Engine removal

[Greenm3]

I'm finally taking my engine out after having it sit on the drive for a long while.
Whats the best way to remove it as one. Has any body got any info and pics like a manual on the order to do it in.
I was thinking of taking of the manifolds, unbolting from gearbox, and hey presto lift it out, sounds a lot simpler than it probably is. Ive got a hoist which will make it alot easier, is there anything else i need to know about, cause i feel like i'm going into this blind!
Cheers
Mike

[Graham]

As far as i am aware the easiest way i have heard (Though not tried) is to remove the front end(Headlights, brackets, cross member-everything in between the wings at the front basically) and the engine with/without gearbox comes straight out the front, not up and out or down and out. If i am wrong please correct me, but after rebuilding my head i looked at the front end and the whole lot bolts off.
HTH
Graham

[merlin's S4]

Yep! I agree with Graham! The whole lot will come out the front pretty easilly. It also may be easier to remove the gearbox once the whole lot is out of the car rather than doing it in situe, although there's plenty more experienced guys on here that I'm sure can advise!!

[WabTheKing]

i take the front bumper off

front cross member

bonnet (amazing how light makes a differance)

think i removed the intake manifold to make it easiyer to get to the bell housing bolts and to get the wires off the injectors

remove rad + pipes etc

undo engine mounts

undo down pipe off turbo/waste gate

undo bell housing bolts

check all cables are unplugged

trolley jack with a piece of plywood under the sump / engine craine

hey presto engine rolls out (ish)

[SteveH]

There's no need to remove the headlights they're not in the way. I always remove the exhaust to gearbox mount too. This allows you to push the downpipe away from the turbo. Not a hard job, but a bit daunting if you haven't done it before.

[WabTheKing]

i dont remove the lights either

[Greenm3]

What a pain in the **** it is to get to the down pipe bolt, having trouble with that at the moment, but apart from that it's going ok! Think i will get the rad out now, leave those bolts for later! at tips and tricks for getting at the down pipe bolts?
Cheers for all the advice!
Mike

[SteveH]

You'll need a 'C' spanner in 15mm IIRC to get to the difficult downpipe to turbo nut.

[Greenm3]

finally everthing on the rad side is undone, so little room in these 3b's and i havent the biggest hands! the plastic shorud on the wires is so worn it has been cracking! i kept moving the wires and hearing breaking, luckly it's not too bigger deal.
Now just got to get the blasted exhaust off.
Oh where i cant see very well round the back of the engine, where do the heater matrix pipes join? cheers
Mike

[SteveH]

IIRC...One heater matrix hose joins the block at the rear of the engine. It's located directly below the PCV hose that comes out of the back of the head. The other is connected to the metal transfer pipe that runs to the rear of the block on the passenger side. This pipe has a flange that is bolted to the bell housing.

[Graham]

I bought these sockets for getting that biatch of a nut, they made it quite easy with a few wobble extension bars and a ratchet from under the Brake reservoirhttp://www.justoffbase.co.uk/s.nl/sc...t.A/id.4744/.f

[Greenm3]

ive undone the waste gate pipe, but i think it's difficult for me to reach that bolt as ive got a 3" system including down pipe and i cant get a ratchet fitment on there, nor a spanner to get to it. i should manage to get it somehow i hope
the othere thing is the bell house bolts are a pain as well, would it be easier to undo the gerabox mounts and drive shafts and lift it out with the gearbox attached? what do i have to disconnect fromt he gearbox to lift it all out or shall i perserver with the bell housing nuts.
cheers mike

[martinjs]

I bent a 13mm spanner (to about 90deg) that way it fitted on the nut then got a big metal pipe on the end and whacked it with a big hammer. worked a treat.

[Greenm3]

Well got it out last night, was a bit of a hassel but not bad for the first time i think. Now just got to start the very costly process of some upgrades! Probably need a whole new bottom end and whilst i'm the a front intake IM, etc etc.
Should i do anything to protect the gearbox housing from corrosion as the car will be sitting out side
Cheers
Mike
ps thanks for all the help, couldn''t have done it without the tips and tricks from the forum!

[Jeffer]

Nice! Make sure you grease up the input shaft on the GB. And remove the throw out bearing. What upgrades have you got planned?