First engine drop - unbalanced engine??
 

I dropped the engine and transmission out of my 930 yesterday for the first time (my transmission needs to be rebuilt). I made a small stand out of wood to balance the engine on the center seam on a dolly as many other Pelicanites have done. I was surprised to find out that the engine is not very balanced - it definitely has more weight on the driver's side - is this normal? Maybe with the AC compressor in place it is balanced?

I doubt it is *that* far out of balance, probably less than 20 lbs? Remember that you have the oil tank, lines and cooler on the passenger side that would help counter that weight. Your 930 has the turbo on the drivers side too which adds some weight to that side, and an assymetric exhaust.

Well, when I made my wooden dolly it didn't just balance the engine on the center seam but at least provided minimal support for each bank of cylinders. It doesn't take much, just enough to keep the engine from tipping one way or the other, but unless you're dealing with an utterly and absolutely symmetrical 400-pound mass of metal--which a 911 engine and accessories isn't--it ain't gonna sit there like a beach ball on a seal's nose...

Stephan

Yeah - I just went and looked at it - pretty much all the extras are to the driver's side - the turbo, the intercooler plumbing, even the fuel head is to the left (which is pretty heavy). The exhaust componets would be to the right side - but all I have on there is a Milleg Miglia exhuast which is very light. The OE exhaust would have added maybe 20-30 pounds mostly to the right side. I bet you are right, though, that with the engine in the car and the oil tank full and the AC compressor in place it is balanced. It feels like maybe 50-60 pounds heavier to the driver's side. No big deal - I assume my heat exchangers can handle that while it sits on the dolly.