Engine Removal on sloping garage floor

pdsman53 · Postby **pdsman53** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 12:09 pm

Hey guys,
I'm stripping all drivetrain parts from a 1.8 NA, in my apartment parking space...the wheels are off and it's sitting on jack stands.
I've already removed the diff/half shafts/drive shaft/dampers/springs/brakes etc. (so the car can't be moved).
I have a "Supercheap" engine lifter on wheels (no load equaliser), which I hope to use to pull the engine/gearbox together....(I removed the bonnet).

Note:- there are no beams etc above for lifting....and my Body Corp. won't allow drilling into the slab.
There is limited space in front of the car, just enough room for the lifter....or I could setup the lifter from the passenger fender side.

My problem is:- there is a slope in the garage floor (say 7 degrees)....transverse or across the car (not lengthways).

Apart from building up a flat timber deck, for the lifter...is there any other method I could adopt??
Cheers,
Jim

Red_Bullet · Postby **Red_Bullet** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 8:06 pm

ummmmm

The American · Postby **The American** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 9:23 pm

A load leveler makes this an easy 1-person job, but you will need room in front of the car to roll the engine and Box away from the car.

The slope on the floor will make it awkward, but not sure it would stop you.

pdsman53 · Postby **pdsman53** » Sun Sep 20, 2020 12:42 pm

Thanks American...you're right, the slope might not prevent me from proceeding.
...but I'm hoping there's NO sudden stop at the bottom of the driveway, preventing me from completing the task.

I think Red Bullet summed it up..."uummm".

I should video the attempt...it could be food for a Monty Python skit.
....."look at that idiot chasing his engine on a crane, down the driveway and out on the road"
followed by
....."come back, come back.....OK, I promise I won't bolt a turbo on you"

Seriously though... :shock:

....it's a pity I haven't got the height, to drop the engine/gearbox on the cross member...but if I did, there'd be no skit.
I think I will drop the gearbox (35kg), then lift the engine (125kg) from the uphill fender side...(might have stand on the back of the crane).

Cheers,
Jim

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Sun Sep 20, 2020 1:35 pm

Get some thick (18mm plus) ply sheet, and some timber to shim it level. Glue the timber shim to the floor, make sure the ply sheet is well supported. You can trade off ply thickness against number/location of shim supports. Remove timber shim when job complete. Builders bog will do it, there will be a mark on the concrete, if you care.

I used this technique when removing engines from cars parked on a dirt surface - stops the crane digging in which prevents movement, not to mention prevents one corner from sinking under load :shock:

.

If you can get the gearbox off, two people with a pole (of suitable strength) can easily(?) lift the engine out.

Seconding the load leveller if using the engine crane - but note, it will increase the overall height of the assembly.

:mrgreen:

pdsman53 · Postby **pdsman53** » Sun Sep 20, 2020 3:52 pm

Thanx GM,
I'd have to grow about 4 feet to lift the engine out with a pipe...and at 67 years, that ain't gonna happen....maybe in the next life I'll be 6 ft 10 inches (or should I say 6 ft AND 10 inches :mrgreen:

).

Yeah, the timber deck was my initial thought...but the holding down was my issue.
The Body Corp wouldn't let me dynabolt...but the Builders Bog is a good idea (maybe get away with a few 'dobs', that I can grind off...worst comes to worst, I could always paint the concrete.
Cheers :beer:

StanTheMan · Postby **StanTheMan** » Mon Sep 21, 2020 11:52 am

stop being a pussy. go out & do it on a public road. :roll:

Workshop.jpg

Workshop 2.jpg

but in all seriousness don't. :lol:

takai · Postby **takai** » Mon Sep 21, 2020 3:11 pm

Use a wheeled dolly and drop it out the bottom:

Super easy.

pdsman53 · Postby **pdsman53** » Sat Sep 26, 2020 3:54 pm

Thanks guys,

Job done.

As you know...I was worried about lifting the engine out with a lifter, on the sloping slab of our underground carpark.

It was easier lifting the engine out, than dropping the gearbox.
....my son held the engine lifter, while I lifted.
....we then wheeled it out between the car and the neighbours car and down the slope through the underground carpark to my storage area.
Not once did it feel like it was going to get away from us.
....I guess it's the load pushing down on those small diameter steel wheels, which stops it from wanting to run down the slope....even on a smooth finish concrete carpark.

For those that may have to do so in the future:-
If I had known how easy it was going to be, prior to doing the job....I would have lifted engine and gearbox.

Cheers,
Jim