Date:         Sun, 21 Nov 2010 21:13:48 -0800
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Removing engine, WAS; How high do I lift the wee beastie?
Comments: To: neil n <musomuso@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <AANLkTikVTcrP_oKx=OVkfLVT-gO3ow_kHHFBBWHUiwuH@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

On Sun, Nov 21, 2010 at 7:39 PM, neil n <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:

> Ah. Well. It's a transmission party then.   ;)   Makes sense to remove as
> unit.
>
> If it were me, I'd crack the engine/transmission fasteners loose, then
> take out the drivetrain. I could just picture myself trying to steady
> a rolly polly drivetrain on the garage floor while trying to crack the
> aforementioned loose. But that's just a guess.
>
> Neil.
>
>     The tranny comes out of my inline four really easy.  I know, I did mine
once..after I forgot the pilot bearing and messed up a clutch.  Hadda order
a pilot bearing and I got the wrong clutch...so I cleaned up my oily one and
stuck it back in for a few days of driving around (with slight slippage)
then the new clutch came. so again, out and in...3rd time only took a few
hours..and you don't even have to mess with the motor mounts...you just can
let the inline pivot on the mounts....without the muffler on..  But my CV
bolts did not endure all that...I found the proper size and hardness at my
local True Value hardware...


  I used a 'buck' that I made...2x4 legs, a 4X4 cross buck and some feet
made from particle board, with a couple of gussets to brace it. I can
re-post  pics if anyone wants...I saved it rather than taking it apart...I
was a bit unsure of my work.  I used a come a long with the purchase reduced
to 1:1... Probably the equal to the winches you are mentioning...

  I got to thinking, after all the posts about the "tripod" for
camping.....One could use a tripod...suspend a lever under the tripod behind
the vehicle with the short end of the lever inside, doing the lifting and
the long end outside for leverage....We did an AC Van engine removal and
replacement using driftwood levers in Baja once...The tripod, that would be
"Elegant"...

  And floor jacks...I got an aluminum 'racing' floor jack from Harbor
Freight years back, on sale for like $70 or something really inexpensive.
 It works fine, has been hard used.  Light, too.  Not very 'accurate' on the
release, but if you are careful you can be precise.  I like a lot.

  Don Hanson