engine drop
 

I'm dropping my engine on Sunday. After some not so thorough research I've decide to use the method in the PP tech article instead of the Haynes manual method. Any "gotchas" I should be aware of? I'd rather learn from everyone else’s mistakes so I make less of my own.

I dropped my engine according to the PP article and found the process to very easy to follow.

I strongly suggest that you expend a couple of cans of engine degreaser. It will make the drop a lot more palatable.

One thing that isn't covered is how to get the thing back in.

Another thing that the article tells you is to purchase the 12 point CV joint tool. Take a few moments to find out if you really need it. Both of my cars had standard 8mm Allen head bolts (I had taken it on faith that I would need the CV tool as the article says.) Before you buy the $22 socket, crawl under there and make sure you need it.

Good Luck!

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Herb
'72 1.7 Tangerine 'Teen
'74 2.0 Red Rustmobile

I installed my engine using the PP article. However, I did not have the furniture dolly (sp?) that it suggest you use to roll the motor and tranny around on. I decided that I would push the motor around on a piece of carpet on the basement floor. It was fairly simple to slide the motor around (with my feet) but I couldn't lower the car enough to bolt the motor on. The furn. dolly raises the motor up enough to bolt it on to the car. Without the dolly you have to pick the motor up. This is not an easy task when the car is so low to the ground and all that is holding it up is a couple of hydraulic jacks. I eventually got everything bolted on but it would have been much easier if I had the dolly.

I duno guys, I still prefer the “put the rear end way up high on jack stands and lower the motor with a floor jack” method. Six of one, half dozen of the other? I don’t know? It works for me.

In the past I’ve had problems getting the sheet metal/ducting screws off. Sometimes a grinder is not only handy, but a necessity. A Dremel works too.

Depending on what you’re going to do, if needed, drain the oil before the pull.

Depending on the year, if it’s pre-’73, make sure you have an Allen wrench big enough for the motor mount bolts (I’m not sure of the size). It was larger than what I had in my toolbox.

If you find you do need the 8mm 12pt star bit/socket, shop around. I’ve seen the bits for as little as $4, $8-10 seems more typical. I can only assume the $22 socket comes with a Porsche insignia. BTW: my local Sears DOES NOT sell the tool, you may have to call around. Check VW shops.

On the reinstall, make sure you use new CV joint gaskets, new O-ring’s at the head, and new muffler gaskets if you separate the heat exchanger from the muffler.

And like Herb suggested, if you can drive the car to a car wash, degrease/high pressure spray everything before the pull. The underside of your fingernails will thank you for it. Or you can use rubber gloves…which isn’t such a bad idea.

Oh, and keep reminding yourself “I like working on cars. This is fun.”

Tim

My way is using a floor jack with a 18" square piece of plywood on top. It distributes the load evenly.

The injectors and wiring are the only real area of concern while lowering. Always check TWICE to see that everything is disconnected....heater box cables always seem to be my down fall. Make a check list....include throttle cable, fuel lines, battery cables, etc....

Fuel lines are best crimped with a needle nose vise grip, then plugged with a bolt and hose clamp. Then take the pliers off.

Once the motor is down, tilt the engine up using the exhaust as a "handle" and slide the board and jack out.

Most garages have smooth floors, grab the exhaust again and slide the engine and trans assembly out. If the car is not high enough, tilt the engine and trans to clear the back of the car....I usually pull the valance as well.

Hope that helps...

Ah yes, The screws for the cooling/exhaust tin. I found that if you soak them with a good penetrating lubricant (like PB Blaster) Then take a cordless drill with a clutch (you know, the sleeve near the chuck that when you rotate it it goes 'rat-a-tata' and keeps you from overdriving a screw.) By putting the drill with a screwdriver bit in reverse and rotating the clutch to the point where it begins to slip (rat-a-tata) it operates a bit like an impact drill and will pound the screws loose. I couldn't get a few of my screws loose without doing that, and I really wanted to avoid grinding the heads off. You still would have to drill the remainder of the screw out and chase the threads clean.

Also, upon getting the motor out, I ended up puting the assembly back in 3 stages. Motor first, then tranny then exhaust. I have too many fears of snapping the exhaust studs off by yanking and pulling the whole drivetrain around by the exchangers.

I used the "jack the car as high as possible" method for that. I also used a chunk of plywood for the motor, though you have to be careful to support the rear of the motor until the transaxle gets back in. The motor can't be held in by just the front mounts. I then used a tranny jack for the transaxle. A tranny jack has a cradle with 2 worm screws allowing you to adjust the alignment of the tranny in both the X and Z axes as you are putting it in.

Again, the drop is easier with the dolly and the car lowered, but I found that I really needed the clearance and extra maneuvering room of having the car jacked high for the re-install.

Good Luck!

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Herb
'72 1.7 Tangerine 'Teen
'74 2.0 Red Rustmobile

I read the PP article before dropping mine the first time, but stumbled on what I think was an even better, safer, easier way (for the weekend wrench) listed on the old Renegade site. In a nutshell,

Disconnect all wires, cables, shift linkage etc. Remove the transaxle/engine as a unit, leave the heat exchangers attached, but remove the muffler before the drop. Securely support the car on JACK STANDS not hydraulic jacks (they move and could easily collapse). I think the rear wheels had to come off.

The secret weapon is...all thread...threaded rod, with washers, nuts and wing nuts. Remove the engine bar end bolts and replace them with threaded rods at each side about 16-18" long or so and simply lower the engine/trans assembly down from the car one inch at a time, onto the dolly. Support the trans end with a jack stand or stacked wood blocks to keep it level as its lowered to keep the assembly level.

Be safe and don't let any of your body parts under the engine if you can avoid it, work from the outside. The hardest part was getting the engine tin around the suspension consoles without hanging up.

The all-thread method is from Tim's Fan Page. http://www.914fan.net

The real secret to the engine tin screws is the same as the real secret to most other stubborn fasteners: Get The Right Tool For The Job.

Trust me, the largest slot-head screwdriver in your collection is still too small for those suckers. The only screwdriver that I've found that is correct is the Monster Driver (my own name for it) that I dug up at Sears. It's about 2 feet long, and really very beefy. It was in a bin down below where they keep the rest of the screwdrivers. At first, I thought it was a pry bar--but it fit the one engine tin screw that I had managed to remove absolutely perfectly!

I could not get a number of the screws to budge using the largest screwdriver I had. When I tried again with the Monster Driver, they came right out with no problems whatsoever.

--DD

Hey thanks for the info.

I found the Cv tool at a local $7. Its just a key that I'll have to use a wrench or socket on. I would have prefered a driver for my 3/8 ratchet but didn't have any luck finding one.

The http://www.914fan.net/ technique is intruiging, has anyone else had experience with this? It seems like it poses much less of a chance for something moving suddenly and getting crushed (whether it me, the engine, or my brakes).

Some comments, FWIW: I remove the muffler/heat exchangers together as a unit, then the motor/trans as a unit. It’s a heavy beast, but I’ve never really found it unmanageable.

Installation is reverse of removal (had it say it). I install the motor/trans as a unit, then the muffler/heat exchangers as a unit.

Also, I was never a big fan of crimping the fuel lines. Guess I’m paranoid that way having survived one 914 engine fire http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/frown.gif. I always just made sure the open ends were up high, higher than the fuel tank, so nothing leaked out -- then bolt & clamp them.

...and thanks Herb, you answered one of my questions I was wondering about – can the tranny be taken out without the motor. Yes it can! Thanks.

After you drop the engine, and are in the midst of the teardown, leave the distributor as/is if you are not cracking the case. This will make for an easier time setting the valves when you put everything back together.

Also, paint some good marks for TDC and BDC while you ahev easy access to the fan and flywheel. -H