Help Installing engine '88 Carrera
 

Need some help reinstalling the engine on my '88. I have the engine on a transmission jack and the transmission cradle is partially installed up front with the two bolts threaded in about 80% so it's supported from that end. The issue is the engine bar at the back is about 1/2" too far to the left/driver side and I can't figure out a safe way to put pressure on it to nudge it to the right. The support bar is installed with the 4 bolts, not quite snug so some room to move. My idea is to remove those 4 bolts and install the bar on its "ends" with the large bolts and use the 4 bolt holes in the bar to somehow lever it to the right position. Does this make sense, or am I missing some brain dead simple way to nudge it over? I don't recall this being an issue when I rebuilt the motor but that was a LONG time ago so maybe I erased that memory...
TIA

Post A Picture……..
 

Buck,

Could you post a picture of the engine where you have problem now? Thanks.

Tony

I think it would harder to get the 4 cradle bolts to line up than it would be to get the engine and support bar shifted.
Pictures may help. It is hard to say without seeing your set up. I've always done it alone with the front on the ground and the rear up on jack stands, with the engine and transmission on a floor jack and a wooden cradle I made. I would want 2 people if I had the car up in the air using a transmission jack, that's a lot farther for things to fall.

Thanks for the help but I was able to nudge the engine over using a heavy wooden down on a tow loop (I think that's what it is) at the rear of the car to just move it enough for the bolt to drop in place. Finally after a YEAR I will be getting this thing started and on the road again. just I time to go back to my years long AC struggle!

If I understood correctly, the engine was off 1/4 inch to the right but WTHk is a "wooden down" ?

dowel perhaps

Probably dowel, pry bars are a must to shift jacks and such. Have used them to slide jacks with heavy loads sideways.

Something is off. Is the bar bent? Maybe installed backwards?

Sorry, typo, it was actually the handle from a shovel. It was installed correctly but the whole engine at the back was just slightly to the left/driver side. Once it was nudged to the right a bit the bolts dropped into place.