First Engine Drop Question
 

I'm a little confused especially after I just red the thread about separating the Trans and Engine.

Is it not easier to drop the whole engine and trans as one unit and leave it together if you are not putting it on a stand.

And if you are putting it on a stand would it still not be easier to mate the two while they are out, then when you are trying to raise the engine back into the car?

I ask because I want to do Valve adjust, egine clean up and clean up the Engine bay all at the same time.

Yes, and yes, Drop and install both at the same time. The tranny separation thread poster is a first timer and he is reluctant to apply force where it is required. If all the bolts are off, and it separates 1/4inch, then a pry bar will do the rest.

Do them together, if for no other reason than you will learn more that way.

Yes on all questions.

I haven't done it yet, but more people have told me to take them up and down together than the other way around. I'm guessing it would take an extra jack under the tranny to do this.

+1 on dropping both at the same time. I've done this several times in my garage using two friends and two jacks. I also strongly recommend taking off the rear bumper so you don't have to raise the car so high to slide the engine out.

Engine support...
 

You only need one support under the engine and trans. Everyone has their own favorite way of supporting the engine and trans. I cut up a piece of 3/4" ply that fits between the trailing arms and carriage bolted a 1" pipe flange to the plywood. The pipe goes into my floor jack receiver. I wedge a couple of 2X4 blocks under the heads to balance the engine and that seems to work pretty well for me.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1232605143.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/401955-supporting-engine-removal-2.html

Pictures show my "safe" set-up.
Ignore the bragging that it can be done in 15 Minutes. :rolleyes:

I recommend taking the engine/transmission as one unit and I recommend to do it in a safe manner. :)
Reading the Bentley beforehand helps. I remove the muffler but not the bumper.
Use 4-5 ton jack stands under the T-bar covers because they have a wider base than 2-3 tons. I use 2 small floor jacks on the sides and 1 large floor jack for the actual lift.
Make sure you put large wedges (Choke blocks) under the front wheels before you lift. Disconnect the battery!
Get a jack that has a lift height of at least 22", don't worry about the range because you can pre-lift the car with jacking plates in the square holes under the doors.
Instead of jacking plates, I use regular 7/8" key stock 6-7" long with a ¾” nut welded on the end for the smaller floor jacks, one on each side.
Pre-lift the car a little at a time, place the wide-base stands under the T-bar covers.
Heights required: 32.5" from floor to underside of bumper will clear the engine to be rolled out on the floor jack. To obtain 32.5", I found that the T-bar covers will be 23.5" off the ground resting on the 5-ton jacks: VERY SOLID, plus the Bottle Jacks on the sides!
Center the large floor jack on the engine seam; the "Sweet spot" for balance is in front of the sump plate, NOT ON IT!
I made a plate from ¾” plywood with cut-outs to support/balance the engine/transmission on the jack; you can make one or buy the steel plate from PP for this.
For maximum safety, aside from the jack stands under the T-bar covers, I place bottle jacks under the 7/8" key stock in the square holes meaning: I have 2 jacking devises per side supporting the car. Push the transmission input shaft into 1st or 3rd before lowering. (Easier for the shaft to clear the hole when lowering)

After you disconnect all the wires/hoses (Take pictures) the lowering is easier if someone holds the engine/transmission for balance. You can do it alone if you use pieces of 6x6 and 2x4 for support under the HE's and come down in stages. Take it slow and watch for things still connected.

Key Stock: 7/8” x 7” with a ¾” NC nut welded at the end and a ¾” x ~2” NC bolt.

Items to disconnect or remove when removing engine/transmission:
1. disconnect battery in front trunk. Shift into 2nd or 4th.
2. shift-coupling and speedo wires. Push transm. input shaft into 1st or 3rd.
3. transmission to body ground strap.
4. throttle linkage.
5. clutch cable (also remove fabric strap holding clutch cable off throttle linkage). Clutch levers off cross-shaft, C-spring.
6. Reverse gear wires.
7. fabric strap holding parking brake cables.
8. fabric hoses from heater box outlets to heater valves on body.
9. starter wires.
10. CV joints at transmission output flanges; tie axles up out of way if you do not disconnect wheel side CV joints.
11. soft S-hose from engine mounted oil cooler to oil tank
12. hard oil line from engine to oil filter console; disconnect at console.
13. air filter, air cleaner and associated parts.
14. 14 pin connector
15. connectors/wires to ignition system
16. fuel lines (be careful with any plastic tees or other fuel line fittings; they're hard to replace OEM parts)
17. breather hoses from oil tank.
18. anything else connected to engine (hoses to charcoal cannister?)
19. after supporting engine/transmission; transmission mount screws and rear engine mount bolts

Here is my first engine drop thread:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/310898-here-goes-1st-engine-drop.html?highlight=daddyglenn

drop both. take care of all the clutch arm stuff while everything is still in the car. much easier than trying to reach under a furniture dolly to disconnect it.