Engine Install Tips, 914-6 Order of Operations Options

[DennisV]

If things go well next week, I might be able to take a run at installing the engine in our 914-6.

What should I do to prep for the marriage and / or a sequence of events should I follow to be most efficient? I’ve reviewed the Removing and Installing Engine section in the factory workshop manual. Any advice in addition, or contrary, to those steps?

CURRENTLY
* Engine is on a test stand
* Transmission is on the floor
* Chassis is on its wheels on a 4 post lift
* Drive shafts are attached to the stub axle on the car
* Wiring harness is on engine
* Engine bay is pretty bare. No oil hoses, fuel hoses, fuel pump, engine wiring harness.


ASSUMPTIONS
Before Engine In Car
* Mate transmission to engine
* Remove air cleaner
* Oil hoses routed in engine bay
* Fuel lines installed
* Fuel hoses routed in engine bay
* Fuel pump mounted
* Heat exchangers on engine (ideally, but…)
* Engine bay rubber seals

After Engine In Car
* Drive shafts attached
* Shift rod
* Muffler
* Hot air ducts, flaps
* Air cleaner

QUESTIONS
* Will the ramps or cross-beams of the lift cause clearance or height issues? Below is a shot of the lift.
* Will it be a problem to install the heat exchangers after the engine is in the car? They won’t clear to supports on the test stand.
* Should I install the oil and fuel hoses in the engine bay first?
* If I use the parts catalog listed length on hoses, will I be OK? Or will I wish I hadn't cut the hoses to length until the engine is in?

Thank you.

[VaccaRabite]

Since your car is on a lift, put the engine and transmission on a motorcycle/transmission jack and lower the car on to the engine, using the transmission jack to do minute movements. The cross bar may interfere at the back of the 4 post lift. Or it may not. Hard to say given that photo.

Zach

[DennisV]

Since your car is on a lift, put the engine and transmission on a motorcycle/transmission jack and lower the car on to the engine, using the transmission jack to do minute movements. The cross bar may interfere at the back of the 4 post lift.

Hi Zach,

I have the Wilding Engineering 911 engine cradle adapter for a floor jack. Do floor jacks not normally raise high enough? Thus the need for a transmission jack?

I have some room to roll the car forward on the ramps, if the rear cross bar is the main concern. I wasn't sure about the minimum clearance needed between the ramps. I will also be limited to how much I can lower the lift, based on the floor jack. Maybe that's a non issue if the floor jack can lift high enough.

[mlindner]

What six are you installing, or better yet what are you using for lower valve covers. If turbo fined style you will want to have them shaved so removal is possible for valve adjusting. Best, Mark

[DennisV]

What six are you installing, or better yet what are you using for lower valve covers. If turbo fined style you will want to have them shaved so removal is possible for valve adjusting.

I'm installing a factory 914-6 engine. I kept the original lower valve covers and sent them with the engine to the machine shop to make sure they were flat. I didn't use the turbo-style on the bottom, but thanks for the reminder on that.

[Tom1394racing]

I did this recently and waited to install the CV/Axle assemblies after the engine was installed. Pretty tricky with the rear suspension and heat exchangers installed.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...=372298&hl=

You might consider installing the CV/axles to the rear hubs before the engine goes in.

[DennisV]

I did the recently and waited to install the CV/Axle assemblies after the engine was installed. Pretty tricky with the rear suspension and heat exchangers installed.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...=372298&hl=

You might consider installing the CV/axles to the rear hubs before the engine goes in.

Good thread. Thanks for sharing.

CV/axles are already attached to rear hubs. Rear suspension is in. Heat exchangers are currently in a box.

[brant]

Did you drop the engine using the same lift?

I’ve seen (used) a 4 post lift that didn’t have enough clearance between the ramps once

[DennisV]

Did you drop the engine using the same lift?

I’ve seen (used) a 4 post lift that didn’t have enough clearance between the ramps once

The engine and transmission were already out of the car when I got it. So the factory manual guidance to "reverse the removal steps" for install doesn't help me much. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[SKL1]

Looking at your lift, which is very similiar to mine, I think the clearance between the ramps will be very close or too narrow to "easily" mate the engine/transaxle to the car. I know for sure you can't with a 4 cylinder because of the cross bar mount.

That's why I wish I'd gotten a 2 post lift... but that's a story for another day.

[rgalla9146]

Denis can you move the car rearward so the crossbar on the lift is just below
the rear edge of the floorpan ? ... you'll gain an easier lift into the car.
To be extra cautious attach a strap from the front suspension to the lift.
Install the oil cooler hose to the cooler before installing engine.
You'll have to tilt the right side of the engine upward to get the side tin past the
rear inner trailing arm nuts. This is to avoid bending the tin and scratching the
paint.
Buy or borrow a 16" drift pin to guide the front engine mount toward the front
chassis mount.
Remove the halfshafts with stub axle attached. Install afterward into lowered
trailing arms (detach at big lower coilover bolt) Use the drift pin to guide the stub
axles back into the hubs. Don't roll the car without stub axles tightened in place.
Tie, tape or strap all hoses wires and cables away from the engine opening.
A lift table is very helpful.
A floor jack is a challenge because the bigger mass a distance from where you are
controling it.

[mskala]

I have done the 4-post lift remove-install several times. I have a thread
somewhere about 20 years ago describing lift setup. Basically, it seems like
all these lifts are slightly different spacing. For the future, yours is wide enough
to make a couple mods, but not going to happen with the car already up.

I have 42" between the lip of the rails when I have moved my one rail for this.
The widest point is the front lip of the engine tin; as someone said, if this is not
going to fit through, you will need to tip the engine a certain amount, then raise
one side past the lip, then roll left or right, then get the other side by the other
lip. It is not as bad as it sounds, as long as your engine is really supported well
while tilted.

My other worst issue with install/remove on the lift is the left side axle. I remove
the wires to the reverse light switch, and then I think there is usually enough
room to move eng/trans forward and back at the right times to swing the axle by
the starter.

[930cabman]

I have been using a wood framed "table" on wheels for several years. This table also doubles for a work bench when not being used for engine removal/installation. raise the chassis with my HF scissors lift, roll the table with engine/trans under and lower the chassis onto the engine.

Will this be the first time installing into this chassis?

[DennisV]

I have been using a wood framed "table" on wheels for several years. This table also doubles for a work bench when not being used for engine removal/installation. raise the chassis with my HF scissors lift, roll the table with engine/trans under and lower the chassis onto the engine.

Will this be the first time installing into this chassis?

Yes. This is my first time installing any Porsche engine into a chassis. Also the first time mating the engine and transmission. So I guess before I put it in the car, I have a couple significant steps I need to sort out:
1. How do I support the engine and transmission while bolting them together? Do they just sit on the floor? Furniture dolly? Floor dolly? Do I bite the bullet and spend $200 on a hydraulic table cart?

2. Can the heat exchangers go on after the engine is in the car? If not, back to how do I support the engine while bolting them on. Can't be on my test stand.

I know you folks have done this thousands of times, but I'm not finding the threads that are covering this part...

[mskala]

Yes, heat exchangers/muffler can go on after install.

At least when I was younger, the transmission, being only about 75 lbs,
could be half lifted half pushed onto the studs pretty easily.

[Cairo94507]

We used one of the Harbor Freight lift tables and that really made it go smoothly. We installed engine and trans assembled. Easy to install transaxle when the engine is on the lift table. We did not have the heat exchangers on or the axles installed when we put the engine in. We did have to rock the engine to clear the suspension ear on the right if I recall correctly. But with the table it was an easy install. I still have my factory (original) engine mount and we used a long punch to line up the mount and then the bolt dropped right in place. After that was in we checked everything in the engine compartment for any conflicts and then installed the transaxle bolts. All in, took about 1/2 hour to get the engine bolted into the chassis. Good luck and enjoy the process. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[mepstein]

I think we have a total of about 7 HF lift tables. The 1K type. Invaluable in the shop. I have one at home I use all the time. Portable metal shop table, etc.

[930cabman]

A work table is a great asset, one that lifts is even better. When assembling the engine/trans I set them on a table/flat surface and shim the trans to get equal dimensions between the engine mounting surface and trans mounting surfaces. It takes a bot of jockeying to get the input shaft engaged, but slow and steady wins the race