Engine Jack

I don't know how many of you plan to remove your engines any time in the future. But if you think you might, this might be useful.

I just bought an atv/motorcycle jack from Harbor Freight.

It was on sale for 49.95 and I got an additional 15% off with the coupon in their flyer.

It has two parallel rubber covered rails to support the engine, so there wouldn't be a problem of balancing it like on a floor jack.

Works very well Michael, as this photo from Carlisle 2006 suggests.

Hey, I recognize that engine!

OOOooo yah, that picture! Gulp! Did I tighten that clutch plate or didn't I?

Yeah, and I like those highly effective "dust inhibitors" hung
over the carbs!!

gn

Sure looks better than a 2 x 6 and a cinder block

Very effective dust covers in my estimation. Not one mayfly was injested into the mighty 1915. Nothing says success like results.

I am wondering how much of the exhaust system I will have to remove.

The jack in John's picture above is, in fact, MY motorcycle jack (no, all my tools are not that clean - it's only been used twice, and once was at Carlisle).

I have a Berg Extractor system on my engine, along with the (so-called) "Dual Quiet Pack" dual mufflers. The mufflers attach at the center collector and one goes out on each side, right and left across the back.

When I drop the engine, I first remove both mufflers (they're like hanging a pair of Moose antlers back there and just get in the way) but leave the rest of the extractor system in place, then maneuver the jack under the engine to allow the level, rubber-covered arms to cradle the engine on either side of the sump (Dan: They're not wide enough to hit the push rod tubes) and just gently jack it up (1/2 - 1 inch?) to relieve stress from the engine bolts, remove the bolts and slide'er back away from the tranny. There often is a little jiggling of height and front-to-back wriggling, but it usually comes right out in about ten minutes after the mufflers are dropped. I can regularly pull the engine, including fooling with the mufflers and heat shields, in 30 minutes or less (my heat shields, just like the stock VW heat tins, do not have to be removed to pull the engine).

Installation is the reverse, and takes another 30 minutes (including a few sips on a Guinness, here and there). I do both single-handed, and the motorcycle jack makes it really easy.

I bought the thing thinking it would be a one person job.

When I installed the engine we used 3 people and a floor jack. Two people balanced the engine on the jack and I operated the jack.

I don't have the muffler in place. I'm glad the other pipes can stay in place.

This is all related to my mouse problem. I have all the engine tin off with the engine in the car except for the piece behind the crank pulley and the pieces under the cylinders. I decided it would be easier to put it all back together with the engine out of the car.

I plan to get the tin powder coated. Powder coating didn't exist when I built the engine.

I've been looking at these jacks to pull out my 911 engine and transaxle...and it has to be a one man job. Will this fit the bill?

I've pulled them before but in each case it was such that I didn;t really care what happened to the engine as it was scrap. That's not the case this time.

Will the jack lift the engine up high enough to install then low enough to remove without jaking the car up and down?

Brian

The jack I bought only has about 10" travel. More expensive ones have more travel.

Right now my engine doesn't have a fan shroud, so it is not so high.

I think you need to have the car lower to pull the engine back and lower it. Then you probably would have to raise the rear of the car to get the engine out from under the car. Maybe it is possible to go out sideways through a wheel opening so the car doesn't have to be raised so much.

I am thinking I should have the wheels on the front resting on ramps instead of jack stands in front. That would probably be safer while raising and lowering the back of the car.

I don't know how having the transaxle attached would affect things. The jack I bought can lift 1500 pounds.

Brian: Mike pretty much has it down:

"I think you need to have the car lower to pull the engine back and lower it. Then you probably would have to raise the rear of the car to get the engine out from under the car."

Yup, that's how I get mine out, although I have been known to leave the car at a "reasonable" height and then tilt the fan shroud far forward so everything clears the bottom of the rear of the car and it just squeaks out. On your 911 engine, you don't have that luxury, so you'll have to jack the body WAY up there so the engine clears.

Continuing with Mike: "Maybe it is possible to go out sideways through a wheel opening so the car doesn't have to be raised so much."

Nope....sorry. That's just not gonna work for either engine.

I have taken my engine out many times using a large hydraulic floor jack with a piece of plywood on top. It was a balancing act at times, and was difficult to reinstall the engine since I had to get the engine under the car prior to wrestling it onto the jack.

Finally, I got smart. Hanging from the ceiling of my garage is a 1 ton chain hoist that I bought at a tool show for about $35.00. After taking off the exhaust, I attach some aluminum strap stock to the bolts and put the nuts on a few turns. There is a large hole on one end of the aluminum stock. Through this hole I pass some heavy strap, up through the chain hoist hook, and back to the opposite exhaust port. One more strap to the remaining exhaust ports does it. Now, taking the engine in and out is so easy that my wife could operate the hoist. What I especially like about it is the excellent control that I get on engine position. There is no jack under the motor, so I can easily move the motor side-to-side to get the input shaft to line up. Easy! I only wish that I had used the chain hoist on my prior removals.

Chuck

Hey! JACK THIS...

Got the speedster, got an ATV, so I went out and got the Jack, 49.95

When we built Lane's car at Carlisle I toted along my bike jack (just like in Wild Bill's photo - without the frustration!!) and several people were truly impressed with how easy it made everything.

You will be too!

gn

Nice idea. Cheapest I can find these in the UK is $270.

Back to the trolley jack for me.

Brian,
You can use the motocycle jack on the 911 if you are able to raise the car high enough to clear the intake and fan. That seems to be where our problem always lies. We remove the rear valance, that's makes a big difference (like six inches!).

It's easier to put back in with wood blocks across the jack. You need to go from head to head because the motorcycle jack just by itself wants to hit right about at the oil return tubes. We slide it underneath and then lower the car on top. It's easier if you put a board across the middle to get a "teeter-totter" effect. It lets you have a little up down movement to get the motor and transmission mounts bolted up. We usually put the transmission bolts in first and then the motor mount bolts. But whatever works... Steve and I do this together (two people, well 1 person and one monkey - me...). Makes it pretty easy.

On the spyder, the motorcycle jack is the bomb-diggity. There's enough clearance to put it in from the bottom (sans carbs) by myself. I put the transaxle in seperately on the spyder. I use the lift for that also. Get it close then grab the transaxle and do the last bit by grunt labor.

angela

...I use a motorcycle jack to lift my a$$ off the commode!

Oh you have NO IDEA the imagery THAT conjured up El Guapo!
angela