[Alfajay]

Any other insights are welcome too.

I applaud your creativity and while your design might work just dandy, I'd like to express two concerns:

- Cutting that long notch out of the tube will compromise its resistance to buckling. Whenever this style of engine stand adapter is discussed here on the BB, people always respond: "is supporting the engine from one side really strong enough?" It is strong enough with a full, 360 degrees of tubing. But by turning the tube into a "C" section, you risk that will fold under load. I haven't done a finite element analysis, I don't know what wall thickness or alloy of steel you're using, ... It might work just fine. But a better solution might be to leave the tube intact and use a long socket extension to tighten that nut.

- The offset flange on Jim Steck's original design (see below) puts the pivot point closer to the engine's center of gravity. Having the pivot near the center of the three studs will really make the engine top heavy, especially with the head installed. I wouldn't want an engine to suddenly flop over when balanced that way (especially if the tube strength was compromised by a notch). Offsetting the flange also solves the problem of accessing the top nut.

 

[Alfajay]

Jay, looking at the O/P image... if i drilled 2 new holes and turned the unit to the right, so the mounting holes are at 9 O'clock, would that provide a stable platform for a 6 cyl ?

Sorry, I didn't understand much of that.

- What is the "O/P image" ?

- "i drilled 2 new holes and turned the unit to the right, so the mounting holes are at 9 O'clock" wasn't at all clear to me. How about a sketch? Still, as I wrote to sono veL.O.ce, I can't predict what will or won't fail just by glancing at a picture; I was just expressing some concerns.

- "would that provide a stable platform for a 6 cyl ?" I sort of understood that sentence, but by "stable" did you mean: a) will the adapter fail due to the greater weight of the V6, or b) will the engine tend to flop over because it isn't supported at its center of gravity? Well, either way, I don't know the answer because my only experience is with 4 cyl engines.

 

[Alfajay]

OK, so you are referring to this image:

And you're thinking of an engine stand adapter with the offset 90 degrees from what is shown in the picture.

Why would you want to do that? Are the three engine mount studs on a V6 biased toward the front or rear of the engine (unlike a 4 cyl, where they are pretty much centered)? And if they are biased, would the engine stand adapter offset you are describing put the pivot point (e.g., the 2-3/8" dia tube) closer to the center?

If the V6 is anything like the 4 cyl, the problem is that the location of the three engine mount studs is below the center of gravity, even with the head off. With the head on, an engine stand adapter with no offset (as sono veL.O.ce has built) will pivot way below the C.G. On a V-6 with two heads, it would seem that this problem would be aggravated.

The beauty of these side-mount stands is that they allow you to constantly change the engine's orientation as you bolt on various parts. But if the engine is highly imbalanced, one person might not be able to control the rolling force when the screw on the engine stand is loosened.

 

[Alfajay]

I have that exact adapter. Because the top of the adapter interferes with the cylinder head, and will not mount as is.

OK, all this is finally sinking in. 1) you already have the type of adapter shown in the first picture in this thread. 2) while it fits a 4 cyl OK, it doesn't fit a V-6 because it interferes with the head. 3) If you drill two, new holes, you can mount it 90 degrees from the 4 cyl position onto your V-6 block. That right?

I guess the answer is: "sure, it will all bolt up, and your engine will be supported by the stand". But I think rotating an assembled engine (e.g., with both heads on) will be tough. The pivot point will be distant from the center of gravity in both the vertical and horizontal planes.

 

[Alfajay]

Here's another idea:

An alternative to the "tube and plate" style of side-mount engine stand adapter is to use a piece of 4" x 4" square structural steel tubing, like the one shown below. Note that the square tube bolts to the original engine stand plate; the plate designed to bolt to the bellhousing holes at the back of your small bock Chevy. The picture below is a friend's adapter for 4 cyl engines, but I would think it could be adapted to a V-6.

If you do something like this, the engine stand pivot can be aligned fore-aft with the motor mount studs. And based on the depth of the notch cut from the square tubing, it should fit under the V-6 head, but allow the pivot to be above the motor mount studs. And if a 4 x 4 piece isn't deep enough to clear the head, a 4 x 6 or 6 x 6 piece should be.