Its a basic, probably dumb question; but I wanna throw my 3800 on an engine stand, and I'm just curious the best (proper) way to do it without damaging anything.

The bolt-holes where the transmission bellhousing bolts to are the obvious mount points, and I would assume for the most strength on a four-post mount you want to use the top two, and bottom two. Unfortuantely, there are guide-pins for the tranny housing in two of the optimal holes.

Do you people use the non-guide-pinned holes? Or do you remove the guide pins? And if you remove...how do you do that?

Any suggestions would be nice, I'm learning as I go, have never bolted an engine to a stand before, this is all very new to me.

Thanks!!

Two in the top two holes, one in the through hole and one in the non dowel pin hole on the other side. Try to get the pivot as close to the center of mass of the engine if you plan on turning it over on the stand.

I used the top 2 & the furthest out on each side, I used spacers (wrenches...) on the non dowel openings to keep it even.

http://img.photobucket.com/...i/Fiero/a12d460f.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/.../Fiero2/8bd5f14d.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/.../Fiero2/dea3ed91.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/...i/Fiero/d42d9c02.jpg


Ghetto but it worked, the wrenches were the exact same width as the dowels.

I also use the two top and the two sides, then I add large washers behind the non dowel holes to space it out even with the pinned hole. Use the correct size bolts, I forgot if bell housing bolts work for 3 of them? Then a long skinnier bolt w/nut for 1 of them. You may need some good washers too, grade 8 washers are thick and don't deform easily like the cheap thin washers do. Some people lift the engine up and bolt the fixture on in the stand and all, I like to bolt the fixture to the engine on the ground, then lift the engine and fixture into the stand. Either way works though. Here are some of the pics I took of my build that shows the engine mounting to stand.

what year is that engine? I was expecting a cast aluminum oil pan...

Mine is a 99, series II, L67