Greetings. For those brave souls who drop their engines at home, what's the easiest way to support the engine & cradle while out of the frame? Do you put the wheels on and put a moving dolly under the front of the engine (sort of like a tricycle), or leave wheels off and just put the dolly in the middle and just let the whole engine & cradle sit on the dolly? Also, how do you keep the engine from moving off the dolly - i.e. how do you center the load? Ernie? Billybob? Rexracr? Anybody?... Thanks guys, Shan
Personally I use a twin post lift. but to do the dolly method you leave the wheels off and make a 2x4 and 3/4" plywood frame and get 4 caster from harbor freight and tool.com. You put the who subassembly and motor on the dolly and just tturn the motor 35 degrees on the dolly to acces the timing covers. It is really easy.
Shan just go to Home Depot, or any hardware store, and get a 1000 pound moving dolly. They are flat with four casters, the wheels are solid rubber, and two of the sides are wrapped in carpet. It cost me a whopping $19.95, plus tax. LOL. Then all I did was center the dolly under the subframe, so that the frame sat on the carpeted sides. The big ones, not the little cross beams, same for the dolly. Then I removed the rear wheels, and sat the car down on it. I didn't use anything to hold it in place. The engine is plenty heavy and the weight keeps it still. Removed the retaining bolts, lifted the car, and *presto*, rolled the engine out. The dolly's are so cheap, you could get two of them if you want to feel better. I used just one, and it held up with no worries.
Thanks guys. I have the dollies, and everything's disconnected, just wanted to be sure before I unbolt and drop. So far a very simple process - about six total hours of work so far and I'm ready to drop the engine. Thanks for the support. Shan
It'd be great if you took some pictures, documenting your adventure. I'd love to see it! Thanks - John
Any time Shan. I'm more than happy to give FREE advice. Besides thats what we are all here for right. To help each other out, that and the little dust ups (flame wars) are fun too, heheheeee. ILuv4Res I live in So Cali. But you probably figured that out already. You do know how to read the profiles right. LOL.
Thanks Ernie. I am going to use Gates Green-Stripe II coolant hoses as replacements. What sizes and how much hose length did you end up using? Thanks.
I use the Home Depot dollies to move my Jet Ski around on. They are surprisingly sturdy and water doesn't seem to bother them too bad. Mine are slightly warped in the middle but they are three years old now. I have the trailer stored on it's side and the Jet Ski sits on the dollies next to it during the winter in my garage. So the dollies get used about 2 or 3 months out of the year.
Here's two engine bay shots showing everything disconnected and the engine ready to drop. I used multi-colored zip ties to help me remember where everything connects upon replacement...
I used floor jacks to raise the body. The car really does not need to be raised very high at all and the engine rolls out quite nicely once everything is disconnected. Glad you like the pics. Shan
Nice job! What do you charge for a cam belt service? HA Do You have pics of the car itself without the engine? While you are there are you going to do the water pump?
Thanks. I plan to replace the timing & accessory belts, tensioners, hoses & clamps, cam cover gaskets, wires, oil seals, water pump, and whatever else pops up. I will try to post pictures of the empty engine bay tomorrow.
Fantastic. I wish I had a larger garage to do this. I just paid £1200 to have the belts done Well done
Hello Shan, Looks like you are having fun, I guess you are headed for a second career as a Ferrari tech in Texas. Have you had any real problems with the work you are doing or has it been pretty straightforward. Chuck
It´s great ! Thanks for the pictures and for sharing the job. I have also read your thread about replacing the clutch and rebuilding the flywheel and I wish to have the ability to do the same with my 348 if its needed. Regards from Germany, Georg
I wish someone would document a step-by-step process for the entire service from start to finish. Although there are a lot of pictures and small tidbits to find by searching, I wouldn't feel comfortable yet. I would love fully documented instructions that include every little detail and pictures of each step. That way, a fairly layperson could do the service without too much pressure of doing something wrong. (or forgetting to do something right!) (I'm referring to myself!!!) By the way, awesome idea of the multicolored zip ties. I usually use tape and write numbers on the tape when doing wireing. I will try the zip ties next time since it will be cleaner (wont leave sticky residue) and will probably go faster!!!