putting engine back in/ box attached or not?

[plumAJP]

I soon have the task of putting the engine back in.

I removed it with the box attached as accessing the top bolts to the bell housing was tight etc and the bolts to the top of the gear box side were too far up into the centre tunnel to get a rachet to them.

when pulling it out it involved a lot of shaking and jacking of the gearbox end etc to extract it all in one.

With the engine painted and bits powdercoated i dont want to be shaking and bashing the engine around the engine bay.

is it easy to install it all in one or is it better to drop the engine in on its own with bell housing and starter attached, then bolt the gear box on whilst its all in place.

if I don't mount up the engine i could tilt it back a touch on the hoist so i can access the top gear box bolts??

any tips on installing guys.

[brogenville]

Both methods are certainly totally viable. Each of the three times I've mated the gearbox to the engine i've had the engine in place at the time, though I've always found it tricky to get the input shaft located in the spigot bearing. For this reason, I would think that it would definetly be easier to attach the box prior to installation (I just didn't have a long-enough engine crane to reach over the front of the car, so had to lift the engine vertically from the side of the car).

I would think that if you take your time and are really careful, then you should be able to get the whole lot in without and scratches.

[350Matt]

I would suspect the easiest route is to fit the engine on its own with the Passenger side exhaust manifold in place then fit the gearbox in from underneath afterwards.

The factory will have fitted it all in one lump but you don't have their overhead gantry etc