s2 ENGINE /GEARBOX REMOVAL

[dave lowe]

Hi Guys ,anyone know of a written discription on taking out the unit in an S2 with all the do's and dont's that one will come across?

Thanks Dave Lowe.

[richardvg]

1.Do ensure that the engine is TDC'd

2.Do take battery conectors off first.

3.Do take photo's en route

1.Do not try split engine and gearbox before removal

2.Do not think it will come out the bottom

3.Do not try a gantree without supporting the garage roof struts (engine / gearbox fairly heavy )

otherwise ,pretty standard -check the LEW site ,there are a couple of tips in the "engine overhaul "section

I have just pulled my lump and found it easy with the crane - you have to lift the front (engine up) and then the rear so best make sure you have a mate assisting you at this point.

Richard

[GavinT]

2.Do not think it will come out the bottom

I've not had to do this but I think dropping the engine/gearbox out the bottom is the only way to do it. Pretty sure you support the engine/gearbox and then raise the car up. Reason being the floor does not come out on an S1/S2 and does on S3/Turbo. Maybe Tony K or Matt-Watts could way in, as I know they have both done it.

[winners]

I'm sure it comes out of the top. I remember having the conversation with Matt Watts. I was suprised as I thought it would come down..but no!

[Tony K]

You can do it both ways, but the main way is out the bottom with gearbox attached. It comes out at an angle, so you need to get the car pretty high off the ground (i.e. use a lift). If you don't have a lift, you will have to raise the car about two or three times as high as a typical set of jack stands go. Using a balance bar will make it easier.

If you try to pull it out the top, you have to separate the gearbox from engine in situ. It is easy to damage the transaxle input shaft bearing, and there is not much room to move the transaxle back enough to free it of the engine. Tim Engle has an excellent, detailed step-by-step writeup for doing it this way on the S1S2S3owners yahoo group.

A few suggestions for lowering out the bottom:

I use straps around the engine and transaxle, as I have been too lazy to bolt hooks to some part of the engine.

Remove the intake manifold with engine in car (and stuff rags in ports). It's quick and easy, gives you a lot more room, and you don't risk damaging intake/carbs. If car has AC, I think you have to remove Alternator and Compressor; if no AC, removing alternator helps nonetheless. If you don't mind climbing over and removing the crankshaft V-pulley, the extra couple of inches it gives can make lowering the engine out easier (it's a toss-up -- more work removing pulley vs. more wiggling engine down and out); more useful if you have 3-belt V-pulley.

Obviously the frame diagonal supports have to come out.

If using a two-post lift, you may find it easier to put the car backwards on the lift compared to how most cars go on, depending on the extended length of the arms.

There is no reason to support the front of the car by anything other than the chassis. Cut a board the length and width of the horizontal box section at the front of the chassis so the lift pads (or anything else you use) doesn't dent the chassis. On the rear, you probably have to use the thick area inside of the rocker panels at the rearmost point (just in front of the wheel wells). Don't leave the car sitting like this longer than necessary, especially with the engine in, as the frame is effectively hanging from the body at the rear of the car now. Fine for a few days, longer once engine/gearbox are out, but not for months.

IF YOU ARE SITTING IN THE BOOT WITH THE CAR ON A LIFT AS DESCRIBED ABOVE, YOU RUN THE RISK OF TIPPING THE CAR BACKWARDS OFF OF THE LIFT, WHETHER ENGINE/GEARBOX ARE IN OR OUT. Consider placing weight in the front compartment of the car, as far forward as possible, and being mindful when in the boot to be as toward the front of the car as possible. Maybe loosely rope the front suspension arms to the lift arms as a backup, too.

Quick reminder of S1/S2 vs. Turbo: On the S1/S2, none of the boot floor pieces come out!

Hope this helps!

[dave lowe]

ThANKS for your imput Tony and the other guys who answered.The reason i asked in the first place was because i have had my S2 15 yrs but here in GUERNSEY Channel Islands it gets very little use, maybe 250 miles a year so reading about timing belt life from some members gave me more than a little cause for concern!.One day i will start it to move it or go down the road and all hell will break loose along with said belt.A while ago now i had a leak from the waterpump and while wating for one to arrive poured a bottle of sealant in the system to tide me over .It worked so needless to say the replacement pump still sits on the shelf in the workshop! I sound uncaring but have two Lotus s/seaters a 61 and a 69 formula ford which i have raced since the 70s and are alot easier to work on.

The list of to do jobs are

1 timing belt

2 water pump

3 leakinglower cam cover

4 slight oil leak back main

If i thought 1&2could be completed in situ i would behappy to take it to local garage with the manual under my arm but the fear is a bolt/stud on the water pump shears off then i am in trouble big time and will have to take it out any way.

I looked up Tim Engle's page b t w and of the 55 lines the only one i liked was the last one about the beer and i DON'Tdrink.

With all i have read i still can't be sure if it will come out as a unit through the bottom or the top?

When i first had it all those years ago and was bemoanig the impossibles of working on it the lady of the house allways said "AH WELL YOU WANTED IT" .She's right and i did/do but it does do your head in!

[Tony K]

Drop the engine and gearbox together out the bottom. It's a two-person job, but it's fun and not that complicated. Might even be easier with a third person to help muscle the engine/gearbox around.

[dave lowe]

Cheers again Tony .A m in the middle of doing it in situ with all the backache and stiff legs that go with it but will persevere

[The Veg]

So for the Turbo, which way is preferable?

[lotus4s]

With the turbo, definitely much easier out the top with the boot floor out. I don't think you could even get it out the bottom. There's barely enough room to get just the tranny out from the bottom.

[Matt-watts]

S1 and s2 Esprits I would remove from the bottom without spliting the engine and gearbox .....see picture

S3's and turbos I have removed from above and have split them first

Hope this helps

Matt

[dave lowe]

Thanks Matt but did what i had to do in situ.Looking at your pic and the spotless unit surely that is going back in ?Wish i had your dedication to the job!.

[Scoville]

Sweet Jesus that is a polished engine, how on earth did you get it so clean???