Engine Pulling Tips/Reminders?

[n/a]

Hello all, well winter is finally here in N. Cal. time to pull the motor/auto trans to restore engine bay and take care of some rust.  I have the Haynes manual for engine removal, but surely some members know some neat tricks/tips for faster/safer/smarter engine removal.  I have an overhead lift with chain hoist and load leveler so that I can really tilt motor.  I will have car on ramps to allow for extra clearance.  Any other tips?  Thanks! -James

[ja17]

Hello James,
Use a "S" hook to secure hood spring rod near side of hood. Unbolt  the right side hinge only and slide the hood off the other hinge. Use some painters masking tape to protect the hood edge and hood opening in the body to prevent chips on the hood or the body.
Removing and installing the transmission  with the engine is much easier than fighting all those engine/trans bolts and torque converter bolts. You must have adequate overhead space to lift everything up far enough. The engine and trans will come up at about 45 deg. angle. You will also need a floor jack to lift the back of the trans over the tie rods during the removal.
As you lift the engine you can begin to unhook lines and wires as they become more accessable.
The exaust manifold bolts at the front pipes will be a chore. You may want to consider removing the intake manifold to make the entire right side of the engine more accessable.
Be careful unhooking that capilary tube going to the temperature guage. If you damage it the gas will escape and the guage will not work.
You can use the engine side supports to lift the engine out or two head bolts locations (remove washer) and use a lift cable. Use some tape and or photos to label connections since it may be a while before re-assembly.


Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[Malc]

James
Do take pictures of the engine bay etc before starting
Do power wash and or steam clean engine bay and underneath before you start
Do write notes about what you do as you take stuff apart
Do check (Twice   ) that ALL cables, hoses, links are removed first
Do remove the radiator, bonnet (hood) etc
Do cover the front wings (fenders) with old carpet felt/underlay
Do get a load of the "ziploc" type of bags with a writing strip for all the nuts, bolts and little items you take off
Drain oil/water
Remove the battery first!
Probably sounds very obvious, but when the temptation to dive in gets to you it's easy to start loosing stuff/forgetting where stuff comes from

When it comes to putting stuff back together....
Any doubt about nuts and bolts, bin them and use new ones
follow your notes in reverse order!

I should know abiout this, I learnt the hard way [:p]
Malc

[Ben]

I would just add that although the engine mounts are a good scource to locate the chain hooks, these protruding mounts can also cause paintwork damage, it may be better to dismount them from the block.

It probably IS easier to remove the manifolds completely before lifting but if you decide to leave them on and disconnect the downpipes then I would suggest soaking these bolts and the entire joint in WD40/PlusGas or similar for about 24hours.

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.
'03 CLK Kompressor

[n/a]

Great tips guys, just what I was looking for.  Question:  will my 8-10" ramps give me enough height to pull engine/auto trans as a unit, or do I need to really raise the front end as steep as possible?  Thanks again!

[ja17]

Yes james, the ramps will usually provide enough height. You will need enough room to unhook everything underneath and be able to slide a floor jack under the car to lift the transmission bellhousing over the tie rods during removal.

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio