URGENT: Engine drop

[christiandk]

Hi guys,

I have worked all day on dropping the engine on my 82 SC - with the transmission. Apart for the weak ass dolley I have made - I now have to go shop for an ATV jack for support - everything has been OK.

BUT the engine and trans are now resting on the dolley and as I jack the car up the transmission keeps "sticking" to the car because of the shift rod. Shouldnt the rod not just pop out as I raise the car from the engine and trans. I sure hope that I have not bend it!

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,

Christian

[Gogar]

did you get in the tunnel from the interior of the car and disconnect the shift rod coupler first?

[Tippy]

If you're at too much angle the shift rod from trans will get hung. Try less angle and like above, did you disconnect in tunnel??

[56 nomad]

from waynes book you can google it for pics:
An often overlooked step is the disconnection of the shift linkage in the center tunnel. If you don't disconnect the transmission from the link prior to lowering the engine, then you can bend and damage the shift lever in the transmission. You can guess how expensive that is to fix! Start by moving to the inside of the car, and removing the access panel that is located in the center of the car, just behind the two front seats. This panel is shown in Figure 27. Remove the four screws that hold the panel on, and you should see the shift linkage coupler covered by a rubber boot, as shown in Figure 28. Pushing the boot aside reveals the shift coupler, shown in Figure 29 and Figure 30. Use an 8mm hex key or socket wrench to remove the small cone screw that holds the coupler to the transmission selector shaft. Then, slide the coupler off as shown in Figure 31. Once the coupler is removed, then your car should resemble Figure 32.
be sure everything else is disconnected , is the engine free but just wont come out? be careful not to apply too much rocking to get it out.
regards, ben

[Targa Me]

If you have already disconnected the shift coupler, then as you begin to drop the eng/trans you must also pull the eng toward the rear of the car so the shift rod can clear the wall where the shift rod enters the car.
Because you probably cant just pull the eng/trans all the way out (unless you have removed the rear valance/bumper assembly) you must lower, pull, lower, pull, lower, pull, untill you have cleared the shift rod.

[christiandk]

Thanks a lot guys......

I have disconnected the rod from the coupler, but it gets stuck. Like Targa me sais, I probably have to lower and pull, lower and pull. But impossible when the bumper is in way.

I have stabilized all now and will have a go at it tomorrow.

Hope I have not bend the rod after it got hanged in the tunnel.

Thanks again!

[Scott R]

I'm sure the rod is fine, you don't need to remove the valance for clearance unless you want to. It will come out exactly like Targa said it will. Just pull towards the bumper and lower slowly.

[mca]

Don't feel bad. I think the shift rod is the worst part about dropping the engine. I might even cut the tunnel so that I never have to deal with it again.

[fanaudical]

I removed the rear bumper on my Targa when I dropped the motor just to get added clearance. I know that it's not necessary, but I did find it provided lots of clearance and I didn't hang up on the shift rod.

[christiandk]

Do you just "yank" the wires from the connection in the tunnel? It looks like horse shoe connections!

Thanks for the help - I feel more confident now about tomorrow

[Scott R]

You remove the speedometer sensor from the side of the transaxel, and then unplug the two reverse light switch connections.

[mca]

You can leave reverse lights connected unless you are separating the engine from the transmission.

You remove the speedometer sensor from the side of the transaxel, and then unplug the two reverse light switch connections.

[Scott R]

Originally Posted by mca

You can leave reverse lights connected unless you are separating the engine from the transmission.

LOL, oh crap, that's right! Speedo and ground strap it should read.

[mca]

^ I've always removed them too. Then last time I dropped the engine it dawned on me that I'm an idiot.

[304065]

Christian,

Did you remove the conical set screw from the shift coupler? Don't just loosen it, remove it entirely, put it somewhere you can't lose it. Unless you back it out to the point where it actually comes out of the coupler, the conical nose of the screw will still hold the rod in the coupling.

I must be confused, if you are removing engine and transmission, of course you disconnect the reverse light switch wires. Otherwise they will hang up when you pull the engine and transmission back. You would leave them connected if just removing the engine, but only like four people in the history of Porsche have ever successfully done that- the engine and trans come out easily as a unit.

[mca]

I must be confused, if you are removing engine and transmission, of course you disconnect the reverse light switch wires. Otherwise they will hang up when you pull the engine and transmission back. You would leave them connected if just removing the engine, but only like four people in the history of Porsche have ever successfully done that- the engine and trans come out easily as a unit.

Reverse light switch is connected to harness on top of the engine. So you absolutely do not need to disconnect the wires from the tranny when removing the engine and tranny together.

[j911brick]

Push the shift rod into the trans (1st or 3rd gear) and that will buy you a couple more inches. Also, make you life easy and just remove the bumper.

[304065]

Originally Posted by mca

Reverse light switch is connected to harness on top of the engine. So you absolutely do not need to disconnect the wires from the tranny when removing the engine and tranny together.

Ahh, I see. This is on "modern" cars i.e. post 1969.

[boyt911sc]

Originally Posted by 304065

Christian,

Did you remove the conical set screw from the shift coupler? Don't just loosen it, remove it entirely, put it somewhere you can't lose it. Unless you back it out to the point where it actually comes out of the coupler, the conical nose of the screw will still hold the rod in the coupling.

I must be confused, if you are removing engine and transmission, of course you disconnect the reverse light switch wires. Otherwise they will hang up when you pull the engine and transmission back. You would leave them connected if just removing the engine, but only like four people in the history of Porsche have ever successfully done that- the engine and trans come out easily as a unit.

Christian,

This special conical set screw has lead me to meet several local Porsche enthusiats when they failed to drop their engines due to this thing. One car was on the lift for several days and the owner together with the professional mechanics (non-Porsche) failed to drop the 915 transmission/engine combo from an '83 SC. I came over to the shop and removed the conical screw (completely loosen but resting on the hole) from the transmission coupler and turned around to the mechanics and said, "try to remove it this time". And we have been friends eversince........

BTW, engines with 915 transmission could be removed from the car with back-up light switch wires in place or connected. This forum is so helpful and powerful that DIY'ers benefit greatly by sharing our experiences with one another.

Tony

[rodrigose]

Try less angle and like above, did you disconnect in tunnel