Series 1 4.2 - Engine Removal

[AussieEtype]

My ole mate up the road has to remove his gearbox from his Series 1 4.2 to do some work on it.

He has decided to remove the engine and gearbox as one unit and is not sure of the approach to take - my Series 3 is straight forward and can be removed by one person on a couple of hours no problems. However I know nothing of the earlier cars.

He has access to a vehicle hoist to drop the engine and gearbox underneath or has a access to an engine crane to take it out the top. The carbs and inlet manifolds are removed as are the exhaust manifolds.

He tells me the torsion bars - because of the reaction bar/plate under the car has to be removed if the lot is removed from underneath (simpler on a Series 3) but if taking the engine gearbox out the top, he also understands that to get the rear of the gearbox to drop to the correct angle this torsion bar cross piece also needs to come out.

So given the above - which is best - out through the top or lowered out the bottom??

Thanks

Garry

[bopperd]

IMHO, out the bottom is clearly easier. If you try to remove it from the top, no matter what you do you will beat the snot out of the picture frame. The car needs to be a minimum of 30" off the floor. The reaction plate and torsion bars have to come out either way you do it. Just remember to mark the torsion bar settings on the reaction plate and the lower wishbones so you retain the ride height:


Don't worry about mixing up the torsion bars - they're marked on the ends:


You will need a load adjuster on the hoist so the engine drops level:


Just drop the whole thing down on a chunk of carpet and yank it out from under the car.

And don't forget the Scotch. I prefer Glenfarclas for this operation.

Dave

[christopher storey]

It is not correct that whatever you do, you will "beat the picture frame" taking it out of the top. However, to take it out of the top does require a very steep angle of lift using a load adjuster and has obvious hazards in the shape of the potential energy of 600 lbs held several feet above the car . It is however easier in many ways to lower the unit out although paradoxically the clearances are smaller than taking it out upwards . Be very careful with clearance at the rear end of the engine in particular as it is very easy to damage both the bulkhead and the oil pipes / tacho generator, both of which are better removed and therefore out of harm's way. The picture frame does not need to be removed as shown above, but the unit needs to be on a trolly so that it can be wheeled out once the car is lifted at the front

[flatfloor 3.8]

The Torsion bars do not have to be removed, only the reaction plate. You have to remove anything on the sides of the block, both manifolds and the oil filter housing complete then it will fit through the gap.
Bill W

[Stuart Exelby]

All I can say is that mine came out of, and went back in through, the top. Clearances were very tight, but do-able, and the tacho-generator had to come off as well as anything else that could be removed, obviously...... Best of luck with it, whichever way you choose!

[Moeregaard]

I prefer to drop the entire mess out the bottom, where the gearbox and engine can be separated, before sliding the 'box out from under the car. You only need about 20" of clearance underneath to do this. If engine removal is required, remove the clutch, water pump and crankshaft damper, and you won't have to resort to extreme heights or odd angles to get the thing out from the top. Place a few furniture pads or scrap rug around the frame rails.

[AussieEtype]

Thanks for the pointers - he is leaning towards dropping it out the bottom.

The body will be on the hoist and carefully raised high up clear of the engine/gearbox which will be sitting on blocks.

The main issues would seem to be removing the torsion bar reaction plate and removing the torsion bars from it (more like getting them back in).

I will pass on any comments - in particular about the tacho generator and will see how he goes.

Cheers

Garry

[AussieEtype]

The owner decided to take the engine/gearbox out the top so the car hoist was not needed so the work was planned to be done in the drive.

As the work progressed it was difficult to get get clearance around the gearbox in the tunnel area - particularly at the top. It would seem the T5 box is a little higher and fatter than the original 4 speed and would not clear the body. So to plan B.

The rear of the car was jacked up about 18" off the floor and then supported on blocks. The same was then done at the front and the engine/gearbox lowered to the floor and the front then lifted clear.

So it would seem that the standard box can go out the top or bottom but if fitted with a T5 box it is bottom only.

Garry