Engine going in

[kroberts]

I'm finally installing the S52. I decided to raise the front of the car and slide the motor under because the car's been painted. I didn't want to dick up the radiator support and firewall. I welded up a bar out of a length of U-channel and some 1/8 plates. I attached this to the front bumper studs and lifted from the chain. I built a small cart out of furniture dollys and set the motor on it. The rest was easy.

[Teaguer]

Oh snap !
Looking good .


Looks like you're pretty crafty with 2x4's . :D

[kroberts]

Up...



and in...



it was surprisingly easy. I did it myself in about three hours.

[etxxz]

i love picking up ideas like these. hella nice job. beats the hell of what i did.

what flywheel is that? on a side note, i need to get my front koni's some condoms too.

[kroberts]

I bought one of those "kits" from BavAuto. The brand on the flywheel box was Fidenza IIRC.

[windsor318is]

crap, i guess gong underneith with save any chances of paint dings eh, the project orca cd i have shows them sliding it in from underneith as well.

[FredK]

If you're super careful and get as much angle on the engine/trans as possible, it's not too bad to do it from up top. I've found removing the power steering pump and AC compressor pretty much makes it impossible to hit the radiator support.

[gobuffs]

I did mine from the bottom. I put the motor mounts and subframe first. Slid the motor under and lifted it and put the 4 subframe bolts in. I have pulled out a few S14s and pulling up from the bottom is MUCH MUCH easier.

[FredK]

The additional side benefit I see installing the engine from the bottom is that you can avoid scratching the subframe. Well golly, I'll have to try it from the bottom this time around. :D

[Roberte]

I did it myself in about three hours.

Only 'cause you didn't ask for help....;-)


jk

[rede30]

sweet idea, i am surprised i have not seen this done more. I guess it is not to hard from the top but this seems a little more easy. cooooool, have fun hooking it up.

[golde30]

damn, i wish i had done mine like that. it took me about 4 hours with a friend to get my engine in from the top....it was a complete engine though, and yes, the PS pump did F up my rad support...and the firewall is all scrapped up.

[BigD]

I did it with a helper in 15-20 mins from the top, and I didn't scratch or bend anything. I don't get what the big deal is, unless you guys didn't use a load leveller. I'm not keeping AC so that was gone but the tranny and PS pump were on.

[kroberts]

Guys, it really was a piece of cake. I got a little anal building the cart but it only cost me about $45 bucks. I made the lifting bar out of some scrap I stole from behind the hangar at work. The only detail I overlooked initially was the width of the engine cart. It had to fit between the engine hoist rails. I put the back tires up about 8 inches and set the parking brake, hooked up the chain and lifted the front end. I rolled the engine in, lowered the front end down on the jackstands, and lifted the engine up into place.

[e30serg]

Clever! This is exactly that I'm planning on doing when I install the s52. This is the same way I'm getting the engine out of the donor car. It seemed easier to do that having to deal with a load leveler and a super long engine/tranny assembly, even though I have a load leveler. Nice dolly! I'll have to copy that design..
8" up on the rear tires? I'll make a note of that...
Thanks for the great pix!