Lifting an engine

Post Thu Dec 13, 2012 4:45 pm

I want to lift an engine so I can do the sump gasket. I don't have an engine crane but I do have a fork lift! Would it be safe to lift it with straps on the engine mounts and around the gearbox?

Post Thu Dec 13, 2012 4:50 pm

You could lift it using the anchor points on the front loop near distributor and the loop on the block at the back using a seat belt and the forks of the fork lift.

Lobbed an M20 in the back of a van a few months ago using the same method with DanThe.

Post Thu Dec 13, 2012 6:41 pm

The only problem is that you don't get any 'feel' for how hard you are lifting. The first indication you'll get that something is stuck is when the front wheels lift off of the ground!

Post Thu Dec 13, 2012 6:54 pm

Is there anywhere near you which will rent an engine crane?

I agree with brian, if you don't get a feel for something catching, the car can lift up. Tres dangerous if it's on stands, and you can break a fair few things. It's definately a 2 or 3 man job to do safely.

Post Thu Dec 13, 2012 8:31 pm

The engine's on a pallet at the moment so no worries about "the feel"! I don't have the front hook at the moment as the front end is stripped down. So, engine mounts and gearbox?

Post Thu Dec 13, 2012 8:49 pm

You wont be able to lift it much anyway, as long as the fork lift doesnt creep down I wouldnt be worried. Defo my favourite tool

Post Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:00 pm

If its out of the car why don't you just roll up your sleeves and put your back in it, m20 not that heavy.

Post Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:07 pm

I just about managed to move an M10 on my own until I dropped it on my finger. Screw an M20! Silly cast iron blocks.

Post Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:06 pm

Tedswagon wrote:If its out of the car why don't you just roll up your sleeves and put your back in it, m20 not that heavy.

Because I want to change the sump gasket and the engine's currently sitting on the sump! I'm not sure I could keep it raised with one hand and do the 536 bolts with the other

DanThe wrote:You wont be able to lift it much anyway

Why not?

Post Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:18 pm

Cloggy Saint wrote:
DanThe wrote:You wont be able to lift it much anyway
Why not?

Because I was very slow at loading my forklift image and didnt see you had updated/replied saying the engine was out of the car

Get the forks on the job and lift it to shoulder/working height

Post Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:46 pm

If it's out of the car and all you want to do is change the gasket, just roll it over onto the exhaust side onto a couple of blocks of wood, so that the sump is angled up into the air.

Post Fri Dec 14, 2012 8:07 am

Brianmoooore wrote:If it's out of the car and all you want to do is change the gasket, just roll it over onto the exhaust side onto a couple of blocks of wood, so that the sump is angled up into the air.

If you have a fork lift then make the most of it, rolling it over is for plebs when you got muscle bruv

(wish I had a fork lift at home lol)