Low cost engine stand?

[MyTurbo3.6]

88911coupe

I have had to do this alone many-a-time. Although not the most conventional method, here is what I do:

1. Tip the engine so that the flywheel end is facing straight up (fan to the ground)
2. Attach the yoke to the engine
3. Tilt the engine stand so that you can attach it to the yoke
4. Stand on the back of the engine stand and rock the engine and stand into the proper upright position (The engine stand acts as a lever and is not that difficult to get up)

Works for me, use at own risk…not looking for critiques of my method

[power]

Is that a first edition copy of Boxter 101 in Ron in LB's Library?

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by power
Is that a first edition copy of Boxter 101 in Ron in LB's Library?

LOL

that's the early design.. total cost.. $.77

[Wayne 962]

I stand (no pun intended) by my original statements. The engine yoke is one of the most important tools when you are rebuilding your engine. Buy it, borrow it, steal it - whatever. Just use the stand. With the correct stand, you can attach the flywheel and clutch just perfectly fine.

-Wayne

[Rot 911]

In the past I have used a generic engine stand and like others have said with the exception of the hassle with not being able to rotate the engine 360 with the heat exchangers I was able to work on the rest of the engine. However, having said that, I will probably use the Porsche yoke when I rebuild my 3.2 engine next winter. In the big scheme of things $300 is not that big a deal. And seeing how crazy the bidding gets on ebay, I might be able to sell it for more than I paid for it. By the way, my 2.4 engine was on the generic stand for over 3 months with no problem.
Before:

After:

[snowman]

I just pick up the complete engine and put it in the stand, no tools required

[jgparker]

I've had fully dressed 911 engines on my four spoke yolk almost continuously for the last 5 years without problem, so I would not label it as inadequate.

My engine yoke was purchased new about seven years ago. It is a Sir Tools brand and is Part number P201, so I believe it is the official porsche part. I think Sir Tools builds most of the Porsche tools available in the US, but please correct me if someone knows better. My understanding is that they are now all five spokes. http://www.sirtools.com/

Also, my recommendation is to buy one of the cheap generic engine stands to mount the factory yoke too, but make sue it is the kind with two legs rather than one. This will allow you to jack the engine up to the stand. The one leg stands will block the jack, and force you to use hoist, or a lot of friends (which I don't have.) See Pictures.

Good:

Bad:

[Wayne 962]

The four-pronged version is what the VW engines use, and what Porsche used in the early days (I believe). There obviously is a reason why Porsche went to the five-spoke arm, that is why I recommend it. Remember, you can never be *too* safe.

SIR tools makes excellent quality replicas of the factory tools. As far as I know they do not make tools for the factory. Pelican currently carries the entire SIR tool line...

-Wayne

[ChrisBennet]

The 4 arm P201 was not superceded by the 5 arm until recently - with the 993 perhaps? Here is a page from the factory (1988) Carrera manual. Perhaps someone could post a picture of the "weak" VW one for comparison.
-Chris

[Wayne 962]

This is one extreme that I have seen:



-Wayne

[Wayne 962]

Here's another shot of the same thing from JCWhitney:

[s77911]

Actually, you can use a standard engine stand and a $150.00 adaptor from Stoddard on Ohio. It is not exactly cheap but it is alot less than the factory style stands, and it works great.

[snowman]

I used the JC Whitney one on a 911T, no problems. It did look a bit shakey when everything way assembled. I was probably just lucky, but us cheep buzzards are that way. If I do another I will use a std 4 point attachment on a std engine stand. All you have to do is to grind a little off the round pieces so they will fit properly on the case. The only downside I can see is not being able to mount the flywheel or starting the engine while on the stand.

[Wayne 962]

Again, the standard universal mounts that come with the universal engine stands don't adequately support the engine, especially when you only have two holding it on. The factory yoke actually cups and supports the lip of the case. It is this lip that takes all the weight - not the bolts holding it in. If you rely simply on the bolts, then there is a possibility of doing damage to your case.

If people are too cheap not to use the proper tools when rebuilding their 911 engine, then they are very likely to cut corners later on as well. When the engine comes apart for the second time to fix a problem or an oil leak, all of a sudden the short cuts are more costly than doing it right in the first place.


-Wayne

[Doug Zielke]

Originally posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts
.....The factory yoke actually cups and supports the lip of the case. It is this lip that takes all the weight - not the bolts holding it in......

This is the single most important reason for using this tool.
Until you actually have the case mounted on it, you can't imagine how much better it is than a mount intended for some other motor. Money well spent, IMO, and small change in light of what the entire job (properly done) costs.

[Wayne 962]

Exactly!

-Wayne

[TimT]

This debate will never end.

Ill chuckle about it the next time I mount an engine on my 20 year old universal engine stand. Oh, oops my completed 2.2 race motor is on the stand now.

I cant remember what the cost of the stand I bought 20 yrs ago was, but it has had Porsche engines, various outboard powerheads, my old toyota truck engine, and various other mechanical devices built on it.

did I get my moneys worth out of that purchase years ago? hell yea...

what prompted the purchase of universal stand?
the insane cost of the "factory" yoke!!!!! the diff in prices can buy you a gasket kit and bearings.. perhaps more.

will I build another 911 engine on my universal stand HELL YEA!!!

just take a piece of 2x4 and support the end of the case till you have the case bolted together, and can connect the remaing 2 arms of the universal stand..

its not to hard to make use of tools you already have... just takes some imagineering..

[snowman]

Scheese!!! What bolderrather. There is no magic in the holding of a case. The bolts are certainly strong enough, by a factor of more than 100, The case has at least 2 threads per bolt, Unless you jump up and down on it I do not see how you could hurt it with 4 bolts.

Are there any documentated cases of 4 bolt attachments hurting the case???

[Wayne 962]

"just take a piece of 2x4 and support the end of the case till you have the case bolted together, and can connect the remaing 2 arms of the universal stand.."

Wow, do I need to even comment on this one?

"The bolts are certainly strong enough, by a factor of more than 100"

Would these happen to be the same studs on my case that required inserts because they were pulled out of the magnesium case?

-Wayne

[snowman]

Like I said where is the proof? Where is the case hurt by a 4 bolt stand???