Date:         Tue, 09 Apr 1996 11:21:00 -0700 (PDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Maher, Steve (SD-MS)" <SMAHER@gi.com>
Subject:      engine sling for '80 V6anagon?


I'm contemplating the engine removal in the V6anagon, and have some
questions that maybe you all can help with?

I removed the rear engine mount (fabricated from the original VW rear
mount bar), and lowered the engine/tranny with my floor jack, till the
tranny sat on blocks as per the grand VW tradition. But this tall,
narrow 60-degree V6, rocks and rolls alarmingly on the jack, with
the slightest touch.

The PO said he used to lower the eng/trans down to the ground (!) and
then jack up the car around it and roll it forward. But I don't have
that kind of room (apt. carport). Can't rent a cherry picker, since
there's a rule about doing more than minor maintenance in the parking
lot. I help other residents (and the security guards, too) out with
car problems (curing them, not causing them), so they sometimes cut
me some slack. But a cherry picker sticking into the back of the van for
days on end, might look a little much. But, an internal sling would be
all but invisible.

So, I've bought some 4x6 beams, and cut one to a 3-foot length, plus
some spacing blocks. Original plan was to lay the 3-foot section across
the open engine hatch, drilling some hole through it, and insert some
2-foot long 1/2-inch threaded rods. Attach chains to the bottom of the
rods and down to attach points on the engine, and crank the whole thing
up and down with a wrench on the nuts on the threaded rods.

But, complicated, mickeymouse, and it would be tough to attach the chains
to the rods. So I'll probably just put the floor jack on the 4x6 beam
and drape the chains over it with a holding bolt through the saddle mount.

Question is: Does anyone know how much weight the rear cargo area can
hold? This engine has to be around 300-400 pounds. No problem for the
floor jack, but the 4x6 beam will lay fore-and-aft across the engine
compartment, which will carry the whole weight of the engine/trans
combination, as well as floor jack, chains, etc.

The full frame of the vanagon, holds this weight all the time anyway,
of course. But specifically the flooring behind the back seat? Anyone
ever carried heavy things back there, like oak firewood, bricks, or an
engine block? I'd rather not do this whole job, only to find a 6" gap
between the rear floor and the bottom edge of the hatch afterward.

aTdHvAaNnKcSe,
 ______________________________________________________________________
           _                                            ______________
    ______//________    Steve Maher    smaher@gi.com   //__][__||____\\
   /o _   |  -| _   \   San Diego, CA     75461,1717  (o _-|       _ o|
   `-(_)=======(_)---'                                 '(_)-------(_)-'
 '66 Mustang Coupevertible      '89 Son Sherwin        '80 VW V6anagon
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