pifcat2

A mobile mechanic removed my engine/trans from a parts car and had to cut the radiator support because he couldn't get the engine to clear. Not a problem since it was a wreck. Instruction books show the motor at an angle which would require quite a high lift to clear the support. Now that I may install the engine, can anyone recommend a "cherry picker" available in the US that can do the job or how high a stroke it should have?

dlafever

I removed/installed the engine and tranny in my unit this past summer. The picker I used was the kind you get from Costco, the total lifting height was 7 feet or less as I remember. I also purchased one of these, which facilitates tilting the tranny output shaft down into the tunnel (I got mine from autozone for about $40). The tricks are:

1) Loosely connect the rear transmission mount plate with at least one of its four bolts on each side. This will provide a rear resting place for the tranny mount until you can get underneath the car to secure everything.

2) Use SHORT chain when attaching the equalizer to the engine block, this reduces the required stroke for the hoist.

3) Attach the engine mounts but not the tranny mount to the engine, I found that once I lined up one engine mount hole with its saddle and let the engine down, the other popped into place.

This is a tight squeeze, it just takes a little patience and brute force to move the hoist and engine/tranny around.

-D

pifcat2

Thanks D!
Felix