engine installation

[barishiman]

I'm about to reinstall my engine into the bay so I want to know if this setup is okay to lifting the engine. My head is attached to the engine unlike when I took the engine out. I'll have a lift coming, got a leveler. I used the head bolts last time to hoist it out. But with the head on, is it still ok to use the head bolts with some washers to hoist it into the car or is there a better way to do this? first time doing a install...

Andrew

 

[addo]

The best idea I have seen used two large hooks on the cast manifold (good reason to keep one lying around), and an eye bolted through the coil bracket mount holes. Being three points, it could be easily controlled.

You may wish to have your headers (if fitted) in the engine bay and down, as they are easier to bring up to meet the head than squeeze in after the engine's fixed in place.

Adam.

 

[Anonymous]

Great timing Andrew I am doing this next Saturday....

I would not use the head bolts with the head on...
You would be better off running a couple of hook points like Addo described on the block...

Addo:

Good idea on the headers! But I am worried about hitting them? how hard is it to get them in there after? is it really that hard?

 

[barishiman]

are you saying putting hooks in the exhaust manifold holes? I don't want to scratch my paint job all up. Is there a better way of doing this?

or

Let's say I take the head off, would I have to replace the head gasket since it's already been compressed?

Andrew

 

[Anonymous]

The ones I have seen are more like loops... they bolt to the manifold on both ends and you hook the leveler chain to the loop.... two on one side and two on the other...

Sounds like a pain to pull the head and then put it in again...
Just bolt the leveler brackets on the side of the block instead of the hooks...
If you use four points then there should be no problem... just use the largest bolt holes that exist....

Heck I remember a while back someone used a seatbelt and bolted that to the coil point on one side and somewhere off on the other...

 

[barishiman]

I guess I'm not getting this. I understand at the ignition coil put a hook point there, but where on the other side? All there is are the exhasut manifold bolt holes. And I don't trust those as one of mine is already broken off.

Andrew

 

[Anonymous]

OK, looking at some of my pics...

You can use...
Drivers Rear... Coil mounting position.
Drivers Front... Power steering bracket location.
Passenger front... (Right above the engine bracket mounting point i have a tapped hole for a bolt there... I use it for my AC support arm... there are also lower points on the block to the bottom... you may have to extend the chains a bit)
Passenger rear? - depends on what you have... I am installing the tranny and engine together and will likely use whatever the chain can be rigged too... maybe a starter location? If you don't want to stress one bolt location get some flat steel and drill a few holes to fasten to two or three locations... then drill a larger hole and run the leveller off... sort of make your own engine lift brackets like they have for V8 cars...

You could also attach an old Exhust manifold and use hooks on it to the front and back... that way you are using all of the mounting points for the manifold and would not break or scratch anything...

 

[barishiman]

I'll think about the exhaust manifold idea... but the more I think about it, it just might be easier to take off the head anyways. Less weight and better control. Oh well.

Andrew

 

[addo]

With the steering box in the way on RHD cars, the only way to get headers on is with either the engine out, or head off. Even with the later, wide bays I grit my teeth when I see "professional" installations. Scratch city.

With the exhaust side lift, I am talking about a cast manifold, and the "factory" hooks were something like 1/2" steel, and hooked through the exhaust manifold between 1&2 and 5&6. With an oxy set they would be easy to bend up.

Hope this helps a little.

Regards, Adam.