Head or Engine removal...!

[andy-w]

I am about to replace the core plugs on the cylinder heads and there is no way i can get to the two at the rear of the heads.

So i have a choice...do i remove the heads or lift out the engine...i dont have a garage but if i lift the engine out i think it will be do-able in a few hours, i probably wouldnt even need to lift it right out...just remove the y section of exhaust, separate gearbox and engine and move forwards a few inches???

If i take the heads off then i might as well go the whole hog and change the cam and do a top end rebuild but that will take most of the weekend....?

Thoughts and opinions greatly appreciated

[chris1972]

If you could remove the engine, it would make doing most jobs a lot easier and would five you good excess to a lot of areas, such as the chassis for preventative maintenance. I can't see it just taking a few hours though. It takes that just to remove the exhaust manifolds! As usual, I stand to be corrected and would like to know how it's removed!

[andy-w]

a few hours to remove the exhaust manifolds????
i wont need to remove the manifolds if i remove the engine..?


The chassis is spotless as i stripped the car down a couple of years ago and had it shot blasted, zinc sprayed and powder coated..so i dont need to access any other areas...i am just looking for easeiest and quickest.

[Julesprivate]

andy-w said:

a few hours to remove the exhaust manifolds????
i wont need to remove the manifolds if I remove the engine..?

If you were going to REMOVE the engine you would want to remove the manifolds. If you are going to move it a little to make space you might get away with leaving them on.

I've budgeted 2 hours to get to the "manifolds off" stage from opening the bonnet, and an hour to get them back on...(and then the time to refit the y-piece).

It's often easier to slacken the exhaust mount to get more free play to fit the Y-piece so you may want to factor that in too...

I'd rather take the engine out than take the heads off, butt hat's just me..

[andy-w]

Julesprivate said:

andy-w said:

a few hours to remove the exhaust manifolds????
i wont need to remove the manifolds if I remove the engine..?

If you were going to REMOVE the engine you would want to remove the manifolds.

Why would i need to remove the manifolds...they are the widest part of the engine and there is loads of clearance on the inner wing...its just extra work for no gains??

Plus i have removed the engine before without moving them...

[Julesprivate]

andy-w said:

Plus i have removed the engine before without moving them...

LOL - I did say WANT rather than NEED. For me it was more of a concern over where the engine hoist straps went across the engine, it seemed a bit too much tension across the manifolds and I was a bit concerned about damaging the manifolds making refitting the Y-piece a PITA.

You probably did a better job with the straps than me.

Damaging is probably too strong a word - I was a bit concerned they'd end up bearing some of the weight and at some later stage I'd find they'd twisted minutely..

[andy-w]

ahhh right...my straps didnt go anywhere near the manifolds i have got brackets that i bolt to various points that have lifting eyes.

I think i will get away with unbolting the gearbox and engine mounts, romove y section and disconnect clutch and i think that will give me enough to shunt the engine forwards....thats my plan..!!!

[chris1972]

Andy

My point was that not 'you have to remove the manifolds', just that it takes hours to do this job alone. So if removing the engine only took a couple of hours, most people simply pop the engine out to do any work. However, if you manage it this quickly, I would be really interested to know how you did it as I would consider doing the same in the future, instead of spending hours under the car. I have been quoted 3-4 hours labour for a rear crank seal by a TVR specialist, which only requires dropping the gear box.

Edited by chris1972 on Wednesday 19th June 12:17

[andy-w]

chris1972 said:

Andy
I have been quoted 3-4 hours labour for a rear crank seal by a TVR specialist, which only requires dropping the gear box.

At £60 per hour i would say it would take the same amoount of time...

Its like anything - there is another thread running saying it takes a couple of hours to remove the dash top..if it takes me longer than 5 minutes i think i have done really bad.

I have had my car for 8 or 9 years now and there is not a single nut or bolt i have not undone at some point...for what i need to do i can just undo the two gearbox mounts, rmove gear lever, the two engine mounts and the cluth pipe, remove the y piece and remove the chassis cross brace and thats it. I know i have not got any awkward nuts or bolts that are seized as they have all been replaced with stainless ones.

Plus although i do not have a car lift i do have a huge range of tools that makes the job easier...!!!

[spend]

chris1972 said:

I have been quoted 3-4 hours labour for a rear crank seal by a TVR specialist, which only requires dropping the gear box.

Sounds very optimistic....
Undoing the T5 spaghetti linkage on top, box pull, bellhousing off, clutch removal, flywheel removal, drop sump, loosen mains, drop rear cap.... all in 3-4hours seems good going before you start on the seal & re-assembly.

[chris1972]

andy-w said:

At £60 per hour i would say it would take the same amoount of time...

Its like anything - there is another thread running saying it takes a couple of hours to remove the dash top..if it takes me longer than 5 minutes i think i have done really bad.

I have had my car for 8 or 9 years now and there is not a single nut or bolt i have not undone at some point...for what i need to do i can just undo the two gearbox mounts, rmove gear lever, the two engine mounts and the cluth pipe, remove the y piece and remove the chassis cross brace and thats it. I know i have not got any awkward nuts or bolts that are seized as they have all been replaced with stainless ones.

Plus although i do not have a car lift i do have a huge range of tools that makes the job easier...!!!

Andy, if you do do it, could you video the steps and bolts removed etc, including the removal. I'd be very interested to see how it is done (as would may others) and I think it would make a really interesting video for Youtube.

[andy-w]

chris1972 said:

Andy, if you do do it, could you video the steps and bolts removed etc, including the removal. I'd be very interested to see how it is done (as would may others) and I think it would make a really interesting video for Youtube.

No Problem.
I will video, take pics and do a write up...i am sure i have got a write up somewhere for when i removed the body and welded new outriggers in...

Maybe on the chimaeara pages we could have a video section.

There are loads of jobs you can do yourself on these cars. They are nothing special to work on and if your a half decent mechanic with a good selection of tools its really easy...

[chris1972]

andy-w said:

No Problem.
I will video, take pics and do a write up...i am sure i have got a write up somewhere for when i removed the body and welded new outriggers in...

Maybe on the chimaeara pages we could have a video section.

There are loads of jobs you can do yourself on these cars. They are nothing special to work on and if your a half decent mechanic with a good selection of tools its really easy...

Cheers for that. I've done quite a bit myself as of late, valley gasket, new trumpet base, new coolant and PAS hoses etc, but it is a constant learning curve, potential bottomless pit of money and devourer of time! I'm always up for a bit of free education though!

[chris1972]

Bump... Andy, any feedback on this? Would be really interested to know!