ok to do Top End?, rings/heads only? Options

[Jeff Bonanno]

tat2d - i just pulled my engine/tranny following (mostly) the PP tech article. since i have a garage with a level slab and the wife didn't mind getting kicked out, i took it over and took my time. having two jacks (preferably SUV jacks which be tall), two jackstands and the recommended dolly helped immensely. the CV joint 12 point tool is a must.

remember to label things and take ample notes. "installation is the reverse of removal" so don't do anything during removal which can't be reversed without moving heaven and earth.

oh yeah, i strongly urge you to use jacks instead of lifting the body over the engine...

you can do it!

jbb

[cgnj]

Hi,
Engine drop. I used these directions. I liked it better than the other methods that I have used in the past
Pelican engine drop.

Gaskets, I use the intake gasket from my FI as a template and cut my own out of Flaps gasket material. Don't know if this will work when I get the new heads.

Take off the engine lid. At the least youll be able to see why you can't pull the manifolds. You should be able to get the manifolds and carbs off as a unit.
Changing the intake gaskets isn't a drop the motor job. Did you disconnect the throttle linkage?

Compression is really uneven and low. Even if this is a temp fix for 1-3K miles I think you need to re-ring. $60 for rings vs doing the job twice.

CGNJ

[tat2dphreak]

I'll pick up the dolly this weekend I think and try again next week...

that will definately make the moving around easier... I also plan to get a high lift jack and some cinder blocks for braces...


thanks for the help... also, does having a level ground really help? it seemed like it would, but I just don't have a level place yet.

[Bleyseng]

CGNJ, he did a compression check and a recheck after squirting oil into the chambers with any change in the readings. This indiates that the rings are atleast serviceable, any increase would have shown that the rings were worn out.
Re-ringing is a pain to do right.
You must re-locate the pistons in the same cylinders in the same direction.
You must clean the pistons without damaging them and they must be spotless.
You must hone the cylinders breaking the glaze but without over honing increasing the piston to cylinder clearance to beyond spec.
You must correctly set the re gaps in used cylinders.

These is not a job for a newbie, besides this engine only needs to last about 3,000 miles of til next summer. Just do the heads and run it. That's enough work besides pulling and re-installing the motor.

Geoff

[Jeff Bonanno]

tat2d,

cinderblocks are dangerous! they crush at the most inopportune times (like when you have your arm under the car).

jackstands are preferred (i have used a jackstand plus a backup jackstand or hydraulic jack ever since i had a car drop off a jack 15 years ago) but you can get away with wood blocks as long as they are stable (ie base length and width similar to height).

level ground prevents the car from creeping off the supports and allows you to roll the engine out on the dolly without going somewhere you would prefer it didn't.

jbb

[Jeff Bonanno]

Geoff,

thanks for the reply - again, sound advice.

Jeff

[tat2dphreak]

I'll try to get a ton of scrap wood then... I don't have a choice on the level ground bit here... I have jackstands, but I still don't think they are tall enough... maybe clausterphobia is making everything seem smaller.. too small to get the engine out...

the room I had underneath after removing the exhaust was the distance from the back of my shoulder to my elbow with my arm bent.. 12-14" tops and the jack was almost all of the way up, and the jack stands were good for about 1-2 more notchs safely (2")

was this enough room?

[Jeff Bonanno]

tat2d,

yes and no. that's enough room to get in there and remove all the cables, shifter, etc and then loosen up the mounts. after that, you lower the car/engine until the engine is just over the dolly and release the mounts. at that point, you will not have enough height to lift the car high enough to roll the engine out. i have one SUV jack and one smaller one. for the side where i used the smaller one, i had to alternate between the jack and jackstand to add enough wood blocks to achieve the required elevation.

even with both sides cranked up to what i deemed a safe level, it took some manuvering to get the starter by the halfshaft.

jbb

[need4speed]

. . . . i have one SUV jack and one smaller one. . . .

)Me too.

We must have done the same thing.
Tried the regular jack, found out it didn't go high enough, then bought an SUV jack. (found out IT didn't go high enough either. . . (IMG:style_emoticons/default/fighting19.gif)

[tat2dphreak]

ok, I plan to get the following today...
a hi-lift jack
scrap wood(and maybe cinder blocks)
that 12 pt. star tool(anyone know the exact name/size to get?)
and a bible(now seems like a good time to find religion) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool_shades.gif)

what else do I need?

[Bleyseng]

six pack of beer... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[DNHunt]

If you want to combine alcohol and religion I think wine was the preferred drink in the Bible. I'm not sure you have to go that far. Maybe just a quick prayer and a little nip.

Seriously, this is great to follow as I have to drop my engine in the fall. Any idea how high you have to lift the back of the car. My only experience was dropping the engine out of my old Superbeetle and I remember I had to keep raising it and raising it.

Dave

[Bleyseng]

That's because the SB have the upright fan, so not that high unless you have carbs like Kevin.

Geoff

[Jeff Bonanno]

Dave,

my car is a '76 2.0 w/ D-Jet. i'll jack it back up tonight and give you a decent estimate. BTW, the car is light enough, sans drivetrain, for one person to roll up the grade of my driveway. i had thought that wouldn't be possible and was suprised when i gave it a try (needed room one day for a carpentry project).

Jeff

[DNHunt]

Ya I was kinda hoping that was the the issue but it's still hard to picture. I suppose I'll just have to wait and see. I've got lots of solid wooden blocks I can run in. Might have invest in a new bottle (he, he. Hicup) though.

Dave

[tat2dphreak]

holy crap guys... finding one of the 12 pt. star tools is like the search for the holy freakin' grail! I've got it though... along with the furniture dolly, boards, cinderblocks, bricks, and hi-lift tractor jack! tonight we rest for tommorrow we attack! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/fighting19.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

[TheCabinetmaker]

There is a adequate description of what needs to be done and how to do it, in an article at Pelican by wayne dempsey. I used it two weeks ago and it proved very helpful, since I can't remember exactly what I did the last time (about four years ago). Two floor jacks, two jack stands and two friends are an absolute!

Curt :

[Bleyseng]

When you pull the engine I hope you are pulling out the tranny with it. Its easier to do. Remember to disconnect the tranny ground strap.

Geoff

[tat2dphreak]

Victory is mine!! and found some great news under there! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clap56.gif)

yesterday a fellow BBS'r helped me and a friend drop the engine a tranny... it was a huge success! we pretty much followed the Pelican instructions, with a few modifications...

to my pleasant surprise... the PO did one thing nice for me... I have a side-shifter instead of the stock-for-72 tail shifter!! I do need to replace all of the shift bushings... but this was a great surprise... I had never seen under any other car but mine, so I always assumed that I had the tail-shifter and that was why the shifting was vague(to use a kind word) but it's simply bad bushings all around.

I just wanted to say thanx to everyone on here!!

and thanks to Don for helping me out! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)