Possible to assemble engine on floor?

Alfred1 · 04-02-2004, 08:38 PM

I've been pricing engine stands, adapter rings and engine cranes and it adds up pretty quickly. Since I will only be rebuilding one engine, is it possible to do this right on a clean floor without a proper stand?

woodman · 04-02-2004, 09:58 PM

yes. just torque it right and do it.

Bleyseng · Bleyseng's Garage

easier to do it up on a strong bench as it saves your back. Gets old working on the floor.

philinjax · 04-03-2004, 04:13 AM

A friend of mine who, in an earlier life, rebuilt hundreds of VW bug engines told me he rarely used a conventional engine stand. He used two or three closed top 55 gallon drums arranged side by side, each with an engine sitting on top. The drum tops were slightly depressed and had a small screened hole in the centers. He said you could disassemble an engine at desktop level, spin it around easily, spray clean, slide an engine from one drum to the next and all waste fluids drained into the drums. He told me the drum technique allowed him to rebuild engines in very little space anywhere on the shop floor.

Phil

synthesis · 04-03-2004, 04:44 AM

I got a bench top stand for $30 from jcwhitney. Does make it easier but you need a pretty strong benchtop.

dr

Zeke · 06:47 AM

There are times that you need to rotate the engine like when dropping in the crank. Also, when you are ready to put the case halves together, you have a finite amount of time to complete the insertion and tightening of the case bolts. Break down and buy a fixture.

You can use a light duty VW one ($30) until you start to assemble the heads, That's when the thing starts to get heavy. You might carry it over to a sturdy spot somewhere on a crate or bench where you can hoist it down later.

I supported mine on the outboard end when it got heavy.

Alfred1 · 04-03-2004, 08:01 AM

Thanks for the info. I've decided to buy an engine stand and the adapter ring and to rent an engine hoist. Btw, if any of you are looking for an engine hoist for a good price, Canadian Tire has one just like this on sale until April 8 for $250 CAD. It's not shown on their web site but the item number is 09-1086-2.

synthesis · 04-03-2004, 08:43 AM

why do you need an engine hoist? am i missing something?

dr

Alfred1 · 04-03-2004, 10:04 AM

Um, 'cause I have no friends.

I just phoned a rental place, I can rent an engine hoist for $30/day so that's what I'll do.

synthesis · 04-03-2004, 10:37 AM

ask the UPS guy for help, do you live on an island? Really, two guys can lift a TIV no problem. My gardner helped me.

dr

Alfred1 · 04-03-2004, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by synthesis
do you live on an island?

dr

I wish.

Zeke · 04-03-2004, 08:59 PM

You don't need to rent anything. This will get you by if you have a beam anywhere overhead. I lifted a Chey engine with one of these once. Not my idea of real safe, but I proved it would do the job.

Alfred1 · 04-03-2004, 09:50 PM

That would be a simple and inexpensive solution but the ceiling of my garage is just plywood (I guess) covered with stucco. The only thing up there is the guides for the garage doors and they wouldn't support 300 lbs.

skline · skline's Garage

Well, I am 5'10 and 170 pounds and I can lift my engine without the sheetmetal on it by myself, I wouldnt want to do it much but it can be done. In a pinch. Two guys could do it completely assembled. Trust me, I have done it several times. Besides, there really isnt anyway to hook up an engine hoist to the engine when it is assembled, not safely anyway. I do have one but that is for the big V-8 engines, I cant lift one of those alone even partially assembeld.

neal c. · 04-04-2004, 06:10 PM

I assembled my case on the bench and then lifted it on to a furniture dolly with small casters. Then I bolted the rest of the parts on and wheeled the engine underneath the car. Pretty easy one man operation.

Neal

norustscott · norustscott's Garage

Hoist... that's funny ...r ight?

Alfred1 · 04-04-2004, 08:08 PM

The T4 engine rebuild video starts with an entire engine on the engine stand. Since my 2.0's dry weight is 321 lbs, it would probably take two guys to lift the engine and one guy to connect it to the stand or I could do it myself with an engine hoist. I'll remove the cylinders and heads first and then try to mount the case to the stand.

TimB · 04-04-2004, 08:54 PM

Alfred,
If you are in the SF Bay Area and an OK guy, you can borrow mine.

Alfred1 · 04-04-2004, 09:10 PM

Tim, thanks for the offer but I'm a thousand miles up the coast from you. I do think that I'm an OK guy, though.

synthesis · 04-05-2004, 03:42 AM

sounds like your stuck on that hoist

keep in mind that you can remove most of the ancillary parts on the ground and then lift the motor. I removed all the tin, alt, cooler housing, ignition, and intake first.

anyway, have fun on the motor. I am doing my first one now and basically it is an excercise in cleaning grundgy parts and then packing them up to send out.

Next step is buying lots of parts and then spending weeks making sure you put them together right.

Rocker geometry, deck height, end play, etc...