Engine Installation - Initial Steps

We assembled the Chinese Torture Rack last night - I cannot understand why the Chinese have an aversion to washers. We got bolts, nuts, but no washers or spring washers! My engine stand was the same. Nevertheless we assembled the engine crane in record time despite the crappy instructions and it works! I bought a whole slew of washers to install on the crane as I cannot handle looking at a nut with no washer. It doth offend mine eye.

Today we lifted the chassis - using the crane of course - and slid the engine out again so we could prepare it. That involved removing the manifold studs, and mounting some bolts to use as sling points. One other point was to remove the engine mounts from the chassis and mount them instead on the engine. With this done it is now down to lining up 2 bolts instead of 6. Good thing we did this as bolting the starboard mount onto the engine was a mission. It did not line up 100% and I would have hated to complete this job with a swinging motor and cramped engine bay. Thank heavens for Copperslip grease.



Then we did a test lift using my home made slings and the engine came up neat and straight. This was done outside of the chassis to check how she carried herself in the slings. I was reasonably sure of where the CG was.

Next we lifted the chassis (again) and slid the engine and trolley under the chassis for what is hopefully the last time.

We re-attached the slings and did another test lift. The engine has the alternator and starter fitted and there seems to be plenty of room.

With some minor manoevering we were able to get the engine to line up "roughly", but we stopped at this point because I still have to drill an access hole on the left side of the body to allow insertion of the port-side bolt, and there is some minor relieving to be done on the exhaust portal to allow the starboard bolt to be inserted. It was getting too dark to see properly so we wrapped it up for the night.

As an added precaution I am going to undo the prop shaft from the diff. When we do this I want it to be a case of Alastair inserting the two bolts and then quickly under the car to attach the gearbox mount (which BTW must still be fitted right way round).