Removing a V-6 Engine - By The Numbers (Page 2/22)
whadeduck JAN 02, 01:41 AM
Too many step 40's and you'll be using a chell speck instead.

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Whade' "The Duck Formerly Known As Wade" Duck
'87 GT Auto
'88 Ferrario
'84 Indy

Pyrthian JAN 02, 08:40 AM
I hoisted by the trunk latch last time I dropped my cradle. the latch started the bend outwards slightly - I can see in your pic that yours has also. this scared me ALOT, and made me think I should try something else for when I put the cradle back in. I was think of making something to bolt to the strut tower holes, but that would put the cherry picker legs way to far under the car, and interfere with the cradle dolly.


I guess that slight bend is what to expect, and it'll be fine....
skitime JAN 02, 11:06 AM

quote
Originally posted by Pyrthian:

I hoisted by the trunk latch last time I dropped my cradle. the latch started the bend outwards slightly - I can see in your pic that yours has also. this scared me ALOT, and made me think I should try something else for when I put the cradle back in. I was think of making something to bolt to the strut tower holes, but that would put the cherry picker legs way to far under the car, and interfere with the cradle dolly.


I guess that slight bend is what to expect, and it'll be fine....



You could use the method in the factory manual. No danger of damage and you don't need a engine hoist. It also lifts the nose so even with my chin spoiler it is not even close to the ground.

I want to say that this is an excellent post and do not want to detract from it but let me add the way the factory manual shows. They lift the car from just behind the middle of the car. They have even created clearances for the lifting 4x4 under the car and can be seen under the rocker panels. To move the engine around when it is on the floor, I just use a skid cut to the size of the cradle. I mount a inexpensive set of refrigerator rollers to the skid. On smooth concrete you can easily slide the assembly in any direction with the engine on it. It sure works great. I only need one floor jack and two jack stands to remove an engine. Just put the jack under a 4x4 under the middle. Lower the cradle onto the skid. Unbolt cradle. Raise car up until the engine and cradle clear. Use jack stands under the 4x4 if you ever get under the car. I never even had help to do it. Always did it by myself. I roll it out the side usually so I don’t have to have the car up very high. My garage ceiling is only 7' high. You really don't have to have the car very high. No need to raise the front of the car even with the spoiler I have on the front. Reinstall in the opposite order.

Note this picture shows the rocker panel removed but that was for a different reason not because I was removing the engine.

Notice how much lower my car is to remove the engine than the photos using the engine hoist. Also notice how the hoist pushes the nose down hard which is why some people have to block the front wheels up wich adds to the danger of the car falling off the front blocks.

[This message has been edited by skitime (edited 01-02-2008).]

Pyrthian JAN 02, 11:35 AM

quote
Originally posted by skitime:
You could use the method in the factory manual. No danger of damage and you don't need a engine hoist. It also lifts the nose so even with my chin spoiler it is not even close to the ground.



which is?
Toddster JAN 02, 11:49 AM

quote
Originally posted by Pyrthian:

I hoisted by the trunk latch last time I dropped my cradle. the latch started the bend outwards slightly - I can see in your pic that yours has also. this scared me ALOT, and made me think I should try something else for when I put the cradle back in. I was think of making something to bolt to the strut tower holes, but that would put the cherry picker legs way to far under the car, and interfere with the cradle dolly.


I guess that slight bend is what to expect, and it'll be fine....




Yeah, the bending is normal. The lower part of the latch is cantilevered so bending is just a natural consequence. There are several other methods for lifting the car and I hope other readers post their methods here. I just wanted to list one method that anyone could do without buying special strut tower bars, or hoists, etc.

There is more than one way to skin a cat...although why anyone would want to skin cats is another thread.
Richjk21 JAN 02, 12:09 PM

quote
Originally posted by Pyrthian:

I hoisted by the trunk latch last time I dropped my cradle. the latch started the bend outwards slightly - I can see in your pic that yours has also. this scared me ALOT, and made me think I should try something else for when I put the cradle back in. I was think of making something to bolt to the strut tower holes, but that would put the cherry picker legs way to far under the car, and interfere with the cradle dolly.


I guess that slight bend is what to expect, and it'll be fine....



I did it using a setup between the strut towers, and you can see how i worked it from my pics in the link below. Instead of coming in from the rear my cherry picker comes in from the side, and the legs fit perfectly around the dolly. Not saying the trunk latch thing doesn't work, just not comfortable with it myself.

http://home.comcast.net/~rrisc21/drop.htm

Truely though, this is a great thread..... chock full of great info.

Rich
skitime JAN 02, 12:23 PM

quote
Originally posted by Pyrthian:


which is?



To answer this I updated my last post above.

Pyrthian JAN 02, 12:35 PM

quote
Originally posted by skitime:
To answer this I updated my last post above.



yes, thats how I've done it my first 2 1/2 times.
on the cradle instertion for the 2.5 - 3rd time - which I liked ALOT was to rig a come-along to my garage ceiling, and use the come-along to lift the car by the strut towers. this worked GREAT - except my garage REALLY didnt like this. maybe if I setup some more support, I will try this again. but, it also puts the come-along right in the way of the garage door, so, I need to get it done to open the door again, and the back hood needs to be off......
the cherry pickers works pretty good sofar - but keeping the legs out of the way of my dolly is the hard part. my dolly is just a low fridge appliance dolly.

I think it was Jazzman that uses 2 HUGE floor jacks, and just hoists away with them monsters.
Toddster JAN 02, 01:06 PM

quote
Originally posted by skitime:

I want to say that this is an excellent post and do not want to detract from it but let me add the way the factory manual shows.



On the contrary, I want people to post their other ideas. That is how I learned to do it this way, by collecting various ideas and lumping them together into one really efficient method. And yours is certainly a value add for this thread.

I should just point out that like with any other system everything is related. As such, the dolly I show you how to build above will not work with Skitime's method since it elevates the engine 8 inches off the ground. For me, the dolly is an essential tools for engine mobility and storage. That is because at any given time I have 4 or 5 Fieros in the back in various stages of parting or restoration. As such, I am often swapping one engine for another, as is the case in this thread. The white 86 GT this engine came out of has frame damage and I'm just parting the whole thing. But right next to it is a Red 86 GT with a blown head gasket. I'm just going to swap this motor and so I need to move lots of engines around. If you don't need to move your engine from one car to another or you have just one project you are doing then Skitime's method is very doable. If you tend to have more than one car however, it will limit your mobility. Just keep that in mind when making a choice.
Mister JAN 02, 01:08 PM
Great detailed thread Toddster, Thanks and +4U

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