Pulling out engine

914curt · 05-02-2003, 01:15 PM

I am going to pull my engine out for the first time this sunday. If I follow the tech article from the site here should i be fine. I am pulling the old 1.8l out to put in the the monster 2.4l in. I just want to know if there is anyting missing form the article that i should know before i go at it and get this thing out. thanks in a dvance for any help

Curt

green71 · 05-02-2003, 01:34 PM

Don't remember how comprehensive the article was, but when I did this job a while back I used the article and Tom Wilson's book, "How to rebuild your VW engine." Between those two and the Haynes manual I was able to triangulate a pretty accurate position.

Good luck!

sammyg2 · 05-02-2003, 02:01 PM

Don't forget the transmission ground strap. It's real easy to do.

sacook · 05-02-2003, 04:48 PM

I used the article on the board, "914 engine drop made easy" and was able to do the entire job by myself.

Good article, I have cheap floor jacks and they didn't go up high enough to pull the motor from underneath, so I had to use jackstands then blocks on the floor jacks to get the right height

Also, hopefully you have been soaking the engine mount bolts. Mine broke off and that was a PITA.

Got my dolly from Home Depot, go for the more expensive one, it fit the engine drop perfectly.

Good Luck.

914curt · 05-02-2003, 05:23 PM

What did you guys use for the cv joint bolts or a better question what size 12 point tool do i need and can I get that a sears or where can i get it?

Curt

sacook · 05-02-2003, 05:39 PM

opppppssss that could be a problem...got mine from Pelican...I think. I just went out to the garage and looked at it. Stamped in german so I don't think sears will have it. I used the same tool on my Benz when I replaced the CV's in it so it might be a german thing you could find at a dealer shop on a Saturday.

Hey how far are you from Columbia Missouri, you could stop by and borrow mine, or if your going to have to wait till next weekend I could mail it to you. Just need it back when your done :-)

skline · skline's Garage

I bought a cheapie set from Kragen Auto Parts that had the size in it that I needed. It works great and I have used it several times now to remove and replace the bolts. Kragen is just a local parts house like Checker or Western Auto.

unclerichy · 05-02-2003, 06:41 PM

Dropped my 2ltr a couple of months ago. The hardest part for me was the CV joint bolts. I stripped one and had to use a dremmel tool to cut the head off. I would probably do them first, although the referrences mentioned starting elsewhere. Other than that, I was amazed at how eazy it turned out.

Zeke · 05-02-2003, 08:33 PM

The whole CV and axle thing is the biggest hassle. I wonder some times if it isn't easier to remove the axles before pulling the motor. I've hung them up on coat hangers and they still got in the way. Definately use new washers and bolts on your CVs. I think you can reuse a recently installed bolt, but not the special washer. But your bolts are old. Toss 'em. And if you do that, who cares how you get them out. Big ViseGrips work real well.

green71 · 05-02-2003, 08:44 PM

Got my 12-point tool from Home Depot; hung the axles out of the way with zip ties.

The CV bolts might be full of mung and crud. Be sure to clean them out before you go after them or they may strip. Sure, you want to replace them, and like Zeke said, vise grips will work, but the right tool is definitely easier!

Also, lower the engine slowly, carefully, gingerly, etc. You may have to jockey it a bit as it comes down. It could easily get hung up on something and cause a little damage.

Dave at Pelican Parts · Dave at Pelican Parts's Garage

They do get in the way... Especially the one on the driver's side; getting it up over the starter can be a real pain. :P

The particular tool in question is an "M8 triple square". Known in VW Bug circles as "the CV joint tool", as they also use 'em. And many 914 fans use the same bolts, so it isn't quite a one-use tool. I haven't found them at Sears, though I didn't look that hard. Your local VW Bug specialty shop will have them, as will your local Snap-On truck and of course your favorite mail-order Porsche parts place named after a large-beaked bird.

Note that sometimes these bolts have been replaced with regular Allen-head bolts. Spray some carb cleaner/brake cleaner on them and check all the bolt heads. Sucks to blow $20 on the specialty tool for no reason at all...

Also note that a regular Allen-head bit is pretty good at stripping the heads of the triple-square bolts. Sometimes, so is the special tool. Carb cleaner and a stiff-bristle brush (maybe a wire brush) can be your friends here, to get all the crud out of the socket in the bolt head. Then tap on the ratchet to make sure the bit is securely seated in the bolt head. Should be no problem.

While you're messing with everything, do yourself a favor and spray penetrating oil (Aero Kroyl, PB Blaster, or Liquid Wrench, in descending order of reputed effectiveness--WD-40 is not a penetrating oil!) on those bolts and all the other ones you think you'll have to be removing. Most especially anything on the exhaust system.

--DD

Kevin Powers · 06:11 AM

in prep for the engine bay clean and engine reinstall i pulled the axles so i would'nt have to fight them. as stated, a little carb cleaner works well for cleaning the splined hole in the bolts as does making sure the tool is fully seated in the hole. if you remove the axles with the brakes still attached, the e brake greatly aids in keeping the hub stationary ( i didn't and paid the price, atleast twice as long to do the job). a rubber mallet against the the breaker bar to get the bolts started WILL save a trip to the medicine cabinet for a band aid (once again paid the price). get all of the old gasket material off. the ones on my car were like petrified stone. in my order from pelican i ordered 2 extra sets of gaskets as well as extra h.e. to muffler gaskets. nice items to have around, cheap, as well the time, shipping savings.

i just checked the tool for the job. the #'s on mine are as follows, W1397 CR-Y M8. i got it at my parts store 1 mile from my house, way convenient.

kevin

jamcleod · jamcleod's Garage

i got a triple-square bit by SK at local auto tool specialty store. also have seen them around at car shows. not at sears and am surprised someone found one at home depot. local vw shop, auto tool store......

only suggestions about pulling engine:

remove exhaust system and remove FI system. FI system hoses can hang up on engine shelf. i've re and re'd 914 engines a couple of time and i'm a wanna be mechanic so you can do it!

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

One thing "I" do is give the extension a good whap to seat the triple square in the head. I once had some that were stripped by the PO.....I had to use vise grips to loosen them. It worked, but a real PITA.

jkeyzer · jkeyzer's Garage

I have a question... Wayne's article basically has you drop the engine out of the bottom of the car (literally, but only an inch or two) onto a furniture dolly. That works ok for getting the engine out, but now how do you get it back in?

Kevin Powers · 05-04-2003, 04:36 AM

as haynes would say,"installation is the reverse of removal", big help. but thats it. i use 2 floor jacks, one under each trailing arm. take the car up as high as you can. roll the engine under, this time i intend to use some long pieces of all thread to get things lined up pretty close. SLOWLY lower the car back down to where the trans mounts are just off. at this point you should be able to get the bolts in the corresponding holes and start the nuts, snug them up, take the car back up with the floor jacks. put some floor stands under the donuts on the pan, lower the car on to them. now take one floor jack, and place it under the centering point at the engine/trans. go up and take the engine weight off the mounting bolts and torque things down. you are off to the races.

kevin

sacook · 05-04-2003, 04:55 AM

When I put the engine back on the dollie I put some 2x4's under the engine to raise it up so when I lowered the car it would be at the right height.

I also removed heat exchangers and muffler prior to removal and installation. I think it made things a lot easier.

914curt · 05-04-2003, 05:03 PM

Well i got it out it wasn't very hard at all. I just used the article from pelican and followed it step by step. Thank you for all of your advice and for letting me know what size the cv tool was. it worked perfect. Now if anyof you are interested in a 1.8l, Bursch exhaust and 40mm dellorto's let me know I need to get rid of them.

Curt

jmargush · 05-05-2003, 03:07 AM

What shape is the exhuast in and what do you want for it?

sammyg2 · 05-05-2003, 07:50 AM

Dropping a type 4 is much easier than a chebbie V8, but you have to be carefull of balancing it during the drop. A friend comes in handy but if you're like me and don't have any friends

one easy and safe way to do it is to install a long pice of all thread at each side of the engine mount bar and then simply unscrew the nuts a little at a time to drop the engine evenly. It takes longer but you have more control. I didn't do it this way but I've also almost lost and engine trying to do it by myself with a jack.