engine and drivetrain Another engine removal question

[sirius815]

Okay, so I'm an engine swap newb...

 

I don't want to take the hood off and although I am prepared to lift the car high enough to remove the engine through the bottom, is it possible to remove the engine through the top with the hood on, head off, and transmission disconnected? It sure seems like there should be enough room...

 

Ben K.

[E39guy]

So you just want to pull the shortblock out the top with the hood on? Yeah I'd say it's do-able but pretty risky. I pulled my hood and don't regret it. Of course I haven't tried to put it back on yet though (yes it's all marked).

[sirius815]

Yup, just the short block.

[TobyB]

take the hood off.

 

t

[winstontj]

I've pulled the whole thing out from under --M10, getrag 240, subframe, front suspension, etc. Pull the radiator, lift/support the motor & gearbox with an engine hoist from above, unbolt everything, slowly lower the motor & trans down to the floor (I lowered mine onto a 1000# moving dolly), lift up the nose pretty high (helps if you start with the rear end way up on jackstands so as you lift the nose you don't bottom out the back end. 

 

IIRC I used a big piece of black pipe spanning the width of the front of the car to lift the nose. 

I've pulled the whole thing out from under --M10, getrag 240, subframe, front suspension, etc. Pull the radiator, lift/support the motor & gearbox with an engine hoist from above, unbolt everything, slowly lower the motor & trans down to the floor (I lowered mine onto a 1000# moving dolly), lift up the nose pretty high (helps if you start with the rear end way up on jackstands so as you lift the nose you don't bottom out the back end. 

 

IIRC I used a big piece of black pipe spanning the width of the front of the car to lift the nose. 

 

EDIT: Didn't realize just the short block. Why not unbolt the hood stops (braces on the sides to prevent the hood from going too far forward) and just lean the hood a little further forward. (pull the kidney and grille first so you don't crack them)

Edited December 6, 2015 by winstontj

[Solarphil]

When I pulled my engine I went out the top, but had to pull the hood, radiator, tranny, and a bunch of other stuff I can't remember. It barely fit, I was pushing metal. When I put it back together, I went in from beneath - everything was pe assembled; tranny, front suspension, manifolds. It fit like a breeze. Made me realize I did it the hard way coming out.

Go out the bottom.

Also, check out Maxjax portable post lifts. Dangled handy, and much safer than trying a high lift with floor jacks and wood posts or pipes.

[M3M3]

take the hood off.

 

t

take the hood off.  it is easy.  just mark where the bolts are on the hinge before you do and put them back in the same place.  

 

people seem to think hood removal and install is some black art.  it isn't.  it takes 5 minutes, if you are slow.

 

with the hood off everything you do in the engine compt is SOOOOO much easier.  

Edited December 6, 2015 by mlytle

[Simeon]

A tip that I have heard (but didn't use!) is to drill 2 small holes (say 3 or 4mm) through both sides of each hinge before loosening any fasteners. When you put the lid back on, you align the two holes and the hinge will be back exactly where it came from. If you didn't disturb the hold downs and bumpers in rear then it will not be any more misaligned than it was when you started. Just make a note of whether the stepped bolts on the opening spring were secured at the front, middle or back of their slots on the wing tops.

[kbmb02]

See photo...

Edited December 6, 2015 by kbmb02

[winstontj]

kbmb02, is that an automatic flywheel missing the torque converter?

 

I've gotten three PMs/emails asking what dolly I used to lower the subframe, motor and transmission onto. 

 

I used a moving dolly. 

http://www.harborfreight.com/material-handling/dollies/18-in-x-12-14-in-1000-lb-capacity-hardwood-dolly-61899.html

 

They are very small but support up to 1,000#. I have two built/dressed M20's in the garage with subframes and gearboxes sitting on the same dollies without issue.

 

With the rear of the car backed up onto drive-on ramps, I used an engine hoist up front to lower the motor, transmission & subframe down onto the dolly. The flat part of the subframe fits/sits perfectly on one of the cross members of the dolly, I then used small hemp/twine to stabilize/balance the motor & trans so the transmission cross member wouldn't drag on the ground. (put a 2x4 block between the gearbox and the dolly and then looped the twine around the crank pulley & dolly cross brace)

 

One time I did this a few friends helped me simply lift up the front of the car (with someone sitting on the trunk) and one time I made a bridle with rope/chain between the shock tower openings. I think I took something like a short pipe or short section of 4x4, tied some rope around it, wrapped it in a bunch of towels/moving blanket and fed it up through the shock tower opening on one side and down the next. Then I used the engine hoist to lift the font end of the car up high enough so that the motor & assembly would roll out from under the nose. 

 

 

 

 

[Fatherof3]

Remove hood first

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5MZcxZdZdw

[sirius815]

Remove hood first

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5MZcxZdZdw

 

Well that's excellent!

[sirius815]

Got her done!