I have a '74 1.8 from which I am intending to pull the engine using a Tangerine Racing Engine Lift Plate and a floor jack.

What height do I need to raise the car?

On my 71 Beetle. I need to lift the car so the bottom of the rear apron is 2'6" (750mm) above the floor to clear the upright fan housing.

Thanks for help

David

If you have carbs on the car, you can remove them and that will help some. I usually lower the engine and trans down onto a furniture dolly that is only about 4 inches (100mm) above the floor. My last garage had a finished floor that was very smooth and I could lower the engine/trans down onto a large piece of cloth (large beach towel etc.) and slide it right out. Any way you do it it the car will need to be pretty high. Once you get the engine down, you can look under the car and see how high the car has to be to clear it.
Cheers, Elliot

With the front wheels on the ground, the rear needs to be just a little higher than your jack stands will get it. Ditto if you have stock-ish sized rear tires and you use ramps on the rear.

Murphy plays a real role here...

--DD

Just did it today. Installed the motor. 26" on the jack any no carbs. Had to remove rear valence to clear by 2mm

Ditto on removing the rear valance. Easier than jacking another 4" or more.

Thanks for the contributions. The first time is ahead of me

I'm on 7" ramps (24" from floor to bottom of bumper), valance off, took carbs off but left manifolds on, valance off, front wheels on the floor. Had room to spare to install the engine with a low clearance jack.

Coming out I had FI installed, took the airbox and throttle body off, left the manifolds on. At that time I had the car up an additional 3" with blocks on the ramps but didn't need all that extra height.

if you have carbs remove them, with linkage still attached, from the intakes. this preserves your current linkage settings. you may find the engine tin gets hung up on the attachment points for the rear trailing arms on the way down. hassle. slip 2 old license plates, or flat pieces of tin, in between the engine tin and the eng comp shelve at the point above the trailing arm mounts down far enough to cover the studs/nuts.

the 2 jack method with a jack under each trailing arm will allow you to lower the engine onto a dolly and usually give you enough height to roll the engine out w/the fi air filter housing or carbs removed.

k

What an awesome idea/suggestion... Why didn't I think of that?

on the reinstall drop the 2 bolts for the engine mount bar down from the mount bracket, lower CAR slowly. when you're close slip the 2 pieces of tin back in. with the bolts ends just clear of the bar use the bolts as locators for the holes in the bar. you can make tiny adjustments scooting the engine around so things line up.

k

If you don't have the right angle hose pieces feeding the injectors from the rails, the hose will get hung up on the body, so watch out for that.

When I removed the engine I removed the exhaust -- gives you more clearance and wiggle room, but not required.

The CFR plate will make the engine much easier to remove and also to wheel around on the jack once it's out. Also, you can check out mcmark's walkthrough on this very site right here.