Removing control valve without removing engine or reverser housing

[Jason37756]

Is it possible to remove a reverser control valve without removing the engine or reverser housing on a 350?

I was able to, but it takes patience and time. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend doing it unless you’re in a position to. I already had a few hoses and other things ready so it was easier to do it this way.

Heavy end first…back, up, and out.

Those oil tubes and the gaskets could easily be broken or otherwise damaged. The reinstall requires care for the new gasket ensuring not to damage it.

[LeonardL]

You got lucky dude!!! I was never able to pull one without first pulling the reverser. The reason is that if the machine has never been apart then the reverser valve body will be attached by at least two studs with nuts and then the rest will be bolts. Yes you can get the bolts out and the nuts will come off of the studs. But the studs are too long to allow you slide the valve body off of them.

So then I found out the studs weren't long enough to double nut or to use a stud removing tool to get them out. The bottom line here is that time wise I could have pulled the reverser out in less time that it took me to fool with trying to get the valve off. Then there is the fact that most of the time the problem was never the valve body and it meant pulling the reverser anyway.

Usually the problems that occur with the valve body can be addressed with it still attached to the reverser. The check valves, accumulator and other parts will all come out with some patient work. But... I found that the time involved always leaned in favor of the reverser being removed.

I'm glad for you that you got away with it. I hope all of that patients paid off for you. Thanks for sharing your experience!!

[Jason37756]

Yup, couldn’t agree with you more Leonard.

I’m still fighting with my pressures a bit and wanted to check one more thing before I pulled the engine & reverser. For me it worked out for what I needed at the moment, but that reverser is probably coming out…we shall see. Hopefully I’ll have it back together in a few days.

I was surprised to have all bolts and no studs, but probably would have put a small weld on the studs to tryin ease them out.