Pulling the motor

[csjohnson]

I am looking to pull the motor out of my S2 Elan. The service manual states to pull the gear box out with the motor. Isn?t possible to just pull the motor while leaving the transmission in the car? I am assuming I can just unbolt the motor from the bell housing and attach something like this to the block (Already pulled the head).
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/ENGINE-LEVELER,2925.html
I was planning on attaching the engine lever to the 4 corners of the block with shorter versions of the head bolts.

Is the transmission bolted to the frame of the car or do I need to find a way to support it once it is unbolted from the motor? I would appreciate any help or advice I can find.

Chris

[paddy]

Yes, you can remove the engine leaving the gearbox in the car. Support the weight of the engine with the hoist and remove the engine mounts. Then get a trolley jack and support the centre of the gearbox where the drain plug is and loosen the bellhousing the engine bolts. Slowly move the engine forward and keep checking that the gearbox is supported and not hanging on the input shaft.

You may need to raise both engine and gearbox slightly to allow the engine to move far enough foward to withdraw the input shaft fully, but there's plenty of room really once the rad is removed.

Paddy

[csjohnson]

Thanks Paddy for the help.

Chris

[twincamman]

welll ----if you leave the tranny in the car you will be like a dog f22king a foot ball to get the motor back in ----all action and no accomplishment ----and you WILL break some thing -- as you only will have the tranny mount and the rad extra to undo you may as well be a man and pull both units out connected .Its easier in the long run -and as you have the head off bolt the lift chain to the two bolt holes at each side of the block front and rear --and use a hoist and a friend to put them back in --the operation is like sex -comes out easy but its a bitch to get it in --bin thar own the hat ---ed

[bcmc33]

Chris,

There is no problem with what you suggest if you have the necessary experience.

I was in Paul Matty's workshop in the summer and he had two Elans there both of which had the engine out with the gearbox still in the car. I did enquire, and was told "normal practice".

My engine is coming out sometime during the winter but will have the gearbox attached - IMHO it is the easiest way.
BTW, if you do decide to remove engine and gearbox together, don't forget to drain the gearbox first.

[Frank Howard]

if you do decide to remove engine and gearbox together, don't forget to drain the gearbox first.

Been there done that. I thought the Exxon Valdez had docked in my garage.

[csjohnson]

I have this bad feeling that I would have forgotten to drain the gear box without that reminder thanks.


Chris

[twincamman]

when its back in place put a strong magnet on the drain plug ----holds the nasty bits in place and out of the gears ----ed

[types26/36]

Chris, if you are intending to strip the motor than you can remove the head first while the motor is still in the car, it makes getting the engine out a lot easier particularly if you want to leave the gearbox in place, you can also refit it the same way and put the head on later although some people like to completely assemble the motor first as it can be easier to set up the valve timing with the engine out.
I normally take the engine out separately and if I am removing the gearbox refit together as a unit but it can be done either way.... together or separately, as others said just support the gearbox as necessary, take your time and its really not too bad.
Depending on what exhaust manifold you have it can be a bit finicky as some non standard manifolds have to be put in place before the head/engine is fitted and this restricts space and access to the engine mounting.

[csjohnson]

Looks like I will pull them both together as I planned on having them both out. The Exhaust manifold has already kicked me in the butt. I ended up having to grind the hex bolts off to separate it from the down tube. The manifold needs to be replaced even before I cut the bolts off.

Chris

[tvacc]

I feel like I am swimming upstream and the current is pulling my back...

Guys...I have done this and I have NEVER been able to pull the gearbox and motor out at the same time. I always hit the front crossmember. Now I have another car here with a Spyder Chassis in it and I remember that one of the big selling points WAS the ability to pull the motor and gearbox out at the same time.

As far as putting it back in with the tranny in the car...sort of snicks right back in....never had an issue with that.

hey..maybe I am full of hot air...or hot water...or whatever. But I dont think so. I have been wrong before.

[types26/36]

[quote="tvacc"]Guys...I have done this and I have NEVER been able to pull the gearbox and motor out at the same time. I always hit the front crossmember. quote]

Tony, I have done it many times both ways (only once on a Spyder chassis) a couple of weeks ago I refitted my own engine separately from the gearbox, previously about a month earlier I helped a friend fit his engine and gearbox as a unit, when fitting as a unit you have to get the engine & gearbox at a very steep angle and guide it in being careful not to damage the bulkhead/wiring etc. it does go in but a 2nd pair of hands help while lowering as someone has to guide the tail shaft into the chassis, the tail shaft then has to be raised while the engine is lowered back to its correct angle again watching the engine doesn't foul the bulkhead.
The reverse applies when removing and is why I prefer to remove the engine first preferably without the head.

[elancoupe]

Guys...I have done this and I have NEVER been able to pull the gearbox and motor out at the same time. I always hit the front crossmember. quote]

Tony, I have done it many times both ways (only once on a Spyder chassis) a couple of weeks ago I refitted my own engine separately from the gearbox, previously about a month earlier I helped a friend fit his engine and gearbox as a unit, when fitting as a unit you have to get the engine & gearbox at a very steep angle and guide it in being careful not to damage the bulkhead/wiring etc. it does go in but a 2nd pair of hands help while lowering as someone has to guide the tail shaft into the chassis, the tail shaft then has to be raised while the engine is lowered back to its correct angle again watching the engine doesn't foul the bulkhead.

+1. It can be done both ways.

Between my car, and some others, I have been involved in removing/installing 8-10 TC's, all of them with gearbox attached. As Brian noted, correct angles, and maybe a helping hand, are the keys.

[curly type 26]

And no matter which way you do it keep your first aid kit close to hand! and a bottle of whisky Curly

[tdafforn]

Managed to remove and reinstall the engine (minus gearbox) as a one man job.
removal took 2 hours, reinstallation similar.
was worried about lining stuff up during reinstallation, but went in first time!
two tricks however. for an easy reinstallation..
Get some long threaded rod that can replace the bell housing bolts to act as guides. Use nuts on the rods to slowly bring the engine and bellhousing together (essential in my case as the engine crane did not have enough reach to allow the two lumps to mate up), when the gearbox input shaft binds on the clutch (its bound not to be aligned 100% no matter how hard you try before hand) jack up one rear wheel, put the gear box in 4th and turn the rear wheel slowly to rotate the gearbox shaft. In my case there was a lovely "clunk" and the clutch slid onto the input shaft splines!
(definitely a big smile moment!)
Cheers
tim