S1 engine removal question

[ElEsprito]

Hello,

with the gearbox seemingly being an intregal part of the rear suspension, can I 'roll'/push my car around when I've taken engine & tranny out?

Thanks

Dennis

[Tony K]

Hi Dennis,

If you just take the engine/trans out, no. What most people do is rest the rear frame (or entire car) on jack stands that are sitting on casters (platforms with wheels). It might then help to tie the half shafts to something to keep the suspension from hanging totally down on both sides.

Cheers,

Tony

Edited January 31, 2010 by USAndretti42
Removed quote of previous post

[ElEsprito]

Hi Tony, where would these jackstands be positioned to support the car?

[Tony K]

Under the bar across the bottom of the frame (I drew a picture). Of course, jack stands should be covered in cardboard or cloth, and their cup shouldn't have a shape that would dent the sheet steel. It may seem far forward in the car, but the majority of the weight is forward when the engine is out. I'm sure there are other places that work, too, but this method has never presented a problem.

- T

[ElEsprito]

Thanks Tony, this helps.

Dennis

[bobfogle]

Hello,

with the gearbox seemingly being an intregal part of the rear suspension, can I 'roll'/push my car around when I've taken engine & tranny out?

Thanks

Dennis

Hi Dennis:

(Sorry - looks like my pics were too big to come through. If they would be helpful to you - let me know and I'll be glad to send them to you.)

I have just gone through this process and what I came up with might be helpful.

I built a box 55" x 48" x 15" high of 2" x 6" pine for a frame on top and a frame on the bottom with 4" x 4" posts at the corners of the frames and 1/4" ply panels between the posts for stiffness. I used large casters from the hardware store. Once in place the total height of the box top to ground was 20". This is important because you want the Engine/Trans when lowered on to a dolly to roll out from under the car. The lumber is cheap. Buy good casters.

I removed the rear hubs, axels and breaks from the car. The trailing links just hang down.

I used two ceiling mounted hoists to lift the car onto the box. The rear hoist is attached to the end of the frame and the front hoist is attached to a metal strap bolted to the front bulkhead.

Once on the box, I used the same hoist in the rear to drop the engine/trans out the bottom. I used a chain near the front of the engine, a strap behind the engine mounts (both attached to the ceiling hoist) and a h jack on the trans to drop the rear first at an angle - then lower the engine/trans to a dolly on the floor. It comes out very easily at an angle with the trans lowered first.

Now you can either roll the car forward or side ways away from the engine - or roll the engine/trans out from under the car. (if you plan to use jack stands).

I like the car on the box because I can roll it where ever I need it to be. Since my ceiling hoist is fixed, it is useful to roll the car out of the way and use the hoist to lift the engine onto an engine stand.

Hope this is helpful.

Bob

Edited February 12, 2010 by bobfogle

[ElEsprito]

Hi Bob, thanks so much for your detailed description. Do I understand correctly that you hoisted the entire car onto a wooden frame??

Dennis

[bobfogle]

Hi Bob, thanks so much for your detailed description. Do I understand correctly that you hoisted the entire car onto a wooden frame??

Dennis

Hi Denis:

Yes. These pixs show the box. I used the two hoists attached to the ceiling to lift the front and rear.

Hope this is helpful.

Bob

[ElEsprito]

Wow, impressive, thanks for posting this!

Dennis