Pulling the Motor to Change Belts

[Chris89turbo]

Well I know the timing belt can be changed without pulling the motor, but I am wondering if it is 10 times easier this way, and if pulling the motor was pretty easy once the transmission was out?

The reason I am considering this is that the car came with no records at all, and has 55k on it. My last lotus made it 10 days before the clutch went out, so I learned very quickly how to change the clutch in the car (not bad really). Well the belt on this new one is showing cracks, so it HAS to be changed, and I have no idea what the clutch in the car looks like.

So, I was thinking of just doing the major changes all at once to avoid any problems in the near future. Changing all belts, hoses, water pump, etc when the motor was out & knock the timing belt out & sticking a new clutch in it when it went back together.

My ultimate question is; when the trnasmission is out, is it pretty much a few hose diconnects & two motor mounts, and out the engine comes at that point? Is this a good idea to go ahead & do since I know nothing of the history?

I am considering tackling this, and just wanted some opinions... the belt HAS to be changed regardless

[stevem]

My last lotus made it 10 days before the clutch went out, so I learned very quickly how to change the clutch in the car (not bad really).

Hey Chris. Do you have any notes on the easiest way to do the clutch with the engine and gearbox in? Mine's OK right now but I can't see any evidence of a previous clutch change in the service records given to me by the P/O and therefore suspect it may need a new one sooner rather than later.

if you have a quick guide and/or photos that you can share it would be appreciated.

[Advantage]

Engine and gearbox come out as one unit and are separated on the bench.

[rbjo]

I have just pulled the engine out of my 1988 USA mod. Used 30 manhours including eating and talking with the people who helped me. You need to have help because of loosen the nuts, one under the car and one over the car. Pull out the engine and gearbox in one peace and separate it after.

The best way to take it out is if you have chain pulley in the roof and lift it in 45 degrees angel from the engine to the gearbox.

I have taken pictures of the job and can send you this if you want.

BR

RB

[Chris89turbo]

Hey Chris. Do you have any notes on the easiest way to do the clutch with the engine and gearbox in? if you have a quick guide and/or photos that you can share it would be appreciated.

Well I do not have photos, but this weekend I will post a detail play by play on how it is done.

You do not need to remove the motor from the car, but you MUST remove the gearbox from the motor, and out of the car because that is where the clutch is located.

I hope that everyone is not pulling the entire engine to change the clutch?!. Lotus actually designed a special plate that unbolts from the body in the cargo compartment towards the back (right above the muffler) with the specific intent to allow the transmission to slide back away from the motor just far enough for the gearbox spline to clear the clutch assembly so it can be tilted & pulled out through the top of the hatchback.

I will let you know when I get it typed up & posted!.. I wish I would have had directions. It was a nightmare for a new Lotus owner with no idea what was under there... It took the first 2 nights just to realize the storage floor was removable! haha

Here is proof you can get it out with the motor in tact... Yes, I am in the engine bay pulling the flywheel off & laughing my butt off, but it is from me going crazy after 30 days of fighting parts, manuals & total bliss to what I was getting into! haha

[Bibs]

We did the clutch on my car a couple of months ago, details here...

http://www.lotusespritforum.com/forums/ind...showtopic=21423

Topic is in the 'clutch' section entitled 'clutch 101.

[Chris89turbo]

Cool.. I am glad I didnt re-type the same thing...

I still didnt really get my question answered. I can see the motor & gearbox coming out together, but if someone WERE to pull the gearbox first, and then the motor, is the motor pretty simple to get out once the gearbox would be removed?

Given I have only torn into this car ONE TIME to change the clutch, I would feel much more comfortable duplicating the removal procedurer to that point, and then taking the next steps & removing the engine (they have to be seperated anyway regardless if its done in the car or out of the car).. I think it would be much easier to manuver in the engine bay to get to bolts & hoses for removal once the gearbox is out of the way?

Any quick tips or things to "watch out" for? If a guy can change a clutch, can he safley assume he can remove & replace the engine as a "first timer"?... I want to make darn sure I get it back together because no one in my state wants to touch this car (the reason I tackled the clutch myself the first time).

[DanR]

That's how I do it. Much easier removing and refitting the gearbox first. I straddle it, pull it off the engine and thread it under the rear of the car.

As for getting the engine now out, there's still a lot of work to do. Too much I think for a "C" service. You may be able to move it back several centimetres for better access and visuals of the front. Use good lighting in that area. There will be one bolt under the jack shaft pulley that is hard to access. Replace it with a socket headed bolt.

One thing though if you do remove the engine is the opportunity to do a thorough clean and detail. If you take out the engine, the harness can either sit on top or disconnect all the fittings to the engine. Disconnect the side covers, air cleaner, oil cooler adapter, p/s pump, water piping, fuel hoses, a/c pump, probably the alternator, various vacuum pipes, exhaust from turbo, heat shields and other bits and pieces apparent once you start.

While you're there check for fiberglass cracking around the rear bobbins.

Good luck.

Edited July 14, 2009 by DanR

[TrapperJohn]

In retrospect, the cam belt change wasn't very hard, just a bit tedious if you haven't done it before. You want tough? Try working on a Mercury Sable wagon (estate) with the 24 valve V6 - the accessories are all on the bottom of the engine where you can't get to them. Four arm scraping, knuckle busting hours to change the alternator - grrr!

Only tough parts of the cam belt change were:

AC belt tensioner, two blind bolts and the new belt fits real tight.

Vacuum pump, just figuring out that you need to grind down an 8mm allen wrench to get to that one bolt. Might be different on a pre-SE, though.

Fitting the long hose to the top of the water pump, and that wasn't hard once I figured out that a pry bar between the cam pulleys pushed on it at just the right angle. Engine probably needs to be in place to complete this anyway.

Setting cam belt tension before you install the new accessory belts. If you put the accessory belts in place, it's a lot harder to do and you end up just taking them back off. Also be sure you get the tensioner orientation correct.

Well worth the effort, though. I had a lovely drive yesterday, not even going that fast, just chasing twisty road after twisty road, the Esprit purring like a kitten. Now, if I could just do something about the piddly brakes they put on the SE...