Should I drop the engine?—overwhelmed, it keeps getting deeper Options

[amfab]

Long Post, questions are at the bottom.

OK, this scenario is not unusual here. I am still at stage 3, but I think I have finally hit bottom—I pray—with what I need to repair.

(WIIT=While I’m In there)

I started with what I thought was a simple jack port replacement that mushroomed as I poked and ground and blasted. Here is the order of how the project blossomed:
1) Passenger’s jack port repair ¬
2) Passenger’s long patch+driver’s jack port repair¬
3) Passenger’s long patch+driver’s jackport repair +Brad Mayeur kit install (WIIT)¬
4) Both side’s long rebuld+mayeur kit +rear floor pan, x-member replacement+gas tank r&r+swaybar installation—(since Im pulling the gas lines WIIT)¬
5) Longs rebuild+Mayeur kit +rear floor pan, x-member replacement+gas tank r&r+swaybar installation (WIIT)+inner lower firewall replacement¬
6) Longs rebuild+Mayeur kit +rear floor pan, x-member replacement+gas tank r&r+swaybar installation (WIIT)+inner lower firewall replacement¬+upper firewall patch (WIIT)¬
8) Longs rebuild+Mayeur kit +rear floor pan, x-member replacement+gas tank r&r+swaybar installation (WIIT)+inner lower firewall replacement¬+upper firewall patch (WIIT)+ partial low outer firewall patching (latest discovery)¬

Well, dammit, this leads me to consider dropping the engine to make the outer firewall repair the easiest. The gas lines, shift rod, speedo cable, heater cable and wiring hardness have to come out of the tunnel anyway—so what’s left to drop the motor?

I could do the firewall repair without dropping the engine because there isn’t a lot that needs patching, and I can do it from the passenger's compartment cuz the inner firewall is out, but a new bottom gives me solid flanges to which I can weld the floor pane and well you know “since I’m this far into it...”

Another downside is dropping the engine will lead me to probably strip and repaint the engine compartment and fix some other P.O. issues in there, then comes powder coating engine tin and other dumb stuff that 914 owners do—months get added to completion time. All I wanna do is drive the car.

Questions:
1) Should I drop the engine?

2) I've read a lot of posts on this but still am unclear—What’s the consensus for easiest 1 person drop: Chris’ engine transmission lifting plate or an ATV or transmission jack (prolly HF)? I tend to lean toward CT and away from China, but if I do this, I really need to get what is easiest.

3) IF the engine comes out, should I just go with Chris’ Rotisserie to make my floor pan (and other) repairs significantly easier, or should I just stick with finishing the job on jackstands. (I would buy the kit which adds another weekend or two to build and mount). I know this sounds stupid a this point but I am trying to make this quicker and easier.

4) If I go the rotisserie route, can it hold the chassis with suspension intact? I really do not wanna add more to the list (he says with a set of Brembo front and 914-6 rear calipers waiting in a box)

TIA for responses to the above questions, moral support, an any advice on welding, finance, relationships or the warning signs of FE2O3 addiction.

-Andrew

[porschetub]

Nah don't F around drop the motor, better to get into what it needs while you have all the space to do it ...that's what you you will find so much easier.

[BeatNavy]

Dropping the engine is not that big a deal - just seems daunting if you've never done it. I've heard good things about the Tangerine adapter, but you can also just do it with one or two floor jacks and a good sized furniture dolly. Based on the repairs you are looking at porschetub is right - just get it over with and do those right. Take your time, find a helper (although not absolutely necessary), and do it slowly.

But...what's your overall goal here? Complete resto? Prep for new paint? Or just fix major stuff quickly so you can get back to driving and enjoying it without major worries? Because if it ends up on a rotisserie, it's likely to stay there a while. And if it does go on a rotisserie, absolutely make sure to build door braces (or buy the ones from Chris).

Scope creep....it happens.

[EdwardBlume]

Drop the motor. You'll be glad you did.

[North Coast Jim]

Drop the motor its will make all the other work muchhhhh easier.

I put the car up on jack stands high enough to use the small HF scissor lift. I take the engine, gear box and exhaust out in one operation. Also use the scissor lift to remove the muffler before hand. With this set up I need 21" of clear space under the car. With this demand the rear valance must be removed. I do this by myself and have it down to a 2 hour time frame. Now the engine's out and you can get it cleaned up easily. Valve adjust is must easier 2.

Oh and don't forget to remove the ground strap on top of the tranny at the rear. Don't ask how I know that.

[ChrisFoley]

Rather than the rotisserie, get the door brace set to hold the chassis more firmly while you replace the metal structure.
Mounting on a rotisserie really requires further disassembly than you want to do.
OTOH, you'll have to do a lot of welding from underneath the car.

The big advantage of my lift plate is it's quick and easy for one person to use, and it stores a lot easier than having a special jack just for engine drops.

[arne]

I just dropped mine a couple weeks ago, even though I was hoping to avoid it. It's not that hard, so if you will be able to do a better job on the repairs, it will be well worth it.

I used the Tangerine lift plate. As long as your floor jack has a removable saddle (not all do, my normal aluminum OTC does not) it is great and makes the drop a one person job. I can't see this being much easier with an ATV or trans jack. So if you are going to need to buy one of those to do this, I'd probably get the lift plate since it is designed specifically for the job at hand.

[ChrisFoley]

I used the Tangerine lift plate. As long as your floor jack has a removable saddle (not all do, my normal aluminum OTC does not) it is great and makes the drop a one person job.

A simple workaround for a non-removable saddle is to screw a 1 1/2" thick wood or aluminum block with a 1 1/8"+ hole in the center onto the saddle.

[amfab]

Looks like the votes are to drop but no rotisserie. I'll start with the drop and see where it goes. Im not trying to do concourse here, just a high quality restore to make the car rust free and strong to outlast me—cuz Im gonna keep it for a long time.Maybe do a six in a year or two.
-Andrew

[mbseto]

nth'ing drop the engine. Seems like with a 914, once you've done it a couple times dropping the engine feels about as daunting as an oil change. Pretty soon you'll be doing it just to show your friends.

And because of that, from a financial standpoint, you may find it's no big deal to put the engine back until you can spend on the tins or other stuff you would do with the engine out. Then again, once you dig into long and floor repair, sending tins out for powder coat might seem minor.

I'm a proponent of repairing frame parts with the car level and firmly mounted at the suspension points. Rotisseries are for floor repair and painting.

[whitetwinturbo]

...........Harbor Freight motorcycle lift could "catch" the engine drop..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[IronHillRestorations]

I have a lift, and a fair amount of experience. I did a engine/trans drop, rear main seal and back on the road in less than 5 hours, solo. Actual engine drop completely out of the car in 1 hr 50 min. This was a carb'd engine and I prefer to take off the air cleaners and jet stacks which adds a few min on both ends.