crank/rod swap with block in car?

[4evere30]

anyone do a crank/rod swap with block in car? yes i know its probably a crazy question.. but dont have an engine hoist or know anyone that does
am i out of my mind or is it doable? i know ide have to drop the steering rack atleast but that gives me an excuse to put my e36 rack in ...
:crazy:

[nickskater09]

If you're really pressed for money to not buy a hoist, go to northern tool or something similar and buy an engine hanger or whatever it's called, I can't quite remember. Basically a rod that runs across the top of the engine and locks into the hood seal area and holds the engine up so you can drop the subframe. I don't really see a way to do all of that with the subframe in your face.

[KirkerBezerker]

Bad idea

[bddog]

My dad replaced a piston with the engine in the car. It was an old Ford though--- I have seen log tripod with come along set ups.
Myself, I would not even contemplate it without a proper engine hoist.

[Swanny]

The engine support bar is amazing for a >$60 investment but I really wouldn't suggest doing any work of the magnitude underneath it unless you have a very powerful impact wrench to pop of all the highly torqued bolts. Just think of how unstable the car will be in the air on jack stands and the subframe out. Shit will be swinging all over the place!

[fanboi]

Whats the point? You know its a crazy question. is it worth a very bad accident if it falls. Look on craigslist for a used cherry picker. Usually 100-150 tops. If you can afford to take apart your motor, you can afford to get a picker and do it right. Cars falling are not fun and a very very scary experience. Everyone has to learn the hard way once, so do what you will, I just hope you dont too hurt if you decide to do it.


*starting to sound like my dad.....damn.

[richard.bratton]

Replacing pistons and rods is doable. Removing the crankshaft involves pulling the transmission, seal carriers, and would be dang near impossible in car. Heck, with everything you have to take off, you could just pick the block up by hand.

[cabriodster87]

Would not be worth the trouble.

[AlarmedBread]

[4evere30]

lol awesome pic alarmed bread !
,thats what i thought.. ill just wait till i get some extra money and buy a
come-along and hang it from the rafters in my garage to get it out and then lay the block on some crappy old blankets upside down to do the swap, gonna have to take the tranny off to upgrade my clutch and have my flywheel lightened anyway
thanks for the input everyone :pimp:

[AwakenNoMore]

My suggestion to you would be to buy an entire engine from the junkyard and build it then just swap it in when you get a hoist. Then sell the old engine and hoist.

[Wanganstyle]

crank/rod swap with block in car?

Replace entire bad engine with known good one.

Cheapest and easiest solution.
If you have no cherry picker;

Drop everything out the bottom on the crossmember with engine and transmission attached; lift the body up. Just unbolt the guibo and detach the front drop out.

Pointless to struggle and remove gearbox while still in car

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

[Cletonius]

Replace entire bad engine with known good one.

Cheapest and easiest solution.
If you have no cherry picker;

Drop everything out the bottom on the crossmember with engine and transmission attached; lift the body up. Just unbolt the guibo and detach the front drop out.

Pointless to struggle and remove gearbox while still in car

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

Even if you have a picker this is probably the easiest. We did this with a buddy's f-body and it was a dream. We put a furniture dolly under the car and used the hoist to control the descent, them rolled the engine+trans into the garage.

IMHO less chance of banging shit up and damaging either the core support or breaking a windshield.

[Swanny]

Have used that method to drop a few engines out in the junk yard, works great if you can get the bottom radiator support high enough with jack stands or some other proper car support. Can use the engine bar to slowly lower or a jack under the motor.

[4evere30]

if i come across a good m5x engine in the junkyards ide just pull the whole thing and built up my m20 out of car but for now im pretty set on my m20 , its block is o-ringed and it just sounds so good and is soooo easy to work on , i have an m50 blocka nd head sitting in my garage already but missing all the guts for it , so for now im just thinkin M20----->:-P