putting the engine in
Turbo Mini Forums

hey all as most of you know i am getting ever closer to putting the engine into the car. i lifted the engine out by hand with a large freind, hehe. but i know putting it back in is much more tricky and u dont want to risk damaging my paint job/slam pannel... so how hard is it to do it the other way and unbolt the subframe, and lift the shell over the subframe and engine, is it a recomended method or will i be much better off begging/borrowing or stealing an engine crane? money is tight atm otherwise i would just go and buy one i would rather spend an extra dayd work and save me 30 quid but if its more like a weeks extra work its worth 30 quid! also how heavy is the front of the car, what should i lift it with?

thanks, Dan

Borrow or hire a crane, makes it so much easier, the only time I would lift the car is when you have other jobs that require the removal of the subframe at the same time, like a steering rack or mounts etc

dont drop the subby

remove the engine only
or you will be raging you hair out, i can assure you!
go out of your way to get an engine lift or whatever

4 big strong guys with good backs should lift it at a push.

the engine weighs around 22 stone
good luck

Edited by BENROSS on 15th Feb, 2006.

me and dave lifted it out without huge problems (he isent a small guy) and he wil be aroud to help me putting it back in, i wont drop the subby now i am glad i asked before i just went at it now!
i expect putting it back in would be a little harder than taking it out becouse of lining it up etc, but will see how it goes if i cant get a crane before then. scaffold and rope sound like a reasonable method if we are confident enough to hold it for long enough and high enough?

thanks, Dan

do you know if its 22 stone with head and all ancilaries or bare? i can lift an engine on my own just off the floor with the clutch and transfere casing removed but my engine built minus head and other ancilaries i cant get off the floor, lol

I have removed engines from minis many time by lashing them to a scaff pole and hefting them out.

As you say, going back in requires a bit more care.

If you can't get a crane, here is how I would do it.....

1) Take the front wheels off and get the car as low to the floor as you possibly can, sat on blocks of wood under the floorpans. This means you don't have to lift the engine so high

2) Get a strong (and I mean strong) crate or box. Something that will fit in the middle of the front subby with a flat top to put the engine on. This means that you can drop the engine onto this, and then raise the car up slowly to meet it on jacks.

i have it sat on 2 tyres under the floor pan atm, if i move them further to the rar i should be able to get the front end lower, theres no hubs on atm so not limited there:) thanks for help i will get on with it
*excitment*

thanks! Dan

Also chop out the bonnet rail then you only have the front valance to get over.

This makes future engine work easier if you dont have a flip front.

Can be modded so it bolts back in rather than being welded.

[quote=Tom Fenton,15/02/2006 18:48:53]
I have removed engines from minis many time by lashing them to a scaff pole and hefting them out.

Oh! but tom your a big guy.

i could not do it with my glass back now!

iain i thought about this too, i have heard of it and would be interested does anyone have any pics of it done, i am a bit apprihensive (i hope thats the right word!) about cutting my brand new front end (i got rid of the flip front and i dont miss the mess it made of my old engine)

thanks, Dan

i have searched and looked through the pics and cant find anything of any slamm pannels cut and bolted back on can anyone help even a name?

thanks, Dan

I havnt seen it done or done it myself but surely all you have to do is cut the slam panel very close to the inner wings and refit it with a couple of corner brackets.

http://www.rabdunn.co.uk/

Look for Gialloflys car, his has this mod.

I'd leave a couple of inches on at each side then you can make something to bolt it back onto. It is as simple as it sounds.

I've done it to a car before but most of my cars have flips fronts

It would make the engine fitting job a breeze as you can get it to the same hit as the valance and then just "hop it over" onto another box inside the subby.

yeah it sounds easy with the rail removed and i belive its all covers by the grill when back in place so not so easy to cock up:) thanks will look for pics and get on with it :)

Dan

Ingham did a good job when he cut out the slam panel on his **** danny we could go see that, he welded some brackets like iain said and then he welded some nuts on too so it bolted into place it looked really neat.

Previous Engine: 1040cc Morespeed engine, 1275 turbo head T2 Turbo Mirage Manifolds Megajolt
Previous engine: STD metro turbo, megajolt
Drives: 399bananahp (flywheel) Honda Civic Vtec b18c4 T28 Turbo 1968 Mini

Megajolt maps to download: http://www.jamesfawcett.co.uk/cms/index.ph...&gid=3&Itemid=3

hehe yeah we could go see that if we can make time, it doesent look hard found gialoflys car now, looks verry good i am happy to follow the pics:)