Engine removal question

[badfelafel]

Hi all... any ideas on whether I could remove the engine without lifting gear?

I was thinking of removing the bumper and front of the car, and removing the cylinder head.

Is it:
possible (or back breakingly difficult?), or should I leave the cylinder head on and bolt on a bar and use lifting gear (which I dont have....!)

Many thanks!

Oh yes... and another question! How reliable is the guide in the Haynes manual or has it left anything out????

Thanks everyone

[bigginger]

Some people reckon it can be done. As a weak Englishman, I'd say it can't, but I'm sure I will be contradicted forthwith

[glyna2006]

as a youngster i used to lift them out it depends how you value your back if no liftig gear and your prepared to take bumper front panel and rad off it aint tribbly difficult if you got a trolley jack and a friend to help you....glyn

[bigginger]

Aha - forgot about the friend thing

[badfelafel]

Wow that was quick!!!

Ok so here's the plan, for an engine with the cylinder head off:

ENGINE REMOVAL STEPS

1. Drain coolant
2. Disconnect battery
3. Drain oil
4. Remove pin to fully open bonnet
5. Disconnect hoses from cooling system and heater
6. Remove front bumper, radiator grille and surrounds
7. Disconnect throttle linkage and choke cable
8. Remove carburettor and air cleaner
9. Disconnect exhaust at manifold
10. Disconnect leads
11. Remove starter
12. May be helpful to remove dynamo
13. May be helpful to remove distributor cap and rotor arm
14. Release fuel inlet from carb
15. Remove oil pressure gauge pipe
16. Disconnect clutch return spring
17. Unscrew gearbox bolts at bellhousing, also free earth strap if fitted
18. Remove mounting brackets
19. Lift out engine using friend and trolley jack

OK next question: just how heavy is the engine, and does having the head off make any difference? Anything else I can take off to make the engine lighter?

--- lol and just thinking ahead, should I get lifting gear for fitting the new engine? How hard is it to put another engine in using a friend and a trolley jack ???

[glyna2006]

you can hire lifting gear for weekend not a fortune to hire cheaper than a few weeks off with bad back

[bigginger]

DO remove the dizzy cap (they break easily) and beware when lifting the bonnet back (the hinges snap pretty easily, honest). Oh, and yes, the head makes quite a lot of difference

[Packedup]

Bought a spare engine to rebuild (Midget 1098 10CC, 40 quid - Very surpised it wasn't snatched for a Minor! ) at the weekend, and finally got round to getting it back out the car this evening. I'm not the fittest around and currently have lots of interesting (perturbing actually) aches as well as general coldiness. Still managed to hoik the engine out of the passenger door and move it fairly easily.

That's a 1098 with no flywheel, head, starter or anything else on it. So I'd suggest if the engine is coming out for overhaul or replacement strip as much off as possible, and use a jack till you just have the short lift and drop over the front of the car (with the front panelwork out the way). Otherwise get someone else to help as 2 should be able to lug a complete 1098 with a bit of rope and 2x4 (still get the front panelwork out the way, or it's a fair height to lift).

[alex_holden]

Or if you have a garage/barn with strong roof beams, it's possible to rig up a block and tackle to lift the engine and then roll the car out from underneath it.

[Peetee]

I've just done this job on my own this evening. To reduce weight I got rid of as much as i could from the engine; cylinder head, dynamo, starter etc. The gearbox bolts were removed (Don't do the top two last!) The gearbox and engine mountings were undone top and bottom and one engine tower unbolted from the engine bay floor. I then trolley jacked the engine up (using a length of wood to spread the load on the sump) to lift it away from the mounts then pull forward to clear the box and up again so that it was high enough to slide up onto the front cross member(protect the brakepipe with a bit of wood. Here the engine was turned through 90°, a couple of wooden ramps were set up so I could stand between and I slid the engine down on the ground.

[badfelafel]

Brilliant advice, thanks everyone

[badfelafel]

PS I hope to log the whole job with loads of photos which I will add to my website - if there's any particular tasks people want photographed that may be helpful for them, let me know!

[bmcecosse]

Barry - as you know I have done this single handed in the past. Yes head off - leave cables etc on the carb - just push manifold to the side, can even stay on exhaust. But I have portable lifting gear I can bring along to get the job done anyway! I'm surprised you say oil pressure pipe - did the engine still have oil pressure when it 'stopped' ? I'm not totally convinced this engine is seized !! Have you had the starter motor off yet to make sure it's not the cause of the jam-up ?