I was wondering if a jack and a block of wood under the crank pulley will hurt anything by jacking it up from there?

 

Yes, most likely. Don't lift it by the pulley. Try and get behind it to the hub, or use an engine hoist.

 

So the Hub can take the load, just not the pulley?

 

The hub should. But I wouldn't recommend it. I'd try and support the engine on a sling. I believe Harbor Freight has a tool that sits on the fender mounts and holds the engine up from the top. You'll likely have to drop the k-member down a bit too to get the pan out, it'd be a good time to do engine mounts while you're at it.

 

Well I have a crane. The only thing is that I have the truck parked in the grass, with it apart. Didn't think I would be replacing the gasket. It is an 84 El Camino with an LT1 in it that I had dropped in it about 6 months ago. I got the gasket replaced and torqued to spec. The pan was a little hard to get out because of the cross member that runs directly under the engine, which can't be removed. On top of that it is the corvette oil pan, so I had to jack the transmission up and lift up on the engine with the crane. Now I have to loosen the transmission cross member, because the transmission mount bolt is stuck on the crossmember and the engine slid forward. I think I will have it all bolted back up tomorrow.