Mikes86SC

Topic says it all. Thinking of doing some work to the engine, but don't have the facilities to pull it. What's the most I can do with it in the car? How difficult? Gains?

MDv6man

The most difficult job that can be done with the engine still in the car would be a cam and head gaskets. Anything that pertains to ring or main and rod bearings should be left alone until the means to pull the motor are met

TomP

Supposedly, you can rent an engine hoist... as far as an engine stand, it might be better to buy one than to rent one... they're about $40 for a cheapie 3-leg. Here's one example: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=32915 Your back (and the back of your knees) will thank you for pulling the motor instead of working over the fenders!! (The car's fenders and bumper might thank you too, for not scratching them or denting them.) I've seen engine hoists for as little as $180 on sale "locally", might be cheaper thru mail order but you might pay more for shipping. Pep Boys (and I think Autozone and similar) rent tools; maybe they can rent the engine hoist to you.

Project: 85 2.8 bird

I was able to pull the heads off no problem. just easier to do with hood removed.

suggestion:

drain & remove radiator & condensor (prefered when A/C doesn't work) & there should be plenty of room the change out that cam.

raise engine by removing motor mount bolts (the 2 long ones) lift the front pulley using jach. place wood blocks under mounts allowing clearance to remove all oil pan bolts. remove pan, gain access to rod & main caps. Rod/piston removal from there. not sure if crank can be removed from here or not, dissasembled last motor (not the 2.8) about 10 yrs ago.

inspect bores carefully to see if machining required.

WaynesRS

You know guys , I didnt realize how little how v6s must weigh , when I was in the boneyard last week pulling my fuel pressure regulator , I had to take the whole fuel rail because at the time I did not have the tools to take the fuel pressure regulator off . I didnt have the tools either to take the fuel lines off , so I started bending them back and fourth to break them off . Well to my surprise , the engine started moving back and fourth and I was not using that much force to bend the lines . Obviously someone had taken the motor mounts I felt like I could have disconnected some other things and easily lifted that engine out with a hoist . I SHOULD NOT BE SAYING THIS , CUS SOMEONE IS GANNA GO TRY THIS AND HURT THEMSELVES , BUT MY POINT IS , gosh it seems like a light engine ! Plus I didnt realize it was that tiny !Please dont try to pick the motor up out of the car by yourself , dont want you or anyone else hurting themselves .I prabably could not have lifted the engine out by myself . But man , it seemed light , cus I sure was moving it alot with not much force !

Mikes86SC

Damn, after all I went through to get the A/C working.

TomP

Don't panic yet... you don't need to open any fittings! You can remove the entire A/C system as one piece. Unbolt the compressor, unbolt the hard lines from the frame rails, undo the clamps holding the a/c hoses to the fan. Remove the engine's radiator (or tilt it back, but you might bend some fins on the condensor or radiator). Un-do the clamp holding the accumulator can to the heater/evaporator box (on the firewall). Unclip all electrical sensors. Remove the top of the evaporator box.. this might be a tight "wiggle", but it's possible. (If you crack the box top, you could fiberglass it back together... fiberglass sheet and compound are available at any auto parts store.) Then, get a buddy... have him lift the a/c compressor and the condensor (one end) up. As he does that, lift the evaporator/accumulator and the other end of the condensor up. Then, place the whole darn thing on your lawn. Try your best not to bend any of the hard lines.. they're only aluminum. They could take some flexing, but not much. Might want to keep the compressor and the sensor connections on the hard line and accumulator can out of the rain, too, with a bag or something.

But this way you can save your a/c. I did this on my car when I had my accident; too bad I didn't realize the accident ripped the hard line open at the high pressure sensor (on the passenger side main frame rail), so I lost my freon charge anyway. I also did this when we did the 2.8/2.8 swap. http://www.geocities.com/tomp_3rdgen Notice the 5th and 6th picture- you can see the missing a/c system, and how you can see the firewall where the evaporator and evaporator cover are missing.

Oh and Wayne it is a light sucker; on that swap, my two friends (John and Tom) lifted it out of the pickup and put it on the engine stand before I got there. A few days later, when I wanted more bolts holding the engine to the stand, me and Tom lifted the motor up, while John removed the SAE bolts from the motor stand and put the proper metric bolts in. (The engine was almost falling off the stand!) So it is light... even lighter with the heads off.

I wonder if a boat engine lift (ropes & pulleys) could lift it out. But that'd better be a damned strong beam above the engine!!

Mikes86SC

Well if I do discharge it, no big deal. I've converted to 134-a, so it wouldn't be too expensive to recharge it.