Engine removal process?
Discussion
Hi,
Hoping to get the Chimaera engine out over the weekend. I've only just thought to get a Heath 'bible' and there don't appear to be any available right now, so I'm relying on common sense and (rather more promisingly) the collective experience of Pistonheads to help me get the engine out!
Can somebody explain the best way of doing it? What needs to be removed/disconnected first and in what order? How's best to physically remove it? We have have an engine crane and the usual jacks etc. but no pit or anything...
Chris
Hoping to get the Chimaera engine out over the weekend. I've only just thought to get a Heath 'bible' and there don't appear to be any available right now, so I'm relying on common sense and (rather more promisingly) the collective experience of Pistonheads to help me get the engine out!
Can somebody explain the best way of doing it? What needs to be removed/disconnected first and in what order? How's best to physically remove it? We have have an engine crane and the usual jacks etc. but no pit or anything...
Chris
Chris71 said:
Hi,
Hoping to get the Chimaera engine out over the weekend. I've only just thought to get a Heath 'bible' and there don't appear to be any available right now, so I'm relying on common sense and (rather more promisingly) the collective experience of Pistonheads to help me get the engine out!
Can somebody explain the best way of doing it? What needs to be removed/disconnected first and in what order? How's best to physically remove it? We have have an engine crane and the usual jacks etc. but no pit or anything...
Chris
Hoping to get the Chimaera engine out over the weekend. I've only just thought to get a Heath 'bible' and there don't appear to be any available right now, so I'm relying on common sense and (rather more promisingly) the collective experience of Pistonheads to help me get the engine out!
Can somebody explain the best way of doing it? What needs to be removed/disconnected first and in what order? How's best to physically remove it? We have have an engine crane and the usual jacks etc. but no pit or anything...
Chris
Hi chris one a did for a guy a while back hope it helps
Ok i have had a few beers so please excuse the spelling!
First drain the water from the bottom hose on the rad, i also take out the second bolt down on the nearside of the waterpump, 11mm on serp 13mm on pre serp, this will drain down all the water except the block, take of the plenum, 6mm hex key, 24mm for throttle cable, flat blade screwdriver for jubilee clips, next although you can do it before disconnect the battery!!. next crack the 3 10mm bolts on the power steering pump, a good 10mm spanner a little tap with a hammer should do this, then a 15mm spanner to remove the belt, next alternator 10mm socket and 13mm spanner, once it is lose you can take the wires off the back of it, underneathe the black cover, i am going to assume it is a serp! 13mm socket and 10mm socket, remove alternator, remove belt tensioner 13mm socket, remove alternator bracket 13mm socket, now this gives easy acces to remove bottom hose, and the hidden 13mm earth strap, next is power steering pump pulley which you have allready loosened, a bit of a fiddle but pulley will come out, next is the cross member, 17mm socket and spanner, leave the water tower on it as the power sterring pulley is removed you can wriggle it out complete, next is the two exhaust clamps, 10mm socket, take the nut completely off, tap the clamp on its edge with a chisel you will see the clamps have 3 bits to them, tap the chisel at the start of each part and it will spring off!, next under the power steering pump you will see the exhaust is attacthed to the block with a 13mm bolt remove this, undo the exhaust y peice to system a u clamp 13mm spanner, now you can wriggle the y peice and remove it, next is the inlet manifold, next is distributor 9/16 spanner for the clamp bolt remove this and just pull!, next is inlet manifold, remove all wires to injectors etc, 13mm spanner for all the bolts, and screwdriver for fuel lines water pipes etc... next is the 2 top bellhousing bolts 9/16 spanner, next is the engine mount bolts, these are the rubbers to mounts 17mm nuts, you are now done on top and need to jack the car up.
Underneath first thing is the 13mm bolts for the slave cylinder, get a cable tie ready for this though as the piston can pop out, just wrap the cable tie around the bolt holes to hold piston in, next is the clutch "st" plate normally 8mm socket and spanner and 13 mm socket, next is the 13mm nut holding the starter leads on to the starter, next a pair of pliers to open up where the 100amp fuse is, 8mm socket and remover the front 8mm nut, next is the row of bellhousing bolts, 3 now left either side, 9/16 socket with a long extension, next is the engine mounting mounting bolts 2 17mm nut and bolts, remove the nuts but leave the bolts in, now take the oil filter off, now you are ready to pull it out, make sure you have a jack taking the weight of the gearbox, you may need to in some cases pry the box of the engine, using a crane take the weight of the engine and now remove the 17mm engine bolts, jacke the engine up around untill you can take the rubber engine mounts off, DONT lift anymore than needed or you will crush your fuel lines across the top of the bellhousing, once the rubbers are removed you can pull the ngine forward off the gearbox, all these steps should be slow and carefull just incase things are still conected!!, lift the engine and pull forward at the same time, now the one last thing to do as it is a pain in the ass to do in the car is the earth strap on the back of the nearside head, 13mm spanner remove this and now your engine should be out!! hope this helps!
Thanks gents.
Lester - many thanks for the offer, but may struggle to get over to you before the weekend. Will have to meet up when the car is done.
Rob - awesome post, thanks! That should get me started. I'm also told you're one of the people I need to speak to about what might be done to the engine before it goes back in, but that's probably best discussed offline.
ETA engine is indeed the later pulley arrangement and it's non-PAS which should simplify things a bit.
Lester - many thanks for the offer, but may struggle to get over to you before the weekend. Will have to meet up when the car is done.
Rob - awesome post, thanks! That should get me started. I'm also told you're one of the people I need to speak to about what might be done to the engine before it goes back in, but that's probably best discussed offline.
ETA engine is indeed the later pulley arrangement and it's non-PAS which should simplify things a bit.
Edited by Chris71 on Tuesday 26th April 13:27
Chris71 said:
Thanks gents.
Lester - many thanks for the offer, but may struggle to get over to you before the weekend. Will have to meet up when the car is done.
Rob - awesome post, thanks! That should get me started. I'm also told you're one of the people I need to speak to about what might be done to the engine before it goes back in, but that's probably best discussed offline.
ETA engine is indeed the later pulley arrangement and it's non-PAS which should simplify things a bit.
Hi Chris no worries, as i said it was only copied and pasted!, yes i can help you with a motor if needed, robLester - many thanks for the offer, but may struggle to get over to you before the weekend. Will have to meet up when the car is done.
Rob - awesome post, thanks! That should get me started. I'm also told you're one of the people I need to speak to about what might be done to the engine before it goes back in, but that's probably best discussed offline.
ETA engine is indeed the later pulley arrangement and it's non-PAS which should simplify things a bit.
Edited by Chris71 on Tuesday 26th April 13:27
In case this turns up later in people's searches of this forum, I took the liberty of adding a bit of whitespace to Rob's guide. No content added or removed, just tried to make it more readable.
Rob Robertson's (v8racing) 30 Step Guide to TVR Chimaera Engine Removal.
1. Drain the water from the bottom hose on the rad.
2. Take out the second bolt down on the nearside of the waterpump, 11mm on serp 13mm on pre serp, this will drain down all the water except the block.
3. Take off the plenum, 6mm hex key, 24mm for throttle cable, flat blade screwdriver for jubilee clips.
4. Disconnect the battery.
5. Next crack the 3 10mm bolts on the power steering pump, a good 10mm spanner a little tap with a hammer should do this, then a 15mm spanner to remove the belt
6. Remove alternator using 10mm socket and 13mm spanner, once it is loose you can take the wires off the back of it, underneath the black cover, (assuming it is a serp) 13mm socket and 10mm socket, lift away alternator
7. Remove belt tensioner 13mm socket,
8. Remove alternator bracket using 13mm socket.
9. Now there should be easy acces to remove bottom hose, and the hidden 13mm earth strap bolt.
10. Next is power steering pump pulley which you have already loosened in step 5. This is a bit of a fiddle but pulley will come out.
11. Removing cross member next, 17mm socket and spanner, leave the water tower on it as the power sterring pulley is removed you can wriggle it out complete.
12. The two exhaust clamps should be removed now. Using 10mm socket, take the nut completely off, tap the clamp on its edge with a chisel you will see the clamps have 3 bits to them, tap the chisel at the start of each part and it will spring off!
13. Under the power steering pump you will see the exhaust is attacthed to the block with a 13mm bolt; remove this, undo the exhaust 'Y' piece to system 'U' clamp using a 13mm spanner.
14. Wriggle the 'Y' piece and remove it.
16. On to the distributor: 9/16 spanner for the clamp bolt remove this and just pull!
17. Inlet manifold. Remove all wires to injectors etc, 13mm spanner for all the bolts, and screwdriver for fuel lines water pipes etc.
18. Next is the removal of 2 top bellhousing bolts using 9/16 spanner
19. Now the engine mount bolts, these are the rubbers to mounts 17mm nuts.
You are now done on top and need to jack the car up.
Working underneath:
20. First thing is the 13mm bolts for the slave cylinder, get a cable tie ready for this though as the piston can pop out, just wrap the cable tie around the bolt holes to hold piston in.
21. Next is the clutch "st" plate normally 8mm socket and spanner and 13 mm socket.
22. Remove the 13mm nut holding the starter leads on to the starter.
23. Using a pair of pliers, open up where the 100amp fuse is, get a 8mm socket and remove the front 8mm nut.
24. Onto the row of bellhousing bolts, 3 now left either side, use a 9/16 socket with a long extension
25. The remaining engine mounting mounting nuts need removing now 2 x 17mm nut and bolts, remove the nuts but leave the bolts in.
26. Take the oil filter off.
Now the engine is ready to be pulled out.
27. Making sure you have a jack taking the weight of the gearbox (you may need to in some cases pry the box off the engine) using a crane, take the weight of the engine and remove the 17mm engine bolts, lift/move the engine up around until you can take the rubber engine mounts off, DO NOT lift anymore than needed or you will crush the fuel lines across the top of the bellhousing.
28. Once the rubbers are removed you can pull the engine forward off the gearbox.
All these steps should be slow and careful just in case things are still connected!
29. Lift the engine and pull forward at the same time.
30. Finally (as is a pain in the arse to do in the car) remove the earth strap on the back of the nearside head using a 13mm spanner.
The engine should now be out!
Rob Robertson's (v8racing) 30 Step Guide to TVR Chimaera Engine Removal.
1. Drain the water from the bottom hose on the rad.
2. Take out the second bolt down on the nearside of the waterpump, 11mm on serp 13mm on pre serp, this will drain down all the water except the block.
3. Take off the plenum, 6mm hex key, 24mm for throttle cable, flat blade screwdriver for jubilee clips.
4. Disconnect the battery.
5. Next crack the 3 10mm bolts on the power steering pump, a good 10mm spanner a little tap with a hammer should do this, then a 15mm spanner to remove the belt
6. Remove alternator using 10mm socket and 13mm spanner, once it is loose you can take the wires off the back of it, underneath the black cover, (assuming it is a serp) 13mm socket and 10mm socket, lift away alternator
7. Remove belt tensioner 13mm socket,
8. Remove alternator bracket using 13mm socket.
9. Now there should be easy acces to remove bottom hose, and the hidden 13mm earth strap bolt.
10. Next is power steering pump pulley which you have already loosened in step 5. This is a bit of a fiddle but pulley will come out.
11. Removing cross member next, 17mm socket and spanner, leave the water tower on it as the power sterring pulley is removed you can wriggle it out complete.
12. The two exhaust clamps should be removed now. Using 10mm socket, take the nut completely off, tap the clamp on its edge with a chisel you will see the clamps have 3 bits to them, tap the chisel at the start of each part and it will spring off!
13. Under the power steering pump you will see the exhaust is attacthed to the block with a 13mm bolt; remove this, undo the exhaust 'Y' piece to system 'U' clamp using a 13mm spanner.
14. Wriggle the 'Y' piece and remove it.
16. On to the distributor: 9/16 spanner for the clamp bolt remove this and just pull!
17. Inlet manifold. Remove all wires to injectors etc, 13mm spanner for all the bolts, and screwdriver for fuel lines water pipes etc.
18. Next is the removal of 2 top bellhousing bolts using 9/16 spanner
19. Now the engine mount bolts, these are the rubbers to mounts 17mm nuts.
You are now done on top and need to jack the car up.
Working underneath:
20. First thing is the 13mm bolts for the slave cylinder, get a cable tie ready for this though as the piston can pop out, just wrap the cable tie around the bolt holes to hold piston in.
21. Next is the clutch "st" plate normally 8mm socket and spanner and 13 mm socket.
22. Remove the 13mm nut holding the starter leads on to the starter.
23. Using a pair of pliers, open up where the 100amp fuse is, get a 8mm socket and remove the front 8mm nut.
24. Onto the row of bellhousing bolts, 3 now left either side, use a 9/16 socket with a long extension
25. The remaining engine mounting mounting nuts need removing now 2 x 17mm nut and bolts, remove the nuts but leave the bolts in.
26. Take the oil filter off.
Now the engine is ready to be pulled out.
27. Making sure you have a jack taking the weight of the gearbox (you may need to in some cases pry the box off the engine) using a crane, take the weight of the engine and remove the 17mm engine bolts, lift/move the engine up around until you can take the rubber engine mounts off, DO NOT lift anymore than needed or you will crush the fuel lines across the top of the bellhousing.
28. Once the rubbers are removed you can pull the engine forward off the gearbox.
All these steps should be slow and careful just in case things are still connected!
29. Lift the engine and pull forward at the same time.
30. Finally (as is a pain in the arse to do in the car) remove the earth strap on the back of the nearside head using a 13mm spanner.
The engine should now be out!
Most of the way through the engine removal and I've hit a bit of a stumbling block. I've got to the stage in Rob's instructions where you remove the three remaining bell housing bolts and I just can't get to any of them from below.
Is there a trick to this? I just about managed to get a long extension with a universal joint onto the lowest one on one side, but can't even get access to the upper ones, let alone undo them.
Is there a trick to this? I just about managed to get a long extension with a universal joint onto the lowest one on one side, but can't even get access to the upper ones, let alone undo them.
Alexdaredevilz said:
Would it not be easier to take the box out at the same time? and just remove the prop?
Quite possibly. I get the impression the clearance is pretty tight, though, so that approach might present its own challenges. We've got all bar three of the bolts off to do it this way now anyway. The bellhousing ones seem to be massively overtightened. We can just about get to all of them, but they're so tight that we can't put enough force on with the space we've got under the car.It did eventually come out!
It took three days of working between the showers to get the damn thing out. In the end I had to drop the engine and get a very long bar on a socket fed from above to get the upper bellhousing bolts off. I could - just about - get access from below, but somebody had massively over-tightened them and I couldn't get enough force on the linkage to undo them. Anyway, now it's out!
I eventually had to go and do something touristy with my long suffering girlfriend who'd come down to Devon for a long weekend in the country (not three days watching me swear at an inanimate object) so I never got round to dismantling the engine. Soon, though, we should find out the extent of the damage.
It took three days of working between the showers to get the damn thing out. In the end I had to drop the engine and get a very long bar on a socket fed from above to get the upper bellhousing bolts off. I could - just about - get access from below, but somebody had massively over-tightened them and I couldn't get enough force on the linkage to undo them. Anyway, now it's out!
I eventually had to go and do something touristy with my long suffering girlfriend who'd come down to Devon for a long weekend in the country (not three days watching me swear at an inanimate object) so I never got round to dismantling the engine. Soon, though, we should find out the extent of the damage.
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