Engine out

[lostcause]

I did mine with Gunk and a pressure washer, scrape off any thick lumps of oil/grime, a good scrub with a stiff brush and gunk, then blast it with hot water at whatever pressure a karcher works at! It did mine a treat. As an aside, i pulled my engine out with out the gearbox, it "fell" back in, just jack the gearbox as high as it will go, suspend the engine on the inlet manifold runners for 2nd and 3rd cylinder, I couldnt believe how easy/fast it went. I had to loosen the power rack to gain clearance.

If you want to give it a lick of paint, I'm advised that smooth hamerite in silver is a good finish, Plastikote like I used is not good!

hope this helps

Mark

[mc21.8]

usually done b4 removal of engine its a cleaner working enviroment, as above really put as much back as poss mask areas ect

[esprit s2]

I've got a Karcher pressure washer but obviously I don't want water getting into places where water shouldn't be, how do I go about blocking those holes up? At the moment, as you can see, I've just got kitchen role stuffed in the holes!

[lostcause]

I removed any "offending " studs from manifold faces, wiped them with acetone or thinners to make sure the surface was oil free, then used duct tape thats the mesh reinforced stuff that sticks to anything, supply the carcher with a hot water supply and obviously do not direct the jet at oil seals or the tape. Take off the timing belt and tensioner assemby before you douse it. I left the tape in place for painting as well. theres a pic on my post "what have I done", very blingy!!

[andydclements]

Use a good degreaser or TFR (Traffic Film Remover), put it on neat (if that's what they direct) then use a low pressure mist type spray to get it rinsed off. A pressure washer will force water in just about every crevice available. The best way is as stated, do it before you pull it apart. If you try to block things up with tape etc a pressure washer will just rip through or lift that.

You could put the bits back on then pressure wash it, block off the oil dip stick, crank breather, inlet & exhaust manifolds (some valves will be open so water into bores if you don't)

[Sir Paolo]

Thanks to everyone for the great advice about splitting the two units whilst in the car, worked a treat! Now the engine is out I'll change the exhaust manifold, remove and paint the cam covers and give the block a good clean. Anything else I should be doing whilst its on the bench?

Just a thought, and I'm only repeating from my own findings that I decided to fit Heli-Coils to the Block/Bell Housing captive threads. I decided to do this as a few threads were decidedly tired being on a 25+ year old alli, and I thought whilst the engine was out it'd be easy (and it was!).

Bearing in mind if threads failed when I was doing a clutch change (etc) at some point in the future, it'd be near impossible repairing failed threads with Heli-coils with the engine in situ!

[lostcause]

Just a thought, and I'm only repeating from my own findings that I decided to fit Heli-Coils to the Block/Bell Housing captive threads. I decided to do this as a few threads were decidedly tired being on a 25+ year old alli, and I thought whilst the engine was out it'd be easy (and it was!).

Bearing in mind if threads failed when I was doing a clutch change (etc) at some point in the future, it'd be near impossible repairing failed threads with Heli-coils with the engine in situ!

if you want to change the clutch, the engine has to come out, the gearbox wont come out with the engine in place (great design!) Probably a wise move to repair any damaged threads. I was lucky, no stripped threads and with the exception of the downpipe studs on the manifold, all of the studs came out without too much hastle as well!

[esprit s2]

Right. Some good things and some bad things.

Good things are the cleaning up of the engine is going well. The exhaust manifold is on just to test fit.

Bad thing is the engine stand with the engine on it toppled over. Damaged one of the sprockets, I might be able to repair it.

Edited March 19, 2012 by esprit s2

[andydclements]

Well, at least it toppled away from the car.

[esprit s2]

When it went I slowed the fall but couldn't stop it from going all the way down. Nearly killed myself lifting it back off the floor! Thought my internal organs were going to come out of my a**!!!

Edited March 21, 2012 by esprit s2

[andydclements]

Erm, what about the method you used to lift it out of the car?

[esprit s2]

I couldn't get it positioned in my small garage with the engine where it was.

[mikeeech]

 i pulled my engine out with out the gearbox, it "fell" back in, just jack the gearbox as high as it will go, suspend the engine on the inlet manifold runners for 2nd and 3rd cylinder, I couldnt believe how easy/fast it went. I had to loosen the power rack to gain clearance.

       

 

Does this mean here somewhere?