Engine Drop: I need to take it higher!

[Rot 911]

Well I have the rear of the car up 32" (22" at the torsion bar covers) and have the engine/tranny sitting on a furniture dolley. Problem is I either need to remove the rear valance or jack the car up to 36" (24" at the torsion bar covers) to roll the engine/tranny out from under the car. Here's my idea: take an engine hoist, attach chains to the two engine mounts and lift the rear of the car up that way. Then when the engine is rolled out I can then lower the car to the ground in one fell swoop. Anyone done this? Good idea? Bad idea?

[dhoward]

Kurt, I took the valance, and license panel off of my 69. Gave me a lot more room to work.... Didn't take long...

[APKhaos]

Kurt,
It might be too late, but the NOVA technique is to use two floor jacks with jack pads - one on each side. Lift to the max height of the jacks, install jack stands on the rear TB stubs. Then add a 4x4 between the jack and the pad each side and lift again. Reset jackstands to the new height. THis gives you tons of room to drop and remove.

Given your car is already a$$ up, removing the valance is a snap. If this will give you the clearance you need, do it.

Swinging the car from an engine hoist is way too sporty for my taste!

[jyl]

I positioned the floor jack at the floorpan right in front of the torsion bar (use a long 2x4 to spread the load), jacked the car as high as the jack would lift, supported with jackstands on the jacking points by the t-bars (I guess you could simply support at the t-bars), then stacked wood blocks on my floor jack cup, lifted the car even further, and re-supported with jackstands. I did find that my original jackstands were too short, so bought heavy-duty ones and used the originals as extra support under the floorpan. Felt a bit nervous while I was jacking, but the car was very stable after everything was supported.

[Jay Auskin]

I removed the rear valance on my '72. MUCH more room to play with.

[MotoSook]

Kurt, on my CIS car..(probably need more clearance than your 3.2), I did just as Tony described. Just up as high as I can then add a spacer under the jackstands...gits you that extra two inch.


WHy are your dropping your engine?!

[Rot 911]

[i]
WHy are your dropping your engine?! [/B]

I believe I have a burnt valve on cylinder #5. I have 60lbs of compression on the cylinder and a leakdown of 100% with all the air escaping into the exhaust. I'm also burning a quart of oil every 300-400 miles. To be honest I haven't noticed any decrease in power while driving the car. So who knows how long it has been this way. I thought it had plenty of power.

[Jadams1]

My jackstands were too short so I made up two blocks of wood using 2x4's with plywood screwed to the top and bottom to make up the extra height. I didn't have to remove the rear valance.

[Rot 911]

My jackstands are tall enough. Used them when I pulled the engine on the '72E. But being the dumbass I am I didn't jack up the car high enough and now have the engine down and , but can't roll it out. So I guess I will just bite the bullet and use the jack pads to jack the rear end up higher.

[Rick Lee]

Kurt, did you take off your heater elbow and air flow meter? I guess the fan housing is then the highest point on the engine. As Tony said, we use a floor jack on each side. Not only does it get the right height, it goes very fast. I think Marc and I have done it alone in about 2 hrs. We also use a motorcycle jack with a custom-cut pallet to wheel the engine out. We've even gotten fancy and use a tranny jack now too. I think we used cinder blocks on their sides, covered by 2x6's with the jack stands almost fully extended. See for yourself:



Tony's side:



Jim's side:

[Rot 911]

Originally posted by Richard LeSchander
Kurt, did you take off your heater elbow and air flow meter?

Yes and yes. But sitting here thinking about it gives me time to reflect. I now have an excuse to get an even bigger floor jack (Sam's Club here I come) and my rear valance could stand to be repainted (I have the paint and this weekend is going to be warm) so I think I will jack the car higher and take off the rear valance!

[jpnovak]

I have lifted the car by suspending a com-along from the beam above the car to the rear engine mounts. I just used the two large bolts that go through the motor mount. Slide them through a large chain and lift away. It was very easy and surprisingly light sans drivetrain.

Besides its much faster than multiple jackings and moving stands/risers around.

[Rot 911]

Jamie, I thought I remembered you doing this. Thanks for the reminder. I too think the lifting at the motor mounts would be quick and easy.

[hobieboy]

Just drop mine this past weekend too

I removed the bumper entirely - 4 nuts behind the black rubber strip & 4 nuts holding the 2 accordians. Now you gain almost 8 inches of space.

[Rot 911]

Originally posted by PatrickT
Just drop mine this past weekend too

I removed the bumper entirely - 4 nuts behind the black rubber strip & 4 nuts holding the 2 accordians. Now you gain almost 8 inches of space.

Hmmm, that would give me the opportunity to get rid of those giant bumper pads too!

[Rick Lee]

Tony, that photo defines the NoVA gang. David Riley is the Porsche owner's "dial 911".

[APKhaos]

Kurt,
This pic shows the arrangement clearly. There is a ton of room!
This was an emergency drop done in the garage at Watkins Glen in less than two hours with David and Chris helping AND still running in their run groups. No track time lost for them.

The Bendix drive had worked its way off my starter motor, and tumble dried itself in the bell housing. Not pretty, but superficial damage. All good in short order.



Sorry - I reposted with a color pic. The B&W was artistic, but the color shows more detail. Wish we could edit pics within a post

[Doug Zielke]

The Rainforest SCWDP'ers and I did it the same way Tony and the NOVA boys did. Worked a charm! Who wants to mess with the rear valance anyway (a bunch of rusty, dirty fasteners)?