Removing The Engine

[Guest cjbailey]

Well... I have finally been told that I can start working on the car , as long as I 'take it easy' . Anyway, this means that I can now get on with stripping the donor. I have removed all of the connecting wires and stuff (all nicely labeled!!) so the engine is now free. I have removed the starter motor, alternator, fuel connections, air filter, etc. and the engine is ready for removal. Before I attempt this though, I would appreciate some input from u guys!

 

1) Where do I connect the hoist up to? I cannot spot any 'obvious' lifting points and do not want to break something! I currently do not have a haynes manual either (I am working on that one though!).

 

2) I am guessing I can't just unbolt the engine from the bellhousing and lift it out, so what has to be done?

 

I am sorry about these questions, I can do most things, but I like to know that what I am doing is actually correct before I break things!

[Guest TerryBarry]

Hi Chris,

My donor engine had two lifting eyes one fixed to the two rearmost inlet manifold studs and the second on the two frontmost exhaust manifold studs.

You can separate the engine and gearbox but if you've got a decent hoist / crane you can remove the two together.

Make sure you've got the earth straps removed from engine and gearbox.

One point - you don't need the body so you can cut through the cross members at the front of the engine compartment which means the engine doesn't need to come up high to clear them.

Another couple of points-

1. You do not want to be doing this on your own.

2. Get round to Halfords (or similar) and purchase a Haynes manual (if you're lucky you can always pick one up at a car boot sale)

Here's a pic of my engine coming out

Terry

[Guest daveg]

Chris

 

As Terry says....except I did mine on me own , but with your accident record maybe you should ask someone to watch you

 

Terry's tip about cutting the front off really helps....that what I did.

 

Dave

[Guest cjbailey]

The front cross member is already removed (I had a play with the angle grinder earlier ). I want to remove the engine on it's own as I have an engine stand ready and waiting to take it, and the engine stand goes where the bellhousing would normally be. I will just go and see if I can find those eyes, I had a quick glance over it earlier, and I couldn't find them.

I have just invested in a car creeper, and it makes it sooooo easy to get under the car (currently having the front in the air on axle stands AND jacks!).

 

Terry - Thanks for the help, I spotted a sierra manual in oxfam when I was walking past, but I didn't see if it was the correct one for my sierra. I think it may have been an older one .

 

Dave - I think you are right, my record isn't the most brilliant! I now have a selection of 5 pairs of safety glasses, and numerous goggles. I am 'trying' to be careful! Surely I can't be that unlucky !?

[Guest cjbailey]

I have just been to have a look, and I cannot see these lifting eyes. I am just going to go round again with the camera and take a couple of shots, then people can point out that I am going blind!!!

[Guest cjbailey]

Well... I can't see them! Please tell me if I am just being blind.

The engine is apparently the original, but I believe that it is far more likely to be a swap out when it was reconditioned. (and I know the paint job is cr@p and it is going to be a pain in the a*** to remove as well)

[Guest TerryBarry]

Chris,

They look like this

(about 15 cm overall length)

This is the one off the exhaust manifold.

If you haven't got them - you could try a scrappy - four or five nuts off and they should be yours.

I used three windings of one of the Sierra's seat belt between them - I'm told that the breaking strain for a single length is about 1000 Kg

 

Just seen your piccy - well that's where it should be if the manifold were in place.

Terry

Edited September 27, 2003 by TerryBarry

[Guest cjbailey]

Cheers for that terry, I don't have one of those :angry: . I am also pretty sure that there are no sierras in any of the island scrappies at the moment .

It looks like a bodge will be in order. Now how do I lift that much iron without destroying myself!?

 

Will everything be OK if I just create a sling to go right around the engine and under the sump? The sump is a bit battered anyway, and I am going to shorten it, so it doesn't matter if it gets a bit damaged! I really want this engine out tomorrow!

[Guest TerryBarry]

Chris,

I think that you would need to sling the engine under the sump at the front on the flat upper part and underneath the bellhousing. Make sure that these will not slide out of position as the load is applied.

You could manufacture two lifting eyes from 3mm steel - if you've got both manifolds off then they can be a very simple shape - the photo shows one that fits around the manifold

Make sure that the engine lifts squarely when the weight is transfered to the hoist

If you've cut out the cross members it doesn't need to come up very high.

Remember - if anything goes wrong during the lift - JUMP

If the engine hits the deck - so what.

Just make sure no part of your person is between it and the floor or any other solid object

Is this really what the medico's refer to as "light duties" and please assure me that you are not doing it on your own.

Terry

[Guest cjbailey]

I will rope my brother and my father in on the task, I will try and avoid any of the hard work .

I will have to have a think about this, I know I have a lot of ally sheet around, but I am not sure if I have any steel sheet that I can use. I know I have some 4mm stuff that is going across the drive, I will have to see if I can pursuade dad that it is for a good cause!

I plan to keep well out of the way when the engine is not attached. I think the best option is to lift it a bit and then push the car backwards, lift it some more and bung it straight up on the engine stand.

 

I don't intend to get injured for the sake of another £100 donor car!

[Guest TerryBarry]

That's good news

I removed the engine and gearbox, then separated the two in the garage and removed the clutch

I then lifted the engine onto the stand I borrowed (Thanks again Pete !!)

I used four 150mm lengths of M10 studding to attach engine to stand and allow the flywheel to rotate. Two into the uppermost tapped holes in the rear of the block and two into the widest bellhousing bolt holes

In this pic the RS2000 sump is fitted and you should be able to see three of the Screwfix stand to engine fixings.

Terry

[Guest cjbailey]

Thats the same stand as I have! Well, at least I know it will fit now, I was pretty sure it would, but I had that niggly feeling of "Now is there something I have forgoten"!

[Guest Ianz]

Chris

I removed my engine .....from doner ..by leaving engine/gearbox bolted to subframe

and then unbolting subframe/top suspension bolts from chassis and then lowering whole lot down on the trolley jack,you can then wheel the whole lot round as you wish,by lifting up back of gearbox.

Pluspoint do'nt need a crane!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers Ian

[Guest TerryBarry]

Excuse me if I'm stating the obvious

Fix the engine to the plate part of the stand then hoist it up to insert the tube on the back of the plate into the stand.

Also the tube supplied to rotate the engine could be longer - that Pinto lump can exert some real leverage as it rotates - in my experience a second person present when turning the engine over can be useful.

Again - if it goes wrong - and you can't hold it - JUMP - the motor will not come to any harm.

I'd agree with Ianz comments - I had the crane to get the lump out of the donor but you could drag it out on a jack , trolley or (I'm told) sledge.

Still not a member, Eh

Good Luck tomorrow

Terry

Edited September 27, 2003 by TerryBarry

[Guest cjbailey]

Cheers. I tend to figure these things out as I go along, I just prefer to know exactly what I am in for so I can prepare as much as I can. If you don't hear from me for a while then you will know what has happened!!!

 

Thanks for the replies,

Chris (soon to be a paid up member)