec engines had standard threads in the heads.

 

[Jiggity76]

They would prob be metric but the wrench would only fit a little.. looser? than the metric head. Unless bolts that go into the heads were still standard. buick 3800 water pump and intake (lower) manifolds were 3/8.. everything else on car and engines is metric. even into the 2000s

Ok, thank you. I tried first with a 10 and then a 13 but no go and then the yard was closing so I had to leave.

 

[Jiggity76]

Also, I may have those brackets you seek. I'll have to look to be sure. I've scrapped several sets of them over the years but there may be some stragglers.

Ok, thank you! Let me know and if you can get some pics as well, that would be great. Once it's confirmed, I will happily pay for them including shipping.

 

[Jiggity76]

It looks like 1 13mm or possibly 12.. hard to say, bolt head holding the bracket onto the head and then it just has the shape to kind of hug it nicely. I would get a long wrench with an offset or possibly none maybe a ratcheting kind and take your time. Need a ladder tho probably.

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I have a carbed 350 in a 1980, but thats how much room I have. it would be laying on the engine with a board across kind of thing for me to reach that but I could in my vehicle. i would assume the clearance to the firewall is close to this

Thanks for your prompt response and your help!